How to Easily clean Wood with just 2 ingredients

For about four years now I have been cleaning my wood furniture with a very…

For about four years now I have been cleaning my wood furniture with a very simple mixture.  I’m not even sure where I found this  but it has worked wonders for me. I’ve used it on the showcase table and on the drawer and stool repurposed as a small table. 

But I have never really shared it with all of you, not properly. Today I am going to correct that and show you how to easily clean wood with just 2 ingredients. A great way to upcycle items!

Jar of oil and vinegar mixture and wood pieces, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com

Ingredients:

One part olive oil 
One part vinegar
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olive oil, vinegar and a jar, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com

The how to:

Simply pour the olive oil and vinegar into a jar and shake!  No we are not making salad dressing.  When you are ready to apply, just dip a clean peace of cotton cloth into the mixture and rub it onto the wood. 

Below you can see a section of a wooden miniature sailboat. This is before I added the mixture. 
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wood miniature sailboat, before, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
I simply rub it into the wood, wait a few minutes for it soak in and then wipe off the excess.   It is that easy. 
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wood miniature sailboat, after mixture, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
Another example with an old piece of wood that was looking pretty thirsty. 
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A piece of wood, before, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
After you can actually see some color on the wood piece. 
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A piece of wood, after applying mixture, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
This is my friend’s headboard.  As you can see it was looking pretty dull.  We had discussed adding stain or paint to liven it up…
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headboard before, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
In the end she went with the oil and vinegar mixture. Yes, that’s all it took to revive the tired wood. See how fresh and alive it looks now. 
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Headboard and bed, after treatment with mixture, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links and link to Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission, that way I can continue to provide you with lovely content.  There is no extra charge to you for purchasing through my affiliate links.
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Even an ikea wooden cutlery caddy looks better after this treatment. 
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wooden cutlery caddy with mixture, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
It serves two purposes, it cleans the dirt and grime off the wood…
wooden picture frame, before, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
While at the same time giving moisture to the thirsty wood!  And a nice shine to boot.
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Wooden picture frame, after, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
Did I mention that it environmentally friendly?  No one wants to be using chemicals and strange products on their precious wood!
Oil and vinegar mixture in a jar, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
And there you have it!

A cleaner and rejuvenator, and an easy way to upcycle your wooden items all in one small jar.  Using the most humble ingredients!

And speaking of upcycling this little blog has been included in the Top 100 Upcycling Blogs list compiled by Feedspot!  I am truly humbled to be in such great company.  Go check it out and discover some new blogs!

Oil and vinegar mixture in a jar, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients www.theboondocksblog.com
And that is my simple tip for how to easily clean wood with just 2 ingredients. To keep them clean and rejuvenated.  

​Have  you ever used this “salad dressing” method or do you use other natural products to clean your wood?

A mixture of oil and vinegar as a cleaner and rejuvenator of wood, How to Easily Clean Wood with Just 2 Ingredients, www.theboondocksblog.com

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77 Comments

  1. Thanks for the advice. It seems that the vinegar and oil mixture both cleans and nourishes the wood, bringing out the natural luster. Especially old, dry wood would benefit from cleaning with this mixture. Great tip!
    Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi

    1. I tried it out on an old secretary and the result was that it looked 20 years younger. If only they made a face cream like that. haha!

  2. When I was growing up polishing the furniture was a regular thing. We used lemon oil, but I like this idea just as well, plus I don’t have to make room for another bottle! Thanks for sharing with us at Creatively Crafty #ccbg 🙂

  3. Love this! I love all natural, non-chemical cleaners, and this one is so simple. Thanks for the great tip!

  4. Wow that cleaner does make a difference. It does brighten things up. I have been wanting to do something to the doors, and cabinets in the guest bath in our house until I decide whether I am going to paint them or what. Most of them haven’t even been stained I don’t think, if so they used a really light color. But they just look so dull I will have to give your recipe a try. Maybe just brightening them up will do the trick and I won’t have to do anything else. We are just so tired of all the remodeling of the house, and just can’t get motivated to finish the other few rooms. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
    Congratulates on making it on the list to Feedspot! That is awesome!

    1. Linda I really hope it works. Let me know. As you can see from that sleigh bed it worked wonders in a matter of minutes.

  5. Mary, I had no idea those two ingredients together could do such beautiful things to a piece of wood, makes sense though. Thanks for sharing your tip! And congratulations on your feature Mary, very well deserved!!

    1. Thank you so much dear friend. We are always looking for ways to live a greener, thriftier life and this is my way. The best part is that it is so much better than the chemicals.

  6. Olive oil I expected – but vinegar? That’s such a valuable tip, Mary! Do you think I could also use that on my (unfinished) wood desk?
    Enjoy your weekend!
    *Maisy

    1. I don’t see why not Maisy. The wood I am showing above has not been finished. It will give life to the wood because it does get dry after a while.

    1. It really is Jodie. We harvest our own olives and have olive oil each year so it really is great and cures almost everything (if you believe the little old Greek grandmas)!

  7. You are right, I was thinking, salad dressing! Amazing that something so simple brings such beauty to the wood. Do you need to really rub it until it is dry so the oil doesn’t come off on cloth that brushes up against it? Thanks for sharing at Celebrate Your Story!

    1. Chloe I only add as much as needed. Usually the wood is so dry it just soak it up. But if it is too much you can wipe it off. Leave it for a bit and it will soak up the oil.

  8. Well, that is certainly worth knowing, thanks Mary. Pinning so I never forget!
    Congrats on the top 100 listing too, you deserve it with all your brilliant ideas.

  9. Thank you for linking up at The Blogger’s Pit Stop Link Party. I’m sharing your link on social media.
    Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi

  10. I”m finding this recipe very appealing. I have my parents very old radio, 78 record player combo, cabinet. I’m 72, and remember this cabinet as new!
    Extremely bad shape, with peeling stain. Question: If I tried this recipe to renew, and then decided to paint this piece, after the olive oil/vinegar solution is used, would the piece be too oily? Or does the recipe continue to rub cleanly off of the wooden project? Also, is there and odor of oil oil/vinegar, to the piece? Thanks for such great information!

    1. Jan I would renew with this mixture and then wait a few days before trying to paint it. Wait till you can rub a piece of cloth on it and nothing comes off. It will soak into the wood. There is no smell after it has dried.
      Good luck and I hope all goes well with the restoration of this fantastic cabinet.

  11. I am all about all-natural cleaners. This is such a great tip. haha…salad dressing. lol But seriously, how did I never think of this?

    1. I have also heard that mayonnaise does the same thing. But what is mayo if not oil and vinegar along with some other stuff.

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