Abacus
Antique Dealers: Tips For Reviving And Cleaning
Antique Furniture
Many
people have antiques without them even being aware
of the value of them, many are tucked away in garden
sheds or are littered amongst other items in the loft
and it is only at spring cleaning time that they are
remembered and once again discovered. So for all those
who have buried treasures by the way of antique furniture
then here are some tips for breathing life back into
it and reviving it to its former glory and beauty.
If
you take the piece out and have taken a good look
at it then you will probably see that much of the
woods beauty by way of the grain has been hidden by
what could have been years of dirt and dust accumulation.
This
is no determent to the furniture and in the majority
of cases is nothing more than a good clean wont take
care of. Depending on the type of wood the furniture
is made out of will all depend on what is used to
clean the furniture, pieces that have elaborate and
delicate carvings inlaid into it will of course take
more time and also more expertise is required. It
is essential that with all wooden furniture a natural
colour and patina will have built up over the years
and this shouldn’t be destroyed in the cleaning
process, it is only the dirt and grime you are getting
rid of not the patina so don’t scrub too vigorously.
If
the furniture has been previously waxed then getting
the wax off is the best way to begin restoring the
piece back to its natural beauty, the easiest way
to get rid of what could be years build up of wax
is to take a cloth and cleaning fluid. When it comes
to rubbing down the furniture you should always ensure
that you work with the grain not against it, antique
cleaner or restorer will help to soften and loosen
the wax and this will then build up to form a sludge
like substance which can be easily removed for the
furniture with the damp cloth. If you wish to mix
your own cleaner rather than buy one then 4 parts
white spirit to 1 part linseed oil will work just
as well.
Continue
to apply the cleaner going with the grain until no
more dirt and wax remains on the piece, if the piece
has carvings then you might have to use a very fine
grade piece of steel wool to get into all the nooks
and crannies but ensure that you dip it into the cleaning
solution and don’t scrub too hard or this will
damage the underlying patina and wood grain. When
all the wax has been removed then go over the item
with a soft clean dry cloth to which a little white
spirit has been added.
Once
this has been done the furniture should look a little
better but there is still more to do if you wish to
bring life back into the piece, here is where burnishing
cream comes into its own and can really help to make
the piece shine and stand out in all its glory. If
you wish to highlight the colour of the grain or to
make grain stand out clearer then apply a little wood
reviver.
