Creation Cabinetry has been servicing Eastern Pennsylvania since 1986. In doing so, we have come to learn a thing or two about how to properly care for custom cabinetry – and wooden furniture in general. One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is to clean their cabinets and furniture with Pledge.
Pledge Is Not As Safe On Wood As You Thought
The furniture polish spray has been a fixture in homes since 1958 and promises to Keep your furniture clean and beautiful! And while it may have been the go-to cleaning product for decades, it appears as if the long-standing brand doesn’t work quite as well as you may have hoped. In fact, due to the silicone found in Pledge, it may actually be doing more harm than good to your cabinets and wooden furniture.
More from the Blog: Countertop Heaters
In many cases, the cleaning product will begin to produce cloudy patches atop the wood. If you’ve only utilized Pledge (or any similar product) a couple of times, you may be able to remove the cloudy areas with a damp rag. On the flip side, however, if you’ve been repeatedly using the product on your cabinetry, you may have a much larger problem on your hands.
Silicone In Pledge Seeps Into Wood Furniture
In such cases, there’s a possibility that you’ll have to have all of your cabinetry refinished. And, depending on the severity of the damage, you could be looking at a pricey fix. The silicone seeps deep into the wood, making the refinishing process long and tedious. Even after removing several layers of wood during the sanding process, there may still be unseen layers of silicone within the wood.
If you begin to refinish the area and all of the silicone has not been adequately removed, the stain/paint will not properly settle, resulting in more time and labor to rectify the situation. More sanding and staining will result in a larger bill (assuming you’re having a professional do the work). The best way to avoid cloudy and/or damaged areas on your wooden cabinetry and furniture is to avoid using Pledge and like products altogether.
What Should You Clean Wooden Furniture With if not Pledge?
Instead, we recommend that you take a simple, more natural approach to cleaning your custom cabinets.
Simply take a damp cloth, preferably microfiber, and lightly wipe down your cabinetry. Be careful to not let water rest on the cabinetry for an extended period of time, though. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, have a second microfiber cloth (dry this time) prepared and at the ready. After removing the dust and grime with your damp cloth, take your dry cloth and wipe the moisture away. It’s as simple as that!
The act of keeping your cabinetry and wood furniture clean and shiny is simple, yet reliable. Many homeowners over think the cleaning process and wind up actually hurting their furniture. If you have any sort of doubt about the products you are using to clean your wood, odds are you shouldn’t be using that product!
If you have further questions on the damaging nature of Pledge or just about cabinetry in general, feel free to contact Creation Cabinetry at (610) 562-4700. We can also be found on Facebook, Houzz, and Twitter!