To clean wood furniture, I'd use a barely damp cotton cloth, a drop of mild soap where dust has turned to grime, and a dry cloth after. Most wood furniture needs nothing stronger. The damage tends to come later, from silicone sprays, soaked rags and polish piled on week after week.
Wood furniture is anything built from solid boards or veneer (a thin sheet of wood glued over a core) and sealed with a finish such as lacquer, oil or wax. At Merit Home Furniture we list 189 pieces from Mako Wood Furniture for our Duncan store alone, plus wood tables, benches and bars from other makers. So cleaning wood is a question I'm glad to answer for anyone on Vancouver Island.
The method below follows the Canadian Conservation Institute, the federal body that advises Canada's museums on caring for their collections. For mould, a fair question in a damp Island winter, it follows Health Canada.
How to clean wood furniture, step by step
Cleaning wood furniture safely means lifting dust and grime off the finish without soaking the wood or softening the coating. The Conservation Institute (CCI) puts regular dusting with a slightly dampened cloth at the centre of its advice, followed by a buff with a dry, soft cloth. Older pieces get even gentler treatment, as the section on old furniture below explains.
The supplies are simple: two or three soft, lint-free white cotton cloths, a soft paintbrush for carving and corners, and a vacuum. CCI says squares cut from old white cotton t-shirts may suit.
- Clear the top and test a hidden spot. Wring a cotton swab in warm water until it's almost dry and rub it gently on the underside or the back. CCI's test is to look for yellow or brown finish on the swab, then wait several minutes to see if the spot turns white or cloudy.
- Dust with the grain. Use a lightly damp cloth on flat surfaces. For carving, flick dust with the brush toward the vacuum nozzle rather than rubbing it into the grooves.
- Wash grime only where it's needed. CCI adds a few drops of a mild detergent to the water for stubborn soiling, and asks for a second swab test with the soapy mix. Keep the cloth barely damp.
- Rinse. Wipe the same area again with clear water, so no soap film is left behind.
- Dry it at once. CCI calls drying immediately with a clean cotton cloth very important. Then buff lightly.
Can I use Dawn soap to clean wood furniture?
Usually yes, on a sound finish, though CCI never mentions dish soap. The mild detergent it names is Orvus WA Paste, a few drops in water, tested on a hidden spot first. A drop of plain dish soap such as Dawn is the household stand-in I'd use, with the same test. Wring the cloth out hard, rinse with clear water and dry the surface straight away. On a good table I'd skip the scented and degreasing versions.
Does white vinegar actually clean wood?
White vinegar isn't part of any wood care advice I could find from CCI, Health Canada or the makers we carry. Sunny Designs, which makes several wood pieces we list, asks owners to keep household chemicals, alcohol and nail polish remover away from all finishes. Vinegar also turns up in recipes for restoring old furniture. CCI's position is that an original finish is worth keeping, and its basic care page says half the value of new and old furniture is in the finish. I'd leave the vinegar in the kitchen and use soap and water.
Which finish is on your wood furniture?
The finish on wood furniture is the coating on its surface, and it decides how much water and solvent the piece will tolerate. CCI's note on furniture finishes sorts them into paint, natural resin coatings (lacquers and varnishes, shellac among them), oils and waxes. Paint and resin coatings form a complete film over the wood. Oils soak in to deepen the colour, and wax often sits on top of another finish.
