DIY Furniture Polish Spray

DIY furniture polish is not only easy and inexpensive to make, but it also helps protect, moisturize and clean the wood in your home without toxic chemicals. This homemade furniture polish contains only 3 ingredients which is not only better for your home, but the environment, your pets and kids too.

Benefits of Making Your Own Wood Polish

1. No harsh chemicals

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With store bought furniture polish it can be hard to decipher the ingredients on the back of the tin. Common ingredients include petroleum distillates, plasticizers and mineral spirits – all of which are toxic and dangerous. This DIY furniture polish includes just 3 simple ingredients so you know exactly what you’re exposing yourself and family to.

2. No fragrances or preservatives

Alongside the absence of harsh chemicals, a further benefit of homemade furniture polish is no synthetic fragrances or preservatives. If you or your children suffer with allergies, switching to natural cleaning products can help as the synthetic fragrances in store bought products can encourage symptoms.

3. Saves money

DIY furniture polish saves money because chances are you already have olive oil and vinegar in your pantry. Then you just need lemon essential oil which you can purchase here. Not forgetting there are so many uses for lemon essential oil so you will certainly get your money’s worth.

4. Practical use for other surfaces

On the topic of getting your money’s worth, another benefit of homemade furniture polish is its diverse range of uses. Unlike store-bought polish it’s not just limited to furniture, you can use it throughout your home on items such as; wooden cutting boards, wooden spoons, picture frames and wicker baskets. It is also safe to use on leather, however I recommend doing a spot test first. It’s not ideal as a floor cleaner as it may be quite slippery, instead use my homemade natural pine cleaner for floors.

5. Environmentally friendly

As mentioned furniture polish is packed with toxins and is usually sold in an aerosol can. Aerosols can be tricky to dispose of and also contain dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and flammable propellants which then pollute your air supply. A homemade furniture polish is more environmentally friendly as it uses only natural ingredients contained in a reusable bottle which means less harmful waste and no toxins polluting the air.

6. Safe for children and pets

The ingredients in this homemade furniture polish are all non-toxic and natural, so not only is it safer for the environment, but it is also completely safe to use around pets and children.

About the Ingredients

• White Vinegar – While there are some things you should never clean with vinegar white vinegar is ideal for furniture polish as it helps to disinfect surfaces naturally and remove build-up. Note, avoid using on waxed furniture as it may strip the wax. White vinegar will help polish the wood in your home, leaving it dust free and dazzling.
• Olive Oil – It moisturizes and shines wood. It is renowned for being a great wood conditioner that also gives wood sheen and helps to repel dust.
• Lemon Essential Oil – It’s one of the best essential oils for cleaning as it purifies both the air and surfaces. This means the Lemon essential oil works as a natural deodorizer and degreaser. It helps to remove build-up and nourish all wood surfaces, preserving the depth of grain and preventing the wood from drying out.

How to Make This Homemade Furniture Polish Spray

1. Add water, white vinegar, olive oil, and Lemon essential oil to a glass spray bottle. 
2. Shake well to mix. Now it’s ready to use. 

How to Use This DIY Furniture Polish Spray

1. Shake well before each use. 
2. Spray furniture and use a microfiber cloth to wipe off. 

Will This DIY Furniture Polish Make My House Smell Like Vinegar?

Don’t be tempted to skip the vinegar, it is a staple in this recipe as it has acetic acid that helps to clean without heavy scrubbing. The scent of the white vinegar will dissipate after a short while (up to an hour or so.) The lemon essential oil will also help leave your home smelling refreshing and clean.  

Can I Use Another Essential Oil? 

Lemon essential oil is ideal for furniture polish because it’s a natural degreaser so will prevent build up that makes furniture look dull. Generally, citrus essential oils will work well but a great alternative to lemon is orange essential oil (also check out this list of the best essential oils for cleaning). Not only does it offer an uplifting scent, but it is filled with vitamin C which contains enzymes that helps battle bacteria in the home.  

Can I Use Lemon Juice Instead of Lemon Essential Oil? 

The white vinegar already provides a natural acid in this recipe to clean and break down build-up on wood furniture. You don’t want to add too much acid in fear of damaging the wood. Instead, you could replace the 10 drops of lemon essential oil with 2 tbsp lemon juice and reduce the white vinegar to about ⅓ cup. I still prefer Lemon essential oil as it helps to degrease wood surfaces. It also has a stronger lemon scent than lemon juice. 

Can I Use This DIY Furniture Polish on Wood Floors? 

This natural furniture polish is great for wood furniture that needs a conditioner. It wouldn’t be a good choice for wood floors as the olive oil would make floors slippery, and could make you prone to slips and falls. Don’t be heading to the store however, I have a recipe for a homemade wood floor cleaner instead.

How Long Will This Last?

Since there’s no water in this recipe, it’ll easily last for a few months. You can double or triple the recipe, and put it in a larger spray bottle. Just store in a cool, dry place like under the sink and use as needed.

Top Tips for This DIY Furniture Polish

• You don’t want to be creating more work for yourself so be sure to use a microfiber cloth or any lint free cloth with this homemade furniture polish for best results.
• Store bought furniture polish usually contains silicones so it will create build up and attract dust if used too often. With this natural alternative you can use it every time you clean without the risk of build-up.
• Shake well before each use as the vinegar and oil may separate
• With any homemade cleaning product is always best practice to label and date the bottle to avoid any mix ups.
• Be sure to buy high-quality Lemon essential oil, like this.

More DIY Recipes You Might Like

• DIY Natural Bleach Alternative
• Homemade Foaming Hand Soap
• Homemade Toilet Fizzies
• DIY Reusable Cleaning Wipes

Did you try this DIY furniture polish? Don’t forget to rate it and comment below to let me know how it went. You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see what other fun things I’m getting up to.