How to Dust Furniture Without Chemicals

Dusting with chemical furniture polishes is never a good idea. They contain harmful compounds such as petroleum silicates and butane. Not only are these bad for your furniture, but they are also bad for your health. So, what’s the alternative?

To dust furniture without chemicals, you first need to toss out any cleaning agents and polishes that contain harmful ingredients. Next, opt for products that have natural alternatives. Then, take steps to reduce dirt and dust in your home.

This article will give you some ideas for alternatives to chemical furniture polishes and cleaners. I’ll show you how to clean and polish your furniture best without harmful chemicals. Finally, I’ll give you some tips on reducing dust in your home.

Check out all-natural wood cleaning products

This is the best way to stay away from aerosol spray cleaners. They have butane as a propellant, which can damage your finished wood. They also contain solvents like silicone, a hydrocarbon that can leave oily residue and is not very safe for use around small children.

The best option is to go for wood cleaners with all-natural ingredients. They might be hard to find, but there are some excellent ones out there. Here, I recommend a few outstanding examples.

Touch of Oranges Wood Cleaner and Restorer

Touch of Oranges Wood Cleaner and Restorer is the gold standard in all-natural wood cleaning products. If you have wood in your house, whether it’s furniture, cabinets, or floors, Touch of Oranges will work well for you. Since it’s made from natural orange oil, you don’t have to worry about aggressive chemicals.

It cleans and renews most wood surfaces without leaving oily residue or wax build-up. It can be safely used on these surfaces:

• Furniture
• Floors
• Cabinets
• Wood paneling

• Antiques

Frosch’s Natural Wood Cleaner

If you like the odor of pine wood but don’t want to be overwhelmed, then Frosch’s Naturholzreiniger is just right for you. It has a gentle pine scent without being overpowering like some other cleaners.

It’s specially formulated for wood surfaces. It contains unique agents derived from pine, so no aggressive chemicals are required in its formula. Even without all the harmful substances, it’s a powerful cleaner. Here are just a few things it can remove:

• Red wine stains
• Coffee stains
• Oil
• Crayons

It can be used both diluted and undiluted. However, very concentrated. You only need about one tablespoon per gallon of water.

Puracy’s All-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate

The newcomer in the natural wood cleaner category is Puracy’s All-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate. It cleans most non-fabric surfaces, including treated wood. The plant-based ingredients in this all-natural product are free from chemicals you would find in most common cleaners.

This means you can be confident that no residue or contaminants will be left on your wood furniture. Still, it can tackle the following:

• Food stains
• Fingerprints
• Splatters
• Tree sap
• Grease
• Lipstick
• Dirt
• Glue

The best part about Puracy is that it works on almost any non-fabric surface. Here are some examples:

• Finished wood
• Hardwood floors
• Kitchen cabinets
• Countertops
• Auto dashboards
• Most metal surfaces

The company prides itself on being environmentally friendly. All ingredients are biodegradable within a month. And their eco-friendly packaging saves over 90% in water, plastic, and energy.

Opt for natural wood polishes

Now that you have cleaned and preserved your furniture, it’s time to polish it. There are just as many wood polishes as cleaners out there. But finding completely natural ones is not so easy. So, you need to carefully check the ingredient list on the product.

With that in mind, here are a few natural wood polishes that will not only make your furniture shine but also nourish it.

Better Life Natural Wood Polish

Better Life is a company dedicated to offering the best eco-friendly household products. And their natural wood polish is no exception.

Unlike chemically-based furniture polishes, it lists its ingredients right on the label. It doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, hydrocarbons, or aerosols. Here’s what’s inside:

• Soybean
• Jojoba
• Plant-derived
• Rapeseed oil
• Other plant-based ingredients

Technically, the company can’t call this a “completely natural” product. There are traces of preservatives (less than 0.01%) in the form of methylisothiazolinone. However, I’m surprised they even bothered to list it since it’s such a small amount. Nevertheless, I appreciate the company’s transparency.

ECOS Furniture Polish with Olive Oil

Another natural furniture polish is ECOS Furniture Polish with Olive Oil. It also lists its active ingredients. Here’s a little sampling:

• Olive oil
• Fruit oils
• Orange oil

It has the same issue as some of the other “completely natural” furniture polishes. Some preservatives and other chemicals are listed. It’s unclear what percentage is contained in this product as it’s not disclosed. But one can assume that these potentially harmful substances make up a small percentage as they are listed last in the ingredients.

Daddy Van’s All Natural Beeswax & Lavender Furniture Polish

But don’t give up! Daddy Van’s All Natural Beeswax & Lavender Furniture Polish is truly free of chemicals. Here are the ingredients:

• Beeswax
• Carnauba wax
• Olive oil
• Essential lavender oil

That’s it! Nothing else. But if you don’t like using wax on your furniture due to inherent residues, then that’s a whole different problem.

You may object to using commercial products on your wooden furniture for one reason or another. Sometimes, it’s just better to make cleaning agents and polishes yourself. In the next section, I’ll show you exactly how to do that.

How to Make Your Furniture Cleaner

There are two main purposes for using a furniture cleaner:

• Clean wood safely. Food stains, spilled drinks, and messy fingerprints all present their own challenges. That’s why it’s important to have a safe and effective cleaner on hand for your wooden furniture.
• Dust properly. It’s easier to pick up dirt, dust, and allergens when your dusting cloth is slightly damp. This is why we sometimes mistakenly resort to chemically-based furniture polishes. We want that moisture that helps us dust. But there’s a much safer way.

