I’ve never been a fan of furniture polishes and waxes, as the toxic vapors would always make me sick.  I figured there had to be green alternatives that are non-toxic and get the job done just as good.  Here are my top three tips for keeping your furniture looking its best while saving money and avoiding the toxic polishes that flood our market today.

<b>Before Preserving The Piece, Ensure It’s Clean.</b>

I don’t know about your furniture, but mine is permanently dusty.  Therefore, I need to make sure it’s totally clean before applying my monthly polish to it.  The cheapest and best method for this is to use tea.  It’s a great choice for removing old polish and prepping the piece for polishing.

Tea?  You heard right.  Heat up a cup, let it cool to room temperature before soaking a rag in it.  The tannic acid in tea will actually make your wood shine while removing all the dirt.  Once you have your piece completely cleaned off, it’s time for the next natural and non-toxic step.

<b>Use Olive Oil To Keep Wood Looking Its Best.</b>

Avoid the costly and toxic furniture polishes out there and go for the kitchen.  Olive oil and white vinegar make great candidates to clean up your furniture.  Not sure exactly why it works, but I tried it and was severely impressed by the results.

I tried the technique on an old rocking chair I have in the living room that looks really old and faded.  While I like the old look, I was curious to try polishing it.  I remember spending a lot of time looking at furniture polishes, but then deciding I didn’t want to use toxic stuff if I didn’t have to.  It’s funny when you read that Consumer Reports also advises against the chemicals and casts their vote for natural green cleaners.

<b>Mayonnaise: Excellent for a Sandwich… or Polishing Furniture.</b>

This was a new one I discovered recently.  Mayonnaise works really well to polish furniture, and it gives a shinier look than olive oil does.  Of course, it’s your preference as to how you want your stuff to look.  I think modern furniture looks good polished, while antique furniture looks good appearing old as it is.

The longer you can let mayo sit, the better for the shine.  Rubbing it liberally in the direction of the wood grain can do wonders for removing marks of all sorts.  Remember that mayonnaise is comprised of oil, vinegar and eggs: Oil and eggs give the shine while the vinegar cleanses.  Give it a try, you’ll be surprised.

Ever since I found these natural recipes for preserving furniture, I would never consider bringing toxic polishes in my house again.  Not proven to work on all wood, more expensive and toxic?  I don’t think so.  Save some money and keep your furniture looking great, who knew it was this simple?

Of course, these tips are just the start of your green cleaning revolution. A complete green cleaning program is simple to implement and ends up saving you money while keeping toxic and cancerous chemicals out of your home. This is one aspect of eco friendly living where I truly believe that everyone can do their part and thrive…and it’s really simple. So just go for it and see the results.