Ina Garten's Lamb with Easy Tzatziki Shiny wood floors and delicate antiques are lovely, but how to keep them in good condition? We asked some experts to tell us the secret to caring for wood. Paste WaxPaste Wax"Three paste waxes I like are Behlen's Blue Label Paste Wax, Butcher's Boston Polish, and S.C. Johnson Paste Wax. They contain solvents, so if you do have a dirty surface, the first coat of wax will take off some of the grime. Wipe it off, add another application as your final coat, then buff it to a gloss."—Mark Anderson, head furniture conservator, Winterthur Museum & Country Estate Oz Cream PolishOz Cream Polish"Oz Cream Polish by the Behlen company is a bottled miracle. Without requiring any particular effort, it cleans, polishes, and instantly turns dull old wood into gorgeous shining expanses of natural grain. As a sideline, it's also excellent for shining up old leather desk sets, mirrors, Venetian blinds, bathroom fixtures, even marble."—Carol Prisant, former antiques dealer and author of Good, Better, Best

Market Watch: Best New Kitchen Accessories The Best Cleaning and Organizing Tricks We Learned This Year 5 Gross Things That Happen When You Don't Wash Your Sheets Enough 10 Things You're Probably Forgetting to Clean Before Holiday Guests Arrivebest tool for cleaning dryer vent 9 Things in Your Bathroom You Need to Replace More Frequentlybest way to clean trailer awning 11 Genius Ways to Use Lemons All Over the Housecarpet cleaning companies dallas texas 11 Foods That Actually Make the Best Home Cleanerswhat is the cost of dryer vent cleaning

15 Little Things That Drive Housekeepers Totally Crazy 15 Cleaning Products That Were Made for Lazy People Our Homes Are Way Dirtier Now Than They Were in the 1950s 10 Design Ideas You'll Immediately Regret on Cleaning Daydryer vent cleaning namesHow to Clean Old Wood Furniture for New Lifeby Carol Ruth Weberbest duct cleaning machine Learning how to clean old wood furniture, like those fabulous finds at thrift stores and yard sales, requires patience. Just as discovering lovely furniture in a grandparent's attic can be like uncovering treasure, you'll have to dig through some grime to find the gold beneath. Cleaning a wood finish may include polishing, mending and touching up surface scratches in order to give an old piece of wood furniture a new place in your home. Take care when cleaning, and monitor the wood furniture as you go.

As you clean scratches, some deeper chips and dents will appear to let you know exactly what you will need in order to renew your new piece. Better Homes and Gardens advises using an oil soap with water as a first step for removing layers of dirt and preventing new bacteria from sticking. Tougher cleaning problems will require more elbow grease. Furniture oil and polishes made specifically for wood can help you to remove grime and add a beautiful sheen to renew an old finish. If grime has hardened, apply a cleaning product for wood cleaning while carefully using extra fine #0000 steel wool to break up each layer. Now, the original damage has been revealed. Luckily, there are ways to make your most roughed-up furnishings beautiful pieces once again. This Old House suggests using a cloth dampened with denatured alcohol to remove water stains. White water rings can be fixed simply by wiping gently, although black water rings will require sanding to smooth the surface and refinishing to blend with the existing finish.

Other scenarios have similar solutions: Scratches can be removed with a walnut. Simply take the nut out of its shell and rub it diagonally into the scratch. Then, using your fingers, rub it again to warm the area. This will allow for the walnut's oils to soak into the wood. Finish by buffing with a soft cloth. Permanent felt markers are perfect for making scratches and worn edges blend into the wood finish. Use a marker of the same color as the wood on these scratched spots, and wipe any residue away if it gets on finish that is not damaged. Clear nail polish can revive a chipped coat of clear sealant on top of the finish. Apply drops of polish to fill in the chip. When dry, sand the surface with very fine sandpaper so that it's smooth enough to blend with the rest of the finish. Small chips and dings can be filled using a wax stick made to repair wood finishes. They come in different colors so you can choose the one that is closest to your furniture's finish. Overfill the chip, then smooth excess wax off to level the piece's surface using a plastic putty knife or an item with an equally gentle edge.

After repair, or if the finish dulls with cleaning, use #0000 steel wool with a wax that matches your furniture. Use a paste wax for a satin finish, or an auto compound polish to bring back a gloss finish. After fixing up your beautiful wood decor, it's important to prevent future scratches and damage to maintain this beauty. Therefore, wood furnishings should be dusted regularly. Lint-free disposable cloths are wonderful additions to your arsenal of cleaning products as well; these cloths will remove dust without sending it airborne. A paste or liquid wax made specifically for wood will add a harder finish than typical furniture spray and polish, and your natural oil soap will prepare your furniture for wax application. This article was brought to you by Colgate-Palmolive Company, the makers of Murphy® Oil Soap. The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of the Colgate-Palmolive Company.Safely clean wood furniture by adding a little bit of oil to the mix.

You've rescued grandmother's dresser from the attic or garage, but before you can put it to use, it requires a good cleaning. Years of neglect, dirt and dust buildup hide its beauty, and you may wonder how to clean it without damaging it. With no single option better than the others, whether you buy an over-the-counter product or make your own soap recipe, you can get grandma's wood dresser clean -- or other wood furniture -- with a little effort and time. Oil-Based Soaps In store-bought products, search for oil-based soap products meant for wood. Choose from an assortment of brand names to suit your purposes. When using an oil-based soap product to clean wood furniture, avoid letting the soap mixture sit on the surface of the wood for too long. Working in small sections -- with the grain -- scrub lightly with a soft cloth dampened in the product, then rinse with a separate cloth dipped in clean water. Finish by wiping with a soft cloth to remove remaining moisture. Vinegar and Soap Mixture Vinegar cleans many items around the home.

As a light acid, it can cut through layers of dirt, grime and the oils left by fingerprints. Combine 1/4 cup of vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of mild liquid detergent, 1/4 cup of warm water and a few drops of olive oil. Thoroughly stir the ingredients before dipping a sponge in it. Wring out the sponge before washing down the furniture. Vinegar leaves a slight smell that dissipates in a few hours. Ammonia Wash Mix together a solution of 80 percent water to 20 percent ammonia with 1/2 teaspoon or a few squirts of mild dishwashing detergent. Blend the ingredients thoroughly before dipping a soft cloth or sponge and wringing it out. Clean the wood furniture, but do not let the mixture dry. With another cloth dipped in clean water, remove the cleaner and wipe dry with a clean cloth. If you let ammonia stay on the furniture too long, it could make the finish appear cloudy or discolored. A coat of beeswax or paste wax applied and then buffed restores the finish. Hot-Wash Linseed Recipe A 1-gallon bucket of very hot water -- hot enough to require rubber gloves -- mixed with 4 tablespoons of boiled linseed oil and 2 tablespoons of gum turpentine acts as a cleaning agent for wood furniture.