CCI gives no home test that names a finish. Its swab test only tells you whether water is safe. On a new piece, the listing or the maker usually says, so the finish is worth asking about while shopping for wood furniture. Merit's listing for the Intercon Classic Oak table gives a lacquer finish, and Mako's stain list for pine includes a "Lacquer Only" option. On an older piece, my rule of thumb is simple. An even sheen sitting above the grain points to a film, and wood that feels like wood points to oil, wax or bare wood.
| Finish | What it looks like | How CCI cleans it |
|---|---|---|
| Lacquer, varnish, shellac | Clear film with a sheen | Dust, then damp-clean after a swab test. Mineral spirits lift wax and greasy dirt, tested first, with a window open. |
| Oil (linseed, tung) | Deeper colour, little surface film | The same gentle methods as lacquer. More linseed oil only where it was the original finish. |
| Wax | Soft, low shine, often over another finish | Buff with cotton. Old wax builds up near hardware and lifts with mineral spirits after a test. |
| Paint | Opaque colour | Dry dusting with a cotton cloth or soft brush. Wet cleaning of old painted pieces goes to a professional. |
| Bare wood | Drawer insides, backs, some rustic pieces | No wet cleaning. A soft brush and vacuum, or a gum eraser. |
CCI writes for museum collections, so its methods sit on the gentle side, which suits a good dining table too.
What to keep off wood furniture: silicone polish, ammonia and standing water
The products that do wood furniture the most harm are the ones sold to help it. CCI says furniture polishes and restorers usually contain waxes, oils or silicones. These leave a sticky build-up that attracts dust and dirt, and then moisture, which wears down the finish. It adds that wood does not need to be "fed" with oils to replace its moisture. Sunny Designs gives the same warning in a maker's words. It asks owners to skip aerosol sprays, all-purpose cleaners, silicone polishes and heavy waxes, whose residue clouds the finish.
Ammonia reaches wood mostly through metal polish. CCI asks for drawer pulls and hinges to come off before they're polished, because the abrasives or ammonia in metal cleaners can damage the wood and finish around them. Museums now just buff hardware with a dry cotton cloth. Stainless steel in the kitchen has its makers' own rules, starting with cleaning stainless steel appliances along the grain.
Water is the third problem. Bare wood soaks it up and swells, and on a finished top, CCI says, water spills cause cloudy white patches. It asks people not to stand potted plants on furniture at all. Sunlight and heat round out the list: CCI calls light damage cumulative and irreversible, and keeps wood away from fireplaces, baseboard heaters and heat vents.
White rings and heat marks on a wood table
A white ring or haze on a wood table is a mark in the finish, from a wet glass or a hot dish. Sunny Designs says liquids left sitting on wood can cause staining, swelling or finish damage, so its care page asks for coasters, trivets, placemats and felt pads under lamps. CCI adds a detail for glass tops: small felt tabs between the glass and the wood, so the glass can't stick to the finish. For a ring that won't fade, I don't have a home remedy from any of these sources that I'd trust on a finish I haven't seen. CCI refers furniture that needs extensive repair to a conservator. On a piece bought from us, call before trying anything. Merit backs the maker's warranty and has its own furniture repair technician for that work.
How to clean mold from wood furniture, and when to call a professional
Mould on wood furniture is a moisture problem first and a cleaning job second. Health Canada's guide to moisture and mould, published in January 2023, puts finding and removing the moisture source ahead of the clean-up. It also says mould will begin to grow within 48 hours where there's excess moisture. Health Canada's range for indoor humidity is between 30% and 50%, and keeping an Island room in that range has a guide of its own.
The guide sizes the problem before anyone starts scrubbing.
| Mould area | Health Canada's line | Who cleans it |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Three or fewer patches, totalling no more than 1 square metre | You can, with proper precautions |
| Medium | More than three patches, totalling less than 3 square metres | Usually you, though a professional assessment is recommended |
| Large | A single patch larger than 3 square metres | A qualified professional |
Health Canada adds that many small patches around a home can point to a bigger moisture issue. Mould that comes back after cleaning usually means the source is still there. Either one is the point to bring in a professional.
For any clean-up, Health Canada asks for safety glasses or goggles, household disposable gloves and a disposable, well-fitting N95 respirator, and says ordinary dust masks aren't suitable. Infants, children, seniors, pregnant people and anyone with asthma or another respiratory condition stay out of the area, and pets too. The guide asks for any health concerns about mould to be discussed with a health care professional.
