How to Clean Veneer Furniture

Wood veneer is a thin layer (less than 1/16 inch) of decorative wood applied over furniture made of particle board or plywood. Most often it is applied with a water-soluble glue that easily re-softens if the surface of the veneer gets wet. The best thing you can do for your wood veneer is to wipe if off regularly with a clean, soft cloth.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Several clean, dry, lint free cloths
• Murphy's Oil soap
• Windex or Pledge multi-surface cleaner
• Paste wax or liquid wood furniture wax

General Cleaning

1. Use a well-wrung-out damp cloth and wipe off dirt on the surface. Do not rub. Wipe in the direction of the wood grain.

2. Apply a paste wax to a small area with a clean, dry, lint free cloth.

3. Allow the wax to harden for 15 minutes.

4. Polish the surface with a second clean, dry, lint-free cloth. For extra protection, a second coat of wax may be applied.

Cleaning Wood Veneer

5. Apply a small amount of diluted Murphy's Oil Soap to a dry cloth. (Follow manufacturer's instructions for dilution proportions.)

6. Wipe over the wood veneer surface following the grain of the wood.

7. Dry the surface with a clean, lint free cloth. Work on a small area at a time. This will remove accumulated grime and restore the shine.

Cleaning Plastic Veneer

8. Spray the surface with a multi-purpose household cleaner such as Windex or Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaner.

9. Wipe it off with a clean, dry cloth.

10. Repeat the application if the surface is coated with built up dirt and grime.

11. Rinse by wiping with a clean, damp cloth. Wipe the veneer dry with a clean, dry cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• If desired, a high quality liquid wax specifically for wood furniture can be used instead of paste wax.
• Be sure to completely wring out any damp cloth you use on wood veneer; even a small amount of moisture can cause the glue to soften and fail.