How do I clean old furniture?

There are hundreds of channels on TVs now with people watching things we never would have imagined just a couple of decades ago. We have several 24-hour news networks, a station devoted entirely to food, a dozen or more 24-hour sports stations, another focused on cartoons, even one entirely on soap operas.

One of the things that has become popular in recent years is a show called the Antiques Roadshow. It has taught people that there are many things with a long history, that can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and with care, these antiques can last a long time as collectibles. Taking care of these antiques properly is very important. After all, no one would put a multi-thousand dollar baseball card in the spokes of your kid’s bike rim. Why would you ruin perfectly good, expensive antiques that have been around for years or even generations? Some simple tips to keep antiques in good condition are to dust frequently with a soft cloth, polish with orange or lemon oils, and use steps to preserve it.

Since antiques are by definition old, they are often more delicate than most furniture or other home décor. Because of this, most chemicals, or in many cases even water, are not recommended. The easiest alternative is to dust your antiques frequently with a clean soft cloth. Spending a few minutes a day dusting an antique will save you from having to use harsher cleaning methods.

Occasionally use a little lemon oil on the old wood to keep it from drying out. Wood looks best immediately after being oiled. You can do this with almost any wood. Simply dampen the rag or paper towel with the oil and apply to all wood surfaces. Do this every month or so and the wood will look new and the lemon or orange has the added benefit of making the house smell clean.

The hardest part of keeping antiques in good shape is preserving them. They are probably starting to wear and fade and it may be tempting to refinish them. Actually, the best thing to do is to do what museums do. Keep antiques out of direct sunlight, be sure to clean up spills right away, and keep the temperature and humidity in the house as constant as possible. And don’t repaint them if you plan to sell an antique. Generally, a flawed antique is worth more money than one that has been restored. Leave the small imperfections, it gives the article character, a story.

Antiques are wonderful collectibles. Like all collectibles, they need to be treated well to maintain their value and look good for years to come. Be kinder to them by dusting them off with a soft cloth. Use oils like Old English on wood instead of polishes. And be sure to preserve as much antiques as possible. That way they’ll look great for future generations or hold their value if you ever need to sell them.