How To Clean Exotic Wood Tables
Cleaning Exotic Wood
The good news is that wood is still wood, whether it comes from Costa Rica or from North Carolina.
This means that any tips for cleaning exotic wood tables are about the same as tips for cleaning any wood table. To narrow things down a bit, here are a few ideas you should keep in mind as you prepare to make the best choices in furniture maintenance.
Use Water Sparingly
Never soak wood furniture in water. You'll want to avoid water rings from sweaty glass, or the residue of a damp cloth. It is suggested that a small amount of water on a lint-free cloth can help you with your weekly dusting habits, but be careful that you really are sticking to using it sparingly. If you’re not sure, then stick to a dry cleaning cloth instead. You can also use water sparingly as a spot treatment, but be sure to completely dry the area and never allow standing water on your wood table or wood countertop.
Use coasters on wood coffee and end tables to help prevent water rings and protect the surface of your table.
Vinegar Works Well
Whatever you do, don’t apply straight vinegar to your wooden tabletop. The acidity could eat away at some finishes, and because it is a liquid, that means that it can also cause traditional water damage. A great way to use vinegar as a cleaning product is to create a homemade concoction of half white vinegar and half olive oil. If you’re using this same principle on a wood floor, you can add a cup of vinegar to your mop bucket water for some extra strength cleaning power. Although vinegar, when diluted, works well as a stain and buildup fighter, that doesn’t mean that you should use other acidic liquids such as alcohol, ammonia, or acetone. These materials are so strong that they may not only damage the wood, but they may strip any finish right off.
Wax On
Giving your exotic wood that perfect sheen comes from a little wax and some elbow grease. The idea of wax that’s specific to furniture isn’t just to make it shine, but to seal and protect it from things that could damage it, such as moisture, dust, or stains. Liquid waxes go on the easiest and are fast drying. If you choose liquid wax, you’ll need to use multiple coats to make sure that the liquid is properly soaking in and protecting the wood. For fine or exotic wood furniture, a paste wax is going to offer you a much more lasting and thorough coverage than a liquid wax will. At C3 Forest Products our pre-made furniture is already finished and sealed so you won't have to worry about this. If you do decide to purchase a live edge slab or crosscut from C3 Forest Products you may want to add additional wax. Our crosscuts and live edge slabs are sanded to an 80 grit and cracks and voids are filled with a clear epoxy that will sand and polish out to a clear, glass-like appearance.
Water Stains
The tragedy of a water stain should be confronted as soon as possible after the event. There are several home remedies that you might try, which are usually effective if it’s only the wood finish that’s damaged, not the wood. Shaving cream applied for five minutes and whipped right off may take the stain right up. The same is true of mayonnaise. Apply it with a cloth, then wipe it off after ten minutes. Finally, the last remover recommendation is to use metal cleaner, such as would be used for fine jewelry. Leave it for five minutes and wipe away anything that remains. Feel free to reach out to us with any concerns or damage that is created over time, before using a home remedy. We're happy to help answer your questions during the life of your table from C3 Forest Products!
Maintaining your exotic wood furniture isn’t always effortless, but if you follow these recommendations, then you can rest assured that your fine, exotic wood will retain its exceptional quality.
Shop C3 Forest Products
Have yet to buy a table? Check out our wide range of exotic live edge slabs and crosscuts to get started with designing a custom table, or select a table from our finished options! Happy shopping!
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