How to Make a Natural Wood Surface Cleaner

Make your own cleaning products to protect your home's natural wood.

Unlike laminate or chemically treated wood, natural woods require gentle cleaners to prevent damage. Since they do not have chemicals to extend their life, natural woods are susceptible to the caustic ingredients found in most commercial wood-care products. Stores carry specific cleaning material for natural wood, but they are expensive. Instead of spending a fortune on store-bought natural wood cleaners, make one yourself with ingredients you can find in your own kitchen cabinets.

Things You'll Need

• White, distilled vinegar
• Bucket
• Mop
• Terrycloth towel
• Vegetable oil
• Soft cotton cloth
• Mayonnaise
• Toothpaste (optional)

Instructions

Basic Cleaning

1. Add 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar to a bucket. Stir in 1 gallon of water.

2. Dip a mop into the solution. Wring out the mop thoroughly so the mop head is damp, not soaked. Too much water will pool on the surface of the wood, causing damage.

3. Mop the floor with the vinegar mixture, rinsing the mop in the solution as it becomes dirty.

4. Wipe the floor with a clean terrycloth towel to remove any streaks and surface moisture.

Cleaning and Polishing

1. Mix together equal parts vegetable oil and white distilled vinegar in a bucket. The amount needed depends on the size of the item you are cleaning. For example, if you are cleaning a tabletop, use 1/2 cup of each. For an entire floor, use 3 cups of each.

2. Apply the mixture to the natural wood surface. For furniture, use a soft cloth. For floors, use a mop. Dip the cloth or mop into the mixture and wring it out. Rub the surface with the cloth or mop.

3. Rub the surface down with a clean, dry cotton cloth, using a circular motion. The vinegar kills bacteria and mold, as well as removing surface dirt. The vegetable oil moisturizes and shines the wood.

Water Ring Removal

1. Place 1/4 cup of mayonnaise on the surface of the water ring. Alternatively, use toothpaste. Use a traditional paste and not a gel paste.

2. Rub the mayonnaise into the water ring with a clean cotton cloth, using a circular motion. Continue to rub until the water ring is gone.

3. Remove the mayonnaise from the surface of the wood, using a clean rag. Wipe away any surface residue.

4. Buff the wood with a clean cotton cloth.

References

• The Good Human; Spring Cleaning 101 -- The Natural Way to Clean Wood Floors; May 2007
• Care2; Natural Floor Cleaning: Easy Greening; Melissa Breyer
• The Farmer's Almanac; Make Your Own Cleaners; Christine Halvorson, et al; 1999
• The Family Homestead: Homemade Household Cleaners
• Eartheasy: Non-Toxic Home Cleaning
• Green Footsteps: Natural Wood Floor Cleaner