How to Clean White Wood Furniture

White wood furniture looks nice and trendy, but it is also easy to see dirt and stains on the surface. Over time, white furniture often yellows and discolors. If you find it difficult to keep the furniture in your home clean and bright, don’t worry! We’ll tell you the best ways to clean white wood furniture, whether painted, lime-painted, or white wood with a natural finish.

Table of Contents

Clean dusty white wooden furniture surface

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Wipe the wooden surface with a soft rag. Dust is easy to see on a white background, making your furniture look dirty and dull. Fortunately, you can easily fix this problem by wiping the furniture with a soft, lint-free rag once a week. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Use a duster instead of a feather duster. Cloth wipes make dusting more effective and won’t scratch furniture. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Wipe off dust with a little soap and water. This is the easiest and safest way to clean most types of wood, and white furniture is no exception. Turn on the warm water to run into the bucket, mix a little mild dish soap while the water is running. Dip a corner of a microfiber towel or dish sponge in foaming soapy water. Squeeze out the water so that the rag is just damp without dripping and wipe the surface of the furniture. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If it’s high-gloss or semi-gloss wood like kitchen cabinets, for example, you can scrub a little, but be gentle with more fragile finishes like matte paint, whitewash or clear varnish. . Wipe gently instead of scrubbing. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
If you’re not sure how the surface of the furniture will react to the soapy water, put a drop of dishwashing liquid on a damp cotton ball and test it first by gently wiping it on an inconspicuous corner of the item to make sure it’s not. damaged.

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Use a damp cloth to wipe off any remaining soap. You probably don’t want to see the soapy stains left on the surface of the furniture. To remove soap, dip a rag or sponge in a bucket of clean water, wring it out so it’s just damp, and gently wipe away the soap in a circular motion. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You may need to wipe a few times to get rid of the soap.

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Dry the wooden furniture with a soft cloth. High humidity is bad for wood, especially for finished surfaces where water can easily seep into it. ^{[6] X Research Source} In order for white furniture to retain its original shape, you need to carefully dry it after cleaning with water. Use a clean, soft, lint-free cloth to wipe.

Avoid using a lot of water when cleaning wooden furniture. Always use a cloth or sponge that is only slightly damp but not soaked.

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Polish the clear finish with aromatic gasoline. Aromatic gasoline, also known as white gasoline or inorganic turpentine, is a great product for cleaning and restoring the shine of wood furniture. For wood furniture that is unpainted and has a clear finish (such as lacquer, shellac, varnish or ppyurethane), you can wipe it with a soft cloth dampened with petrolatum. Wipe with a gentle circular motion. When you’re done wiping, you’ll polish it again with a clean, dry towel to remove the fragrance. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Fragrance can damage some surface finishes, such as paint. If you’re not sure if scented gasoline will damage furniture, test it in a hidden place before using it. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
This is a good choice for unpainted furniture made of natural white wood such as holly, or bleached wood with a clear finish.

Clean stains on white furniture

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Clean grease stains with soap and water. You can treat most grease stains on white furniture like any other with a little dish soap. Wood soaps like Murphy Oil Soap or Fuller’s Oil Soap are also very effective. ^{[9] X Research Source} Use a rag or sponge dipped in soapy water and gently wipe your hands to remove the stains, then use another rag soaked in clean water to moisten the soap.

Do not forget to dry again after cleaning the wooden surface.

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Remove brush ink with rubbing alcohol. If your little one has scribbled on your favorite white cabinet, don’t worry. A little rubbing alcohol is usually enough to handle this. Pour some detergent onto a cotton ball or makeup sponge and dab it lightly on the stain to remove the ink. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Do not scrub, as doing so may cause ink stains or damage to the finish of the wood. Always test rubbing alcohol on an inconspicuous spot first if you’re not sure how your furniture will react to the alcohol.

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Clean ink stains with toothpaste. You can also clean up ink or brush marks with a toothpaste that contains baking soda. Take a little toothpaste (not a gel cream) on a soft cloth and wipe it in the direction of the wood grain, then wipe it with a damp cloth. ^{[11] X Research Source}

You can buy toothpaste containing baking soda at the supermarket, but if you don’t have one, just mix some baking soda with white toothpaste to wipe it off.
Many people say that toothpaste can whiten yellow stains on white furniture.

