Welcome to Cleaning Tips

How To Remove White Spots From Furniture

If you have white spots on your wooden furniture, you should work hard to remove the white, cloudy film or your wood can be permanently damaged.

*Rub the surface of the wood with a soft cloth that has been dipped in one half cup of ammonia and water.

*Wipe the furniture dry immediately and polish.

*If the white spots are still visible, use 3/0 steel wool and olive oil and rub lightly with the grain of the wood, then wax.

*For very deep spots, rub cigarette ashes into the wood.

*If the white spots still remain, you will have to strip off the old finish.

Water Ring Removal from Wood Furniture

If possible, remove water rings from wood furniture while they´re fresh by rubbing with a soft cloth. If water rings are set, you can apply an oil-based furniture polish. There are several other techniques you can try. You can apply mayonnaise liberally over the water ring and leave overnight, then wipe off with a soft dry cloth the next day. You can also try appling a small amount of non-gel toothpaste and baking soda to a damp cloth, then rub the stain lightly. Another technique is to apply a paste of cooking oil and salt, wait 15 minutes, then wipe off and polish as usual.

Odor Removal from Drawer or Cabinet

To remove odors from a drawer or cabinet, you can either fill the drawer with ground coffee and leave it overnight, use baking soda and leaving it in for several days, use cat litter and leave it in for several days or place the drawer outside in a shady spot on a breezy day. If the odor persists, you can carefully place a bowl of bleach in the empty drawer or cabinet, close the drawer or cabinet and let it sit for a few days, then carefully remove the bowl of bleach.

Cleaning Antique Furniture

If we're not careful with our beverages, we can cause damage to those things that mean the most to us. Before you put a beverage down on an antique table, be sure to use a coaster or you risk leaving a water mark behind on the wood. If this has happened to you, cleaning antique furniture of these marks if you act quickly. You have several options for removing water marks from wood. Mayonnaise left on the stain over night is usually enough to remove the stain as is a white, non-gel toothpaste. If you can get to the mark immediately, try to dry it with a hair dryer first. If you're unsure about using any of these products on your wood, test it on a hidden area before you go about this type of house cleaning.

Shining Wood Furniture

To add shine to wooden furniture, rub it with vinegar before polishing.

Hiding Scratches in Wood Furniture

To conceal scratches in your wooden furniture, try using your child´s crayons. Select the right color and melt a small amount. Work the melted wax into the scratch or nick until concealed. Or break the meat of a brazil nut, black walnut, or pecan in half and rub it into the scratch.

How To Clean Dirt and Stains From Raw Pine Furniture

Raw pine is soft and if it has not been sealed, it will get dirty very fast. If you have dirt and stains on your raw pine, you can use most any liquid cleanser to rid the wood of the dirty buildup. However, you should use the liquid cleaners sparingly. They can soak into the raw wood and stain it.

Another outlet is to purchase something known as a crumbly cleaner. This is a dry cleanser that feels much like putty. You can rub it on your raw pine without harming the color or condition of the wood.

The only other outlet you have to remove stains from raw pine is to sand it.

Cigarette Burn Removal from Wood Furniture

For a cigarette burn that hasn´t penetrated the wood finish, make a thin paste of pumice and boiled linseed oil and apply it to the burned area. Wax or polish, working with the grain of the wood.

Heat Ring Removal from Wood Furniture

To remove heat rings from wood furniture, massage mayonnaise into the marks and leave it on overnight. The next morning, wipe off the mayo and the marks should be gone. You can also use petroleum jelly, butter or margarine. If you have a really stubborn spot, mix cigarette ashes or rottenstone (available at the hardware store) with the mayo and repeat the above procedure.

Perspiration Stain Removal from Upholstery

Sofa cushions are very absorbent so you will most likely not be able to remove all of the perspiration from inside the sofa. However, assuming your sofa can be cleaned with water (check the tag), you can try to remove the outer stain using white vinegar and a clean, dry, white cloth. Blot (do not rub) the stain, working from the outside of the stain to the center, so as not to spread the stain. Follow the vinegar with either upholstery cleaner or mix 1/2 teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent in a quart of warm water. Beat with a mixer, and clean the furniture using only the suds. Work on a small area at a time, overlapping areas to avoid spotting. Change the rinse water frequently to keep it clean. Use a fan to thoroughly dry the furniture.

Water Stain Removal from Leather Upholstery

condensation from a glass, can easily be treated with clean water. In this case, a stain results because water has dried in the middle of a piece of leather, leaving a clear line of separation. Wet the entire area out to a seam or edge. Soak a new sponge in a bowl of room temperature water. Wring it as dry as possible. Start at the spot of the water stain, dampening the leather until you reach the edges of the cushion. Wet the leather less and less as you get further from the water spot. Do not scrub, just wipe. Condition the leather after it has dried. Other liquid stains can be treated in the same manner, but may require professional treatment.

Cigarette Smoke Odor Removal

Since the smell of smoke lingers in carpets, upholstery and curtains, you will need to tackle these areas to eliminate the smell of cigarette smoke. You will need to either wash these items, or if you would like a quicker fix, you can try a commercial odor remover. Once the odor is removed, you can try leaving a small container of vinegar in each room to keep it smelling fresh. If you have smokers in your house, you can keep several candles burning while they are smoking, and covering the bottom of ashtrays with baking soda also helps. Nothing replaces fresh air, so whenever possible, open up the windows.

Polish Build Up Removal from Wood Furniture

To remove polish build-up, mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Rub furniture with a soft cloth that has been moistened with the solution. Dry immediately with a clean cloth.

Fingerprint Removal from Wood Furniture

To remove fingerprints from wood furniture, I would recommend first polishing the furniture with either your favorite wood polish or 1 cup mineral oil and 3 drops lemon extract. Then, sprinkle cornstarch on the just-polished furniture and buff with a soft cloth. The cornstarch will make the fingerprints disappear as well as absorb excess polish.

Odor Removal from Wood Furniture

Some ways to remove odors from wood furniture are: filling the drawers with ground coffee and leaving it over night, using baking soda and leaving it in for several days, using cat litter and leaving it in for several days or placing the item outside in a shady spot on a breezy day.

Recipe for a homemade wood furniture cleaner: In a pump spray bottle, place 1 teaspoon of light olive oil and half a cup of white vinegar. Shake well. This is as effective as any store bought product, yet is far more economical.

Crayon Mark Removal from Wood Furniture

There are a few things to try when attempting to remove crayon marks from woos furniture. First, try cleaning with Murphy´s Oil Soap. This should remove the crayon without harming the finish. If not, try mineral spirits, which should also be safe on the finish. WD-40 or Avon Skin-So-Soft should also work, but test on a non-visible area first. Non-gel toothpaste should also be a safe alternative. If all else fails, try applying a little heat from a hair dryer to soften the crayon, then blot with paper towels.

Paint Stain Removal from Leather Upholstery

To remove paint from leather furniture, try wiping the area with rubbing alcohol or turpentine. Try both of these in a non-visible area on the leather first, to ensure that they will not remove the dyes or harm the leather. You can also try cleaning the area with saddle soap, which will not harm the leather, or spray the stains with Armor All, which is also safe on leather.

Alcohol Stain Removal from Wood Furniture

Alcohol has a tendency to dissolve most finishes, so blot the spot immediately, then put a few drops of ammonia on a damp cloth and wipe the area. If the spot still remains, make a thin paste of boiled linseed oil and rottenstone, and rub it into the stain with your finger. Wax or polish.