The Best Wood Furniture Polish

 A great wood furniture polish and go a long way in helping your favorite wood pieces look their best. A great polish will help furniture shine and can mask tiny scratches—but how do you choose the right one? Here’s our guide on the best wood furniture polishes.

What is Wood Furniture Polish?

Wood furniture polish is a lightweight liquid product that you apply directly to the surface of your furniture, trim and other surfaces in the home. It can even be used on your hardwood floors. In addition to lightly cleaning your wood surfaces, this polish will also make it shine, giving it a bright sheen and potentially masking little imperfections.

Wood furniture polish is typically safe onalltypes of wood surfaces and can be easily applied using a soft cloth. This is one of the best ways to not only improve the look of wood, but to help make sure the wood surfaces in your home get the little extra care and attention they need to look their best by lighting and conditioning the wood.

Wood furniture polishes should be part of your regular wood care routine, you just need to make sure that you are buying the right product—and you know how to use it.

What to Know When Buying and Using Furniture Polish

If you are shopping for a new furniture polish for your home, there are a few things you should keep in mind first before you start applying this product to your wood surfaces. Here are some practical tips to keep in mind as you shop:

• Check the label for recommended surfaces. A lot of polishes are only safe for use on specific surfaces and may damage some wood surfaces if they’re used incorrectly.
• Make sure that you are buying apolish,not a product that is only a cleaner or only a conditioner.
• Choose a product that comes from an oil-based formula or wax-based formula.
• Consider spray polishes. They are typically more convenient to you and allow for more precise control of how much polish you’re applying.

Once you have the right product, remember that you should never use an oil-based polish and a wax-based polish on the same piece of furniture. Putting oil on top of wax can cause the surface to get sticky and tacky.

So, how do you properly apply wood polish? Less is more. Apply light layers by buffing the polish on a cloth then on to the furniture in small layers. This will help you avoid build-up on your furniture pieces.

However, before you ever polish any piece of furniture for the first time, you should always pre-test. Always test your product in a hidden area to make sure that it doesn’t impact your wood. If you notice a change in color or feel of your wood, donotuse this polish.

How Often Should You Polish Furniture?

Wood furniture should be polished whenever you see it covered with a layer of dust, or whenever that wood furniture is looking dull and dingy.There is really no such thing as polishing your furnituretoomuch, only using too much polish at a time, which can cause a buildup of residue.

However, you still need to make sure that you are buying therightfurniture polish to get the best finish possible.

The Best Furniture Polishes

The right furniture polish can make all of the difference in how your wood surfaces and wood furniture looks and feels. Here are some of the top-rated wood furniture polishes available right now:

1.   GUARDSMAN Clean and Polish For Wood Furniture

The GUARDSMAN Clean and Polish For Wood Furniture literally does it all. This product was made for use on any finished, sealed wood surface in the home and comes from a brand that specializes in products made specifically for wood.

Pros

• Double-duty polish and cleaner (meaning you need fewer products)
• Helpspreventwood discoloration
• Won’t leave streaks or greasy residue behind

Cons

• This product is only meant for finished, sealed wood and it may discolor wood that isn’t finished or sealed.

2.   Pledge Restoring Oil Furniture Polish

Pledge is a brand that is known for their wood cleaning products, but they also make a furniture polish as well. This oil-based furniture polish can be used on all types of wood surfaces in the home.

Pros

• Top-tested for cleaning as well as polishing
• Won’t leave residue behind
• Smear-resistant
• Convenient spray application

Cons

•  The spray application means you need to be careful to not spray on surrounding areas that aren’t being polished

3.   Pledge Restoring Oil Furniture Polish

Howard Products Feed-N-Wax is a unique product that not only keeps furniture shiny, but it also conditions furniture as well.

Pros

• Ideal for antique wood pieces
• Creates a barrier to keep moisture out
• Helps prevent further drying and fading

Cons

• This product is not suitable for use on any other type of surface besides wood.

4.   Scott’s Liquid Gold Wood Care

As the name suggests, Scott’s Liquid Gold is a product that doesn’t just keep the wood looking shiny and pretty, but a product that actually helps care for wood as well.

Pros

• Top tested not only for polishing, but for quickly cleaning
• Product hydrates and nourishes old wood
• Doesn’t leave behind thick or sticky residue

Cons

• This product can only be used on certain woods. It cannot be used on reclaimed, salvaged wood, veneer or laminate surfaces.

5.   WEIMAN Furniture Wipes

These super-convenient furniture wipes are disposable and individual-use and will clean and polish wood surfaces with a simple wipe.

Pros

• Convenient design, no messy bottles
• Protects against smearing
• Provides plenty of gloss and shine

Cons

• Cannot be used on wood floors
• Cannot control how much product is on each wipe

6.   TWINKLE Dust and Shine Cloth

This unique, reusable dust and shine cloth will effectively remove unwanted dust from furniture and leave behind a glossy, bright shine.

Pros

• Will not scratch furniture
• Reusable up to 50 times
• More environmentally-friendly
• Can be used on multiple surfaces

Cons

• Cloth can never be washed if it gets dirty, washing it will remove the product from the cloth

Your wood furniture is a big, important investment and you want to treat that investment appropriately. By understanding what to look for in a wood polish and how to use that polish, you  can make sure your wood pieces continue to look their best!