DIY Furniture Polish

Remember how I’ve been switching our home over to all natural, homemade cleaning and laundry supplies? Well, this make your own furniture polish couldn’t be easier! And, you probably have one of the ingredients in your pantry right now. Cleaning supplies that are good for you, good for the environment, and good for the pocketbook are my kind of products!

DIY Furniture Polish Materials

• Empty polish container: Make sure this has a small opening at the top, with a cap. If your furniture polish spills, you’ll thank me.
• Oil: I use olive oil – which is what I use for cooking. Use what you have on hand. If you’re not sure if it will work, do a test.
• Essential oils: What’s your favorite scent? Use it! I’ve made this with lemon and it’s lovely. Lavender would be pretty, too.

Here’s how to do it….

1. Fill your empty polish container with oil.
2. Add 5-20 drops of your favorite essential oil.
3. Put the lid on and give it a few shakes.
4. Squirt onto cleaning rag and wipe down the wood furniture you would have normally wiped with regular, conventional polish. It also works well on stainless steel appliances.
5. Be sure and rub in the “polish” so that you don’t have a bunch of oil left behind. Surfaces need a good wipe down/rub in.
6. I wash our polish ‘cleaning rags’ with our regular laundry since there are no chemicals in the polish itself or in our cleaning supplies – now.

This is super easy to make and I’ve made it twice in the last year. How long does it last? (Hah! Longer than I’d like since my kids do the dusting as part of their chores.) It lasts about 6-months. With a reusable Swiffer/dry mop cloths and this furniture polish, we’re set on furniture cleaning and I’m not worried about chemicals or waste when the house gets cleaned.

Are you transitioning to natural cleaning products at your house? What do you use for polishing furniture?

Go Gingham related links:

Natural rinse aid alternative for the dishwasher – it’s in your pantry already
Sort of homemade dishwasher detergent – 2 ingredients make up the new mix!
The mop cover is a re-purposed t-shirt: how to make a mop cover
Cleaning and laundry detergent – progress on our switch over!
Cute and clean for the kitchen: make a baking soda shaker for soaking those stubborn pots and pans
Parenting: Children’s Allowances – yes, I like my kids doing chores!

More related links:

Wondering if your cleaning products are truly “green” or “natural” like they claim to be? Find out on the Environmental Working Group’s site. I check their database before I buy any consumer products.