NLdeV RESTORATION

Wear an apron or an old T-shirt as (if you're like me!) you are bound to catch smears of wax and help buff your furniture with your sleeve!

Clean your every-day furniture regularly with a clean and moist (not wet) cloth by rubbing it along the grain of the wood. This will remove the water-soluble dirt. Then take another clean dry cloth (an old cotton T-shirt for example) and buff your surface to reactivate the shine of the remaining layer of wax. When the shine becomes dull, it's time to wax your piece of furniture again.

For your more delicate furnishings, use a solvent-based cleaning wax to wipe the surface to pick-up more dust, and immediately wipe with a dry cloth. The thinner in the paste wax is an excellent cleaner for removing grease and oil-based dirt.

DO NOT use silicone based spray waxes and polishes, as they will lock the dirt and dust onto your finish while leaving silicone in the pores of the wood and make it very difficult for your restorer to refinish your piece when the time comes.

Occasionally wax your furniture with a bee's and/or Carnauba wax, preferably paste. Dip a soft clean cotton cloth into your can of wax. Rub in a circular motion over the surface, your goal being to spread it thin evenly onto your surface. Finish rubbing along the grain of the wood and let it dry.

The drying time varies with the kind of solvent your wax is made with, the temperature and humidity of the room you're in, etc. There is no set time. You are in effect waiting for the solvent in your wax to evaporate, and in ideal conditions, it usually takes 15 to 20 minutes. If you have several pieces to wax, go around your home and by the time you're finished applying wax on all your furniture, it will be time to start buffing the first one and continue your tour!

You will know your wax is ready to be buffed when it looks dry or hazed over. At that point, take another clean cloth (a piece of an old T-shirt, or a clean old wool sock will do the trick) and start buffing along the grain of the wood. Buffing lightly will produce a satin sheen, while more buffing can produce a higher gloss.

You can never go wrong with paste wax. In the worst case, you've applied too much wax (which is the most common mistake), and you will simply use more elbow grease to buff it down to the small amount needed in the first place. Don't forget, a good shine comes from rubbing rather than lots of layers of wax!

If you haven't applied enough wax, once buffed your surface will show some areas duller than others. If you have left your wax dry for too long, it will be harder to buff it out.

In both cases, the problem can easily be corrected by reapplying a light coat of paste wax and buffing once ready.