Using castile soap

Here are the ingredients:

• 2 tsp Maple Holistics Liquid Castile Soap
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 drops essential lemon oil
• 8 oz. distilled water

In an 8 oz. spray bottle, combine distilled water, liquid soap, olive oil, and lemon oil. Mix the ingredients thoroughly by gently shaking the spray bottle.

Note: For this recipe, it’s best to use a glass spray bottle. Essential oils tend to degrade plastic over time. Glass bottles don’t have this issue.

Caution: When using soap cleansers, it’s a good idea to test the solution on an inconspicuous area first, as it may not be suitable for every type of wood. This applies to all products you use for cleaning or polishing.

Vinegar and oil dusting spray

Here are the ingredients:

• 8 oz. distilled water
• 1/4 c. vinegar
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 10 drops essential lemon oil

Combine all the ingredients together in an 8 oz. glass spray bottle. Shake gently and thoroughly to get the proper blend.

You can use any dusting cloth with this spray. However, keep in mind that microfiber cloths absorb vinegar and oil better than other materials.

Won’t vinegar harm the wood?

You may have heard that vinegar damages some wood surfaces. While it’s true that it’s slightly acidic, it can be a great cleaner without harming finished wood when properly diluted. And it depends on the type of wood you’re treating.

It’s always good to use good judgment and common sense. It can simply be a matter of diluting the solution to make it milder. If you have concerns about using vinegar on your cherished wooden furniture, definitely don’t do it. Instead, there are many alternatives.

How to Make Your Own Furniture Polish

Furniture polishes usually have a different active ingredient base than dusting sprays, which are mainly used for cleaning. The base ingredient is typically some kind of plant oil, which gives it a richer texture. Nevertheless, you can also use these homemade wood polishes for cleaning.

Homemade Furniture Spray – Lemon

Here are the ingredients:

• 2 c. light olive oil
• Lemon peel, grated (1 lemon)
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. essential lemon oil

Pour the olive oil into a 1-quart glass jar with a lid. Then, add the lemon peel and dried thyme. Close the jar’s lid and let it sit in a cool, dark cupboard for two weeks to allow the mixture to infuse.

Once the two weeks are up, pour the mixture into a 16-ounce glass spray bottle. This step will require a funnel. Next, add the essential lemon oil.

Shake well before each use. You can apply this homemade wood polish with any soft cloth or towel. Wipe off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.

This lemony polish will not only give your wood furniture a shiny luster but also leave it with a pleasant scent. The only downside is that you need to let the mixture infuse for two weeks.

Coconut Oil Furniture Polish

Here are the ingredients:

• 1/4 c. coconut oil
• Four tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• Two teaspoons lemon juice

You’ll need to soften the coconut oil a bit before you can use it as a spray. You can do this by gently warming it in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not bring it to a boil.

While the coconut oil is still slightly warm, pour it into a glass spray bottle. Now, add the vinegar and lemon juice. Shake well before each use.

A word about using food-grade oils

Olive and coconut oils are both rapidly biodegradable. That’s one of the great things about using them. Unfortunately, they can become rancid over time.

For that reason, it’s best to replace your homemade polishes about once a month. If that sounds a bit extreme, think of it this way; it’s the price we have to pay for not using those terrible chemical preservatives in our household products.

Tips for Dusting Without Chemicals

Now that you have some great spray cleaners, let’s get down to business. Here are some helpful tips for cleaning and dusting without chemicals.

• Never spray a cleaner directly onto wood surfaces. Instead, spray onto a soft cloth or rag and gently rub over the entire area. Then, take a second clean, dry cloth and pick up any excess moisture from the spray.
• Use microfiber cloths. The Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloths are an excellent choice. They come in a pack of six and offer a wide range of colors. The best thing about microfiber cleaning cloths is that they are lint-free and very absorbent, which is what you need for cleaning and polishing wood furniture.
• Water does the job pretty well too. Sometimes, you don’t need anything for dusting except a cloth. In other cases, you might need a little moisture to pick up dust on a dry day. Consider using distilled water in a spray bottle.
• Consider using a magic wand. The Heothe Microfiber Duster with Extension Pole is well-suited for this. It has a flexible wand that’s great for dusting around corners and in tight spaces.

Tips for Polishing and Restoring Wood Furniture

No matter what type of polish you use, it can be a challenge to make your furniture look like new. It’s not easy to remove scratches, damage, and stains from treated wood. But with a little guidance, you can make your wood furniture look like new.

• Wash the wood surface with a chemical-free cleaning solution. Spray the cleaner directly on a soft cloth and thoroughly wipe the area.
• Polish it up. Spray some homemade polish onto a soft cloth. Rub the wood in the direction of the grain. Pick up any excess product with a clean microfiber cloth. Let the rest air dry.

What about teak furniture?

Teak is a select type of wood mainly used for outdoor and patio furniture. It’s best to let it weather naturally.

However, if you feel the need to restore it to its full splendor, then Star Brite Premium Golden Teak Oil is probably the best choice. Yes, it does have a bit of turpentine mixed in with the natural tung oil, so be sure to wear a face mask and gloves.

Removing Water Stains with Mayonnaise

You may have heard about this trick before. But let me guide you step-by-step to ensure thorough results.

For this procedure, you’ll need real mayonnaise (not salad dressing) and two clean cloths.

1. Apply the mayonnaise directly to the water stain.

Related posts:

1. 10 Things to Do for a Bathroom Without an Exhaust Fan
2. 10 Effective Ways to Prevent Mold on Baseboards
3. 10 Reasons Why Your Grout Cracks
4. 10 Reasons Why You Should Put a Mirror in a Living Room
5. 10 Ways to Enhance the Look of a Metal Bed Frame
6. 12 brilliant ways to separate living and dining rooms