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Today we’re making our own DIY Wood Polish, and it couldn’t be easier. You literally need two ingredients… and I bet they’re already in your pantry.
Let’s start with this wood table that was handed down to me from my grandfather. It was in rough shape, I mean really rough shape; scratches and water stains everywhere.
Obviously, it was in desperate need of a little TLC, so here we go…
Here’s What You’ll Need to Make DIY Wood Polish
- Olive Oil
- Vinegar
- Cleaning Clothes (Flour Sack Cloths work really well)
Directions: How to Make Your Own Wood Polish
Mix together 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar. Try to make an amount close to what you will actually use because olive oil is a perishable food item. Once you have your mixture, dip in a cleaning cloth and go over your wood furniture. If you notice the surface is a bit oily, take a clean, dry cloth and wipe off any excess. The results were pretty amazing, but I do want to caution you on one thing…
You will notice in the photo above that where there were once light watermarks, there are now darker circles. I, personally, would prefer my table have the darker circles that blend better with the wood, versus the light circles that are really noticeable, but you may not feel the same. This is why I always recommend testing any cleaning product on a small area first, and see if there is any unwanted color change. If not, continue the application.
I always think side-by-side photos are a good way to see the true results, so here you go (I know the lighting is a bit wonky; that’s what you get photographing on a stormy day I guess).
Find more amazing ways to use vinegar around your home here.
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Since olive oil is perishable and can turn rancid, I would think it would eventually cause the wood to smell bad. Have you experienced this?
Since Olive Oil is a perishable food substance, why would you not use mineral oil, since this is considered a wood treatment? Just curious
Tried this today on my oak kitchen cabinet doors. It worked well on the knicks and steam marks. As you said, it darkened down the marks, but with oak it doesn’t matter a bit. Thanks for the tip!
I have tried this myself – using lemon oil instead of olive oil. Unfortunately the drier areas and water marks came back. Did you have this problem too? What did you do to solve it?
Hi Sandy!
Thanks for the question. While I can certainly can see where the stains had been, they never came back looking a terrible as before, so I left them as is. If they are truly watermarks (white rings from moisture) my mom used to use toothpaste on them. I know, sounds so weird that I actually googled it before leaving this comment. Turns out, it actually can work… here’s a website with several ideas you could try: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-water-stains-from-wood/#.VxUqDPkrLtQ
Good luck!
I’ve tried rubbing the stains and scratches with the meat of a walnut. Disappears those marks and doesn’t leave them darker. Just like new
Definitely gonna try this! Thank you!
XO Ellen from Ask Away
http://www.askawayblog.com
You’re welcome Ellen!
Someone said to place an old light colored towel over the stains and use a steam iron.