Use simple ingredients instead of harsh chemicals to keep your wood tables, chairs and other surfaces clean and polished. This page contains recipes for homemade furniture polish.
This furniture polish is easy to make. You'll need turpentine, boiled linseed oil and lemon juice (or vinegar).
Ingredients
Put all the ingredients in a glass jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake until mixed. Then apply to furniture using a lightly damp cloth. Dip the cloth in the furniture polish and apply to your furniture. Let sit for 30 minutes and then polish with a soft, clean cloth. Pretest mixture on an inconspicuous part of your furniture if you have not used this polish before. If you have a big job you can make a bigger batch but don't make more than you need, this mixture doesn't store well.
Do you have a furniture polish recipe? Post it below or submit it to our tip contest.
In a screw-top jar, mix equal parts:
- Denatured alcohol (from a hardware store)
- Strained fresh lemon juice (not canned or frozen)
- Olive oil
Shake well before each use. Apply polish with a clean, absorbent, lint-free cloth, gently rubbing cloth over furniture. Polish with a dry woolen cloth. Cover jar and safely store polish.
Source: Adapted from a recipe at the NMSU Extension
Here is a great tip on saving money on furniture polish.
Combine the oil and lemon juice in the spray bottle. Shake well before using.
Use a clean, dry cloth to buff and polish. Works wonders and saves you money!
By Sabrina from Council, N.C.
I saw the following recipe on a video:
Now you can be environmentally safe and polish all of your furniture eliminating the harmful fumes in the commercial furniture polishes. Source: MSN
By MCW from NY
I would like to get a recipe for homemade furniture polish. I am going as organic and natural as possible.
By Rita
By Tapestry Lady
09/19/2010
I mix together about 1/4 cup white vinegar and a good tablespoon of jojoba oil in a bowl, then apply with a soft rag. Then take a dry corner and buff it to wipe off excess oil. You don't really need much oil to make a good furniture polish and this way it doesn't turn out too greasy. For scent I add a couple drops of cedar essential oil, though lemon would be nice too.
Jojoba oil is light and doesn't go rancid like olive oil. It's also great for the skin so it's nice to have around.
Can I make a homemade recipe with lemon oil and vinegar for my furniture?
Carol from Fayetteville, NC
By Lynda (Guest Post)
01/26/2007
I'd forget the Vinegar(a weak acid) MIXED with Lemon Oil, because I believe it would just partially dissolve the Oil, wouldn't it? I'd use lemon oil straight as I have for an antique Piano I own. It's just great and doesn't bleach at all. The woods love it. At least, the bottle SAYS "Lemon Oil", and it's clear/oily/fragrant and works! What more could you want? How are you getting your lemon oil?
The smell of furniture polish bothers my allergies so I have used the following homemade polish for years with good results:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. olive oil
Mix well in a bowl, then saturate a small cloth with the mixture and wring out. Use to polish furniture, buff with a dry, soft cloth.
By June S.
By Isabelle (03/26/2005)
By ThriftyFun
I need a homemade recipe for furniture "cleaner/polish" that will not hurt some of my older wooden pieces.
This is an excellent furniture polish and most everyone has these two products in their home. Use equal parts of olive oil and vinegar. (like 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup vinegar).
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