How to Make Your Own Wood Polish

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Reclaimed parquet furniture by Weald Handmade

Polishing wood furniture occasionally will keep it from cracking. Many commercial brands of wood polish contain harmful chemicals like petroleum distillates, which may irritate your skin, eyes, and respiratory tract (your throat, lungs and wind pipe). If ingested, conventional furniture polish can cause nausea, vomiting, and medical help should be sought.

Why not avoid the drama and make your own? Here's how:

1. Mix equal parts walnut oil and white vinegar in a bottle. Shampoo and conditioner bottles are great because the lids have a smaller opening.
2. Add a few drops of lemon essential oil.
3. Cover. Shake.

To use:

1. Shake bottle before using.
2. Apply polish to a folded cloth.
3. Rub mixture into furniture. Go with the grain of the wood.
4. Fold the cloth again so that a clean side is exposed. Buff and polish the furniture.

Notes:

• You can substitute olive oil for walnut oil.
• Don't do this too often because oil attracts dust and that just sucks!

Olivia Lane is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She's also author of Baking Soda & Bliss: The Healthy & Happy Guide to Green Cleaning.   

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