Varnish is a popular finish for a wide range of wood projects, as it not only looks great, but is also easy to maintain.
Once you’ve put the final coat of varnish on your project, you’ll want to ensure that it’s looking as good as new, well into the future.
In order to do this, you’ll need to perform maintenance coats when necessary and make sure that you keep the wood clean, without damaging the varnished surface.
Keeping your varnished wood clean
Varnish is there to protect your wood from the daily stresses and strains, such as the odd water spillage, that come with being a piece of furniture in a busy family home.
The varnish, if well maintained, also provides you with a durable layer on top of the wood, that can be much easier to keep clean than bare wood.
To stop a build-up of dust and dirt gathering on top of the varnish, you should wipe your wood regularly with a dry, lint-free cloth.
If you do find a particularly stubborn or sticky substance on your varnish, you can wipe this with a damp cloth. Ensure that you dry the wood immediately to minimise any chance of damage to the varnish.
If you’re regularly putting drinks onto the surface of your varnished wood, it can really make a difference to use coasters, so that any sticky drink or condensation on a cold glass, doesn’t sit for long periods of time on top of the varnish.
Can I use soap and water to clean varnished wood?
Some varnishes, including Linitop varnishes are OK to clean with soap and water. If in any doubt, do a small patch test first on an inconspicuous area.
If you do decide to go ahead and use warm water and soap to wash your varnished wood, it’s important to gently wipe, rinse and dry small areas, rather than wetting everything at once. You shouldn’t let water sit on the surface of varnish, as this can cause damage.
It’s always best to check with the varnish manufacturer before going ahead and cleaning with soap and water, otherwise you risk damaging the varnish.
Polishing varnished wood
If your varnish is looking a little dull, you can use a furniture polish, approved for use on varnished wood, together with a dry cloth, to bring back the shine.
It’s best not to apply furniture polish too regularly, as this can cause a buildup of the product on your furniture.
Maintaining your varnished wood
If your Linitop varnish is looking particularly old and worn, you can apply another 1 or 2 coats after sanding.
Have more questions about how to preserve the finish of varnished wood? Get in touch to speak to one of our experienced team members.
We hope you found this post helpful and now know how to preserve the finish of varnished wood. If you have any other tips, tricks or advice, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. We love hearing from you!
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