I have a finished wood dining table. It is a light color wood and I think it is maple. The thing is that with three kids (and no table cloth because it got torn a while back and was never replaced) I do have some sticky spots on the table. My family does use place mats at every meal and we do wipe up spills quickly. But these sticky spots are more towards the center of the table. I’ve tried wiping them down with a wet cloth to no avail and I don’t want the wood to warp. Any ideas?
ALONZO
Comments
Use mild soap and water. Follow up with Murphy’s Oil Soap. And invest in a couple of tablecloths to use along with the placemats and hot pads.
I use pledge natural beauty to clean just about everything, but if that doesnt work try murphy’s oil soap
If the substance on your table is oil soluble, you can use lemon oil on a soft rag and rub until the sticky area dissolves and is cleaned away. Finish by cleaning the entire table top with lemon oil and wiping it well to clean off the excess.
You might also try Murphy’s Oil Soap (a liquid just for cleaning wood.) It does an excellent job.
Hopefully, the finish on your table has not been damaged by something that partially dissolved the finish leaving a sticky residue. If the lemon oil and Murphy Oil Soap do not clean the table top, you may have to refinish it. If the finish is damaged, you can try something like Formby’s ‘Refinisher’ that partially dissolves the finish and allows you to clean the sticky areas and then reapply a new finish. This should be a last resort, however.
Everyone has what I would say. Mild soap and water will not harm the table so long as it’s not left to sit. Pledge is made for furniture and won’t harm it either. Murphy’s Oil Soap is one of the best products to use to preserve all wood.
Do buy a couple of flannel backed table cloths for everyday use. You shouldn’t have to worry about spills at every meal. Too much stress on both you and the kids.
Oh, if you are doing a holiday meal and want a good cloth table cloth, take your oldest flannel one and cut it down so it just fits the table top, then put the cloth one over the top. No spills will reach the wood.
