Old wooden furniture such as chairs, tables and chests can often go for years in the same place collecting dust and getting knocked and dented. Consequently, after the piece has changed hands, or been rediscovered after a move, it is usually the best time to contemplate giving it some care and attention in order to ensure it lasts another 50 years, and still fits in with the rest of your interior design. This article discusses what I consider to be the two key options for giving your Furniture a new lease of life.
Cleaning is the first step to any kind of furniture maintenance. Depending on the condition of the piece, afterwards you will then be able to decide on whether any further work is needed. Looking at the piece, it is likely that some parts will be darker and grimier compared to others. This is caused by fine dirt and dust finding its way into the cracks, grain and detailing of the wood - and is often exacerbated if the piece has been subject to repeated polishing and waxing over time.
Patience and care is the key to cleaning furniture well. The best tools for the job are: soft cloths, toothbrushes, a sharpened piece of dowel, and very fine (000#) wire wool. Many furniture cleaners also exist on the market, as well as soaps which are often vegetable oil based (be careful not to mix solutions too quickly, though). Use the wool to remove tough wax and polish but take care and don’t aim to scrub it off. The toothbrush and dowel are good for getting into cracks and nooks.
If you wish, your next best move might be to aim to restore your piece. If at this stage you find you have cleaned some areas too vigorously, it may be worth using a darkening solution to bring back the piece’s original colour. For white marks caused by water on polished wooden surfaces, a tiny amount of denatured alcohol might work where standard furniture cleaner does not. And if this still fails, try an ash and vegetable oil paste in the same manner.
Marks as serious as dents must be treated differently. If they are shallow, first try raising the damage. If the surface of the piece is finished you will need to use some fine sand paper to prepare the area, and if the wood is soft the dent might need little more than a few drops of water soaked in and left over night. If this doesn’t work, wet a cloth and apply to the piece - then use a warm iron. If this still doesn’t raise the dent, a more professional removal treatment might be needed.