Wood is on Health Canada's list of washable surfaces, which is good news for a solid wood dresser from Merit or anywhere else. Its method is to vacuum with a HEPA filter first, then scrub with a cloth and an unscented soap solution and dry the wood fully and fast. It says not to use bleach. A wood chair with a fabric seat is a different case. Health Canada's advice is to throw away sofas and cushions that got wet or were stored somewhere damp. Mould inside a fridge is a food-safety job instead, so cleaning a refrigerator with mould inside follows other steps.
Cleaning wood furniture with mold in drawers and on the back panel
Drawer insides and back panels are often bare wood, and CCI says bare wood absorbs water readily. So the cloth stays just damp, the drawers come out to dry in a heated room, and the piece moves off the wall. Health Canada asks for beds, bedding and furniture to be kept away from outside walls for airflow, and for baseboards and heating vents to stay clear of furniture. A mattress takes a different method, set out in spot cleaning a mattress at home.
How do I clean a wooden wardrobe?
A wooden wardrobe cleans the same way, from the inside out. Empty it, vacuum the corners and shelves, then wipe with a barely damp cloth, adding a drop of soap where it's grimy. Dry every surface and leave the doors open until the wood is dry to the touch. If mould was inside, Health Canada says clothing with mould growth on it should go, while clothes stored near it can be washed at the hottest temperature their label allows.
How to clean old wood furniture before you paint or refinish it
Old wood furniture needs the gentlest version of everything above. CCI says a lot of furniture made before World War I should be dusted only with a dry cloth, or one with a little odourless paint thinner on it. It doesn't recommend stripping an old finish, since once an original finish comes off it can't be put back.
For a thrift-store dresser headed for a coat of paint, the order of work matters more than the products.
- Check for lead. HealthLink BC's file on lead paint says it was commonly used in homes built before 1960, and paint from 1960 to 1990 may contain smaller amounts. I'd treat a painted piece from those years the same way. A home test kit or a certified lab can check a paint chip.
- Repair first. Glue loose joints and tighten hardware before cleaning, so water and sanding dust don't get into the cracks.
- Clean before you sand. Use the soap and water method above, rinse with clear water, and let the wood dry fully before any sandpaper touches it.
- Sand lightly, and only lead-free paint. HealthLink BC says lead paint is not a hazard until it's chipping, flaking or sanded into dust, and that chemical stripping makes the least lead dust. It asks for goggles, gloves and a NIOSH-approved respirator for dust, mist and fumes.
- Prime, then paint. The paint maker's label says which primer suits previously finished wood, including what to use where old stain or knots might bleed through.
A new piece doesn't need paint to change colour. Mako's stain page lists 12 stains for pine, counting Lacquer Only, and we can ask Mako which one a collection takes. Picking one that sits well beside your other pieces comes down to mixing wood tones by undertone and contrast.
Care instructions from the makers of Merit's wood furniture
Care instructions for wood furniture differ a little from one maker to the next, and the maker's own words are the ones to keep. Here are some of the wood pieces Merit lists for its Duncan store, with the wood and finish as our listings give them. Each price is before applicable taxes, as listed on November 1, 2026.
| Piece | Wood and finish | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mako Soho 7-drawer dresser | Solid pine, Mako stain | $699 |
| Mako Decora 9-drawer dresser | Solid pine, Mako stain | $1,049 |
| Mako Megan 9-drawer dresser | Solid maple, soft-close glides | $2,599 |
| Mako Pecan coffee table | Maple, Antique finish | $1,349 |
| LH Home Irish Coast extension table | FSC reclaimed pine, African Dusk | $1,149 |
| LH Home Haru coffee table | Acacia, brushed sand wash | $749 |
| Intercon Classic Oak trestle base | Solid oak and oak veneer, lacquer finish (top sold separately) | $449 |
| Sunny Designs Sedona 78 in. bar | Distressed oak solids and veneers, Rustic Oak | $1,399 |
Sunny Designs publishes the fullest care page of the makers we carry. It asks for weekly dusting with a lint-free cotton or microfibre cloth, lightly dampened if needed, wiped with the grain and dried straight after with a second cloth. Once or twice a year, it suggests a non-silicone wood conditioner recommended for the finish type. For tables with extension leaves, it says to keep the leaves in for the first few months so the whole top ages to the same tone. It gives 35% to 55% humidity for wood, fabric and leather, a little above Health Canada's range for homes, so I'd aim where the two overlap.
