Mixtures to brighten furniture

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 11

Mixtures to brighten furniture

homes, polished furniture collects scratches and blemishes over the years. The careful use of special creams and oils will maintain its general appearance, but they cannot remedy damage caused by scratches, cuts, bumps or blemishes left by hot dishes.

Furniture which has slight surface marks and scratches can often be restored by treating with a mixture of equal parts of vinegar and olive oil. Apply the mixture with a pad of cottonwool or flannelette, and polish with a soft, dry cloth. Repeat once a week for several weeks. Another idea worth trying to remove scratches is to rub them with a newlycut brazil nut. When the nut oil has darkened the scratch, polish with a good quality furniture oil. With light-coloured timber it is often possible to hide minor scratches by touching up with shoe polish of a suitable colour, then waxing in the usual way.

Disfiguring scorch marks on furniture, such as those caused by a burning cigarette, can sometimes be removed with powdered pumice. Tack a piece of felt to a small wooden block, moisten the felt and sprinkle on the pumice. Rub it over the burnt area, let it dry, then apply shellac or varnish.

Heat marks on polished furniture are sometimes difficult to remove, but these hints are also worth trying.

Alternatively, rub with a cloth moistened with a mixture of turps and raw linseed oil.

On a french-polished surface, rub gently and carefully with a clean cloth moistened with methylated spirit, then polish.

Heat marks can also sometimes be removed by covering with a few drops of olive oil and sprinkling with salt. Leave a few hours, then rub off with a dry cloth and polish. If this does not work, rub the mark lightly with steel wool until the surface is smooth, then carefully brush on clear lacquer. Leave it for several days then rub with very fine wet-and-dry paper to remove brush marks and blend the new lacquer with the old finish. Finally, rub with a cutting type of car polish.

A dent in the surface of a piece of furniture can Even in the best-kept

sometimes be taken out by softening the compressed fibres with water so they swell back to their original position.

First wash the area with a cloth soaked in turpentine to remove surface wax so the water can penetrate.

Then place a small’ wad of cottonwool, dampened with water, over the dent, and cover it with an overturned dish to delay evaporation. Let is stand several hours, then cover with a damp cloth and apply a warm iron to the spot. Allow to set for several days before polishing. Repeated applications of wax should blend the spot with the surrounding colour of furniture stain. Hammer marks and similar bruises on a wooden surface can often be removed by holding a hot soldering iron over a moist rag against the bruised section.

Damp paper and a hot iron can also be used to remove dents or bruises from a table surface.

Place a damp pad of several thicknesses of brown paper or blotting paper over the bruise, then place the hot iron on it. Repeat until the heat and moisture have caused the timber fibres to expand to normal surface level. After it is dried out, sand the surface back to the correct level, then restain and polish. It is important that the iron should not touch the wood.

It is worth remembering that cold tea is excellent for removing grease from painted or polished surfaces.

And polished work can be kept in good condition if it is washed occasionally with a chamois wrung out in warm water to which has been added vinegar (one tablespoon to a quart of water). When the wood is dry, polish with a soft, clean rag and a little good-qual-ity cream.

A clean paintbrush is handy to remove dust from corners and cracks in furniture. A vacuum cleaner will remove dust and dirt from furniture, velvet or tapestry that has become dingy.

You can then revive the pattern by rubbing the material over with hot dry bran. Remove the bran with the vacuum cleaner. If this is not effective, try a soapless shampoo. Here are some more

hints to freshen up furni ture of specific colours.

Mahogany can be sponged over carefully with a mixture of equal parts of vinegar and water. Allow to dry, then polish with a soft duster. Walnut needs a stronger tonic, though it is not such a hard wood. Take a flannel dipped in paraffin and work it well into the surface. All the particles of dirt and dust which have settled on the woodwork should come away. Oak can be treated with beer. Warm the beer slightly and sponge the furniture with it. Stains will disappear, and a polish should bring up a fine sheen.

When other woodwork in the house begins to look shabby and stained, dissolve a handful of washing soap in a quart or so of hot water, and brush it over doors, window frames and skirting. It is surprising how much surface dirt it removes.

A wash-down with clean water should leave the wood sparkling.

Timber you buy to make a piece of furniture sometimes has dirty spots caused by careless handling. These can spoil the finished surface especially if you intend to varnish it. Rubbing with a rag dipped in methylated spirits is often effective because it doesn’t smear the dirt as other solvents mav do.

Leather upholstery can crack if exposed to heat over a long period, but petroleum jelly rubbed into the cracks will help to prevent the damage spreading. It will also nourish the leather.

To clean oil paintings, whether or not they are faded, rub them with a freshly cut raw potato and gently wipe down.

Gilt frames may be sponged with water in which onions have been boiled.