How to care for wooden furniture (what oil?)

[.45Cole]

So I will just say it, I have no idea what to treat some of my nicer furniture with (but I know where to ask!). I don't want to use any of the wax products, as I will get buildup in the corners. I was thinking something that will help condition the wood. These are things along the line of dark stained mahogany finishes common on 1940's drop leaf tables. Thanks in advance.

[RickinTN]

I would say Howards Feed-n-wax, but it does have wax in it obviously. It's really good for that wood that has that "thirsty" look and gives it a deep rich look.
I bought mine at Home Depot.
Rick

[foesgth]

I have always found that lemon oil works best. It lifts dirt and feed the wood. It also smells nice.

[Col4570]

Try Olive Oil,you will be surprised by its renovative properties.

[phonejack]

I use olive oil also

[Wayne Smith]

No oil, that builds up and dust sticks to it. Use wax, nothing sticks to wax, not even other wax! If the wood is dry and needs feeding use a wood finishing oil and wax.

My mother in law was an oil using person. They had a coffee table my father in law made in Hawaii out of a diagonal slab of Monkey Pod wood. It sat in front of the fireplace for years. When we got it the top was black. I cleaned off many layers of oil and ash and dust until I got down to the wood. We have had it now for 30 years. It gets wax and cleaning only. You can still see the grain.

Museums use wax. Is that not enough?

[lancem]

I'm with Wayne, if the piece was properly finished to begin with then the wood should be sealed. Anything you do to it is to protect that original finish, not the wood, that's the originial finish's job. Since the wood is sealed the oil won't soak in and sits there collecting dust and over time hardens and oxidizes, often turning dark when that process occurs. Hard wax (JPW) when properly applied leaves a very thin coat that is hard and resistant to most things. The problem on furniture is the overuse of wax, a piece that sits in the living room looking pretty holding a photo needs only dusted regularly, waxed maybe once a year, dining room table that gets used a lot several times a year, maybe monthly.

[.45Cole]

Thanks for the responses, I had seen some of the Howard's Feed-n-wax and that is what prompted this. My father uses lemon oil, but he also believes in many wives tales too.

[Outpost75]

Museums use JPW on antique furniture and on weapons. You could do worse than to follow their example. I was taught by Cradick Gowens, curator of military history at the Smithsonian Institution to use only a natural hogs bristle brush to apply, a horsehair brush to distribute into crevices, and sheepskin fleece to buff. Silk cloth is OK for high lolish if desired.

[Wayne Smith]

Lemon oil is a cleaner, not a preservative. It is a good cleaner, as are all citrus oils. While it does have minimal protective properties it is not a preservative. A good polymerizing finish does that, along with a final wax coat. This wears off and needs periodic replacement, just like your car. The less the wear, the less often you need to recoat. Remember though, once it is polished even wax doesn't stick to wax. Post a good polish there is no 'build-up'.

[USAFrox]

One caution about the wax - I have a sister who used wax on their dinner table. Every time they have a hot meal, the heat from their hot plates melts the wax and causes their plates to stick to their table. I'm not a refinishing guru by any stretch of the imagination, and I imagine that my sister or her husband did something wrong in the application, but it is something to think about. What kind of furniture are you going to be doing? Is it something you will be putting hot items on?

[.45Cole]

USAFrox-mainly my bed. I have a huge beautiful sleigh bed of mahogany, and then a mahogany corner hutch and a mahogany drop leaf table (hutch and table are Duncan Phyfe style). The rest of the furniture is nice, but will probably be donated to some poor college kid (served that position with me)

[Wayne Smith]

Frox, tell your sister to use a table cloth or place mats. That's what they are for!

[CastingFool]

Frox, tell your sister to use a table cloth or place mats. That's what they are for!

Also tell them to cut back on the wax!