Mako's site lists its stains but no care instructions that I could find, so for a Mako piece I'd follow the CCI method above. Which Mako collections are pine or maple is covered separately. Dining chairs with leather seats need a different routine, and caring for leather in coastal air has its own guide. Our Mako collection and dining tables show the rest of what we list.
A living room cleaning routine for wood furniture
A cleaning routine for the wood furniture in a living room is short, whether the pieces came from Merit or from a grandparent. Most of the work is weekly dusting and wiping spills before they sit, and the rest happens a few times a year.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Dust coffee tables, end tables, TV stands and shelves with a lightly damp cotton cloth, then dry. |
| Straight away | Wipe spills with a soft, dry cloth. Coasters under glasses, felt pads under lamps and décor. |
| Every few months | Lift everything off the tops, check felt pads, and look at backs and undersides for mould on any piece against an outside wall. |
| Once or twice a year | A non-silicone conditioner on Sunny Designs pieces, per its care page. |
| Once a year at most | CCI's limit for a thin coat of colourless, unscented microcrystalline wax, only on surfaces that get handled. |
| Each fall | Pull furniture a little off outside walls and clear the heat vents before the wet months. |
Two habits protect more than any product does. CCI asks for furniture to be lifted rather than dragged, a table by its apron or legs and a chair by its seat. And blinds keep direct sun off the finish.
When cleaning won't fix wood furniture
- Mould comes back after cleaning. Health Canada reads that as a moisture source still in place, and the next call is to a professional, not another scrub.
- The mould is on a fabric seat or cushion that got wet. Health Canada's advice is to throw soft furnishings like that away.
- The paint is flaking or powdering, or a veneer is lifting. CCI leaves those to a conservator.
- Sawdust-like material appears under the piece. CCI says that could signal active insects: wrap the piece in plastic, keep it apart and ask a conservator.
- The plan involves sanding paint from before 1960 without a lead test first.
- It's a piece bought from Merit and the mark won't come out. Call us before trying a home fix.
Where these wood furniture cleaning facts come from
- Canadian Conservation Institute, CCI Notes 7/2 Care of Furniture Finishes, checked November 2026.
- Canadian Conservation Institute, Basic care: Furniture and objects made of wood, checked November 2026.
- Canadian Conservation Institute, CCI Notes 7/1 Care and Cleaning of Unfinished Wood, checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Guide to addressing moisture and mould indoors (January 2023), checked November 2026.
- HealthLink BC, File 31 Lead Paint and Hazards, checked November 2026.
- Sunny Designs, Furniture care and maintenance, checked November 2026.
- Mako Wood Furniture, Stain choices, checked November 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture, Delivery and setup, checked November 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture, Warranty and repairs, checked November 2026.
- Merit's live wood furniture listings, prices read November 1, 2026.
Asking the Duncan store about a wood piece and its finish
If you're weighing a wood dresser or table, call Merit's Duncan store at 107 Ingram St and ask what finish it has and what its maker says about care. We're open 9 to 5, Monday to Saturday, and it's worth asking which pieces are set up before you come in. Nobody at Merit will hover while you look.
Merit's Duncan store charges $150 for Island delivery, set up and assembled, and pickup at the store costs nothing. If an old piece is past saving, we can take it away when we deliver, usually $25 to $50 a piece and sometimes included.
Call the Duncan store, (250) 746-5527
Our other buying and care guides sit together on one buying guides page.