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Kill mold on wood surfaces with distilled white vinegar. If the white furniture is a bit moldy, you can clean the mold with soap and water. However, in cases of severe mold, white vinegar can help. Mix white vinegar with warm water in a 50/50 ratio in a spray bottle and spray it on the mold. Let it sit for about 1 hour before wiping it off with a damp cloth. Dry the wooden surface thoroughly after cleaning the mold. ^{[12] X Research Source}

For stubborn mold, you can try mixing 1 tablespoon of borax with 1 cup (240 ml) of water and scrubbing with a soft brush. Do not dry immediately – let the solution dry on its own, or use a dehumidifier to help the wood surface dry faster.
Unfortunately, even diluted vinegar can dull or damage the paint or finish of wood. You may need to repaint or redo the finish in the area where the mold has been treated.
In the case of severe mold, you may have to sand the wood surface, or even replace damaged parts.

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Clean the stains on the bottom of the cup left by water with a hair dryer. Water can leave ugly marks on unpainted wood surfaces, especially if there is a clear finish. Fortunately, these stains are also quite easy to remove. Turn on the hair dryer on low heat and blow on the stains, gently moving the airflow around so the wood doesn’t overheat. The stain will disappear after a few minutes. If that doesn’t work, you can try one of the following: ^{[13] X Research Source}

Spread some mayonnaise or wax (Vaseline cream) on the stain. For tough stains, apply mayonnaise or petroleum jelly on the stain for a few hours or overnight, then wipe it off.
Use a soft cloth to rub a little non-gel white toothpaste on the stain, rubbing in the direction of the wood grain. Next, wipe off the toothpaste with a damp rag and dry it.
For stains that have already penetrated the wood, you can apply a few drops of lemon essential oil to the stain, then carefully scrub the stain away with an extremely fine steel wool in the direction of the wood grain.
You can also purchase a specialized water stain remover. Always test the product on an inconspicuous location before use.

Restoring yellowed white furniture

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Brighten oil-based paint surfaces with sunlight. You may have heard that furniture that is overexposed will turn yellow, but in many cases the opposite is true. If your furniture has an oil-based paint finish, you can take it out to a bright or sunny location to whiten the yellowed surface and restore the previous bright white paint. ^{[14] X Research Source}

If you can’t expose the wood to the sun, artificial light will also work. You can place a light near the item and leave it on throughout the day for illumination.
On the other hand, sunlight can cause some woods or finishes to darken or yellow. If you don’t know what effect light will have on your furniture, consult a furniture repair or restoration professional.

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Remove yellow stains with sodium phosphate. Sodium phosphate (TSP) is an alkaline cleaner that can remove many stubborn stains. If your white painted furniture is yellowed from exposure to grease, smoke or kitchen smoke, try using TSP to remove it. Dissolve ¼ cup (150 g) of TSP with 4 liters of water. Dip a sponge or rag in the solution, squeeze out excess water and gently wipe the soiled area, finally patting dry with a clean towel. ^{[15] X Research Source}

TSP may cause eye and skin irritation. You need to wear gloves, long pants and long-sleeved shirt, and safety glasses when using TSP. You can also wear a mask when working with dry TSP to avoid inhaling TSP powder. ^{[16] X Research Source}

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Fix scratches with a white furniture repair pen. No matter how careful you are, the finished surface of white wood can sometimes get scratched or chipped. If this happens, don’t worry. You can easily fix minor imperfections with a wood correction pen. This pen is available in a variety of colors, including white and ivory. You just need to use a pen to paint over the scratch to hide it.

You can buy wood correction pens online or at hardware stores.

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Whiten stained or darkened woodwork with wood bleach. Wood bleach works to both clean stains and brighten the natural color of wood. Before using bleach, you need to peel off the finish or coating on the surface of the furniture. ^{[17] X Source of Study} Use wood bleach such as 2-component bleach or oxalic acid according to package directions. Follow safety measures to avoid injury or damage to the wood.

If the wood surface has peeled off the finish, use a rag soaked in water or gasoline to clean it thoroughly before wiping off the bleach. ^{[18] X Research Sources}
Always work in a well-ventilated area and wear protective gear such as goggles and gloves when using any type of wood bleach.
After cleaning wood with bleach, you may need to neutralize some bleach with another solution, such as a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.
Rinse the bleached wood with warm water and allow it to dry completely before repainting or refinishing the finish. ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Repaint or redo the finish for very dirty wood surfaces. If the painted surface or finish of the furniture is yellowed or stained or excessive, you can repair or repaint it. If the item is already painted, simply clean, then prime and apply a new coat of paint over the old one. Choose water-based white paint to avoid yellowing. ^{[20] X Research Sources}

Use a paint remover to remove old paint or old finishes before applying a new finish such as lime paint, varnish or lime wax. Use according to the instructions on the package.
In some cases, you can simply scrape away cracks, stains, or flaking paint with a paint razor. Sand the wood surface and refinish with a new coat of paint that matches the original finish.

Steps

Clean dusty white wooden furniture surface

Clean stains on white furniture

Restoring yellowed white furniture

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