Well if in doubt just use a mild dish soap with out the oil. She could of had moisture in her house and sometimes hardwood fooring will discolor also from pet urine. Are you just trying to get rid of dust and dirt? Then just try plain old soap.

Carolyn:

Hi. Thanks for your continued advice!!! I have read other good things about paste wax. Still a little confused about Murphy’s Oil. For example, came across an article during my research where an antique furniture expert opined the following:

“Today, some owners make the mistake of oiling stained woods. “Oil is very bad for wood,” Karen says. “It soaks into open grain and oxidizes and can turn the wood black. A good example is my kitchen floor.” Karen has used Murphy Oil Soap on her floor and the oils in the product have turned the wood black wherever the floor’s varnish was gone.”

Thoughts?

I know that you’re not supposed to use Murphy’s Oil Soap on unfinished wood so I suppose the lesson is simply that you need to make sure there are no gaps in the varnish/finish before using. And I suppose since the previous owner previously refinished the piece your method would work fine for me. But also just wondering if you know of a safe alternative to Murphy’s Oil Soap to use before the paste wax?

Thanks again!

Ann

I use Murphy’s oil soap when washing my solid wood kitchen cabinets, follow the directions on the bootle. If the spot’s are not that noticeable worry about it later. Then I use a good high quality furniture paste wax and buff it with like and old lint free T-shirt. It does’nt hurt the wood at all, as a matter of fact it’s good for the wood. Just try to use as little as warm water possible in your rag for cleaning. There nothing wrong with it showing it’s age , that’s the beauty of it!!!

Hi. I missed this post earlier this week. I’ll definitely start searching the web for those articles.

Because the previous owner refinished the piece with a stain/lacquer of sorts, I suppose, as you mentioned, I would have to sand the problem areas first. But since I’m new to all of this I guess I should show the piece to someone first to find out how best to address the problem. Do you know if water marks get worse with time or can I afford to wait a little to deal with the issue?

Thanks again!

Ann

P.S. The piece was delivered yesterday. It looks great in the space. A perfect fit. Definitely glad I took a chance on this one! 🙂

Thanks! It is a relief to now have a suitable place for all my beautiful green glass and other nice table items that currently are being stored in plastic containers and boxes!

Thanks again for your help! By the way, if you have a moment I would appreciate your thoughts on my new post (“Bought it! Now, how do I clean it?) 🙂 I’m eager to use it but want to make sure I take the time to properly clean it first.

Take care!

Ann