Cleaning furniture
28 September 2005

In most cases a light dusting with a soft cloth is all that is required for routine cleaning of polished surfaces. Occasionally a lightly dampened cloth can be used to remove grease and heavier soiling. About once a year a good quality soft wax paste can be applied to help protect and maintain the surface. It is unwise to allow water or wax near painted, gilded or lacquered surfaces. A soft cloth should be adequate for these. Avoid the use of spray polishes as these invariably contain silicon, which is very hard to remove and can make the refinishing of surfaces very difficult. You should also be careful if the surface itself is damaged in any way, if in any doubt please feel free to call and ask. Careless or improper cleaning can destroy an old surface that that may have taken hundreds of years to develop, once gone it is gone forever.