How to care for solid wood furniture
An oiled piece needs almost nothing: a dry cloth and, once a year, a coat of oil. What it does need is for you not to do certain things to it.
Day to day
A dry or barely damp cloth, dried afterwards. That is all.
What to avoid: all-purpose cleaners with ammonia or alcohol, scouring pads, supermarket spray wax (it leaves a siliconed layer that stops oil soaking in again) and, above all, standing water. A soaked cloth left on the wood for half an hour leaves a mark; the same cloth wrung out leaves nothing.
Oil and wax: what and when
If the piece is oiled, renew it when the colour loses depth or the surface feels rough. Usually once a year, less in a low-traffic spot. Sand very finely when dry, wipe off the dust, apply oil with a cloth along the grain and, ten minutes later, remove the excess. That last step matters: leave it on and it stays tacky.
If it is waxed, like the guayubira bottle holders, the routine is the same but with a thin coat of wax and a buff with a clean cloth afterwards.
Marks, scratches and dents
White glass ring: that is moisture trapped in the finish, not in the wood. It usually comes out rubbing gently with a cloth and a little oil. If it resists, sand that spot finely and re-oil.
Surface scratch: fine sandpaper on that area only, always along the grain, then oil. Once dry the patch does not show.
Dent: if the fibre is crushed but not broken, a damp cloth and a warm iron for a few seconds raise the fibre with steam. Then fine sanding and oil.
This is what a laminated piece will not allow: there the printed layer is broken and there is nothing underneath to recover.
Where to put it
Solid wood responds to ambient humidity. Two awkward spots: right against a radiator, where dry air can open joints, and in constant direct sun, which bleaches the surface unevenly. Neither ruins the piece in the short term, but it shows over the years.
In a normal home with normal heating, nothing special is needed.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a piece be oiled?
When the colour loses depth or the surface feels rough, normally once a year. Shelving in a hallway can go two or three years; a surface used daily, less.
Which oil should I use?
An interior wood oil, hard oil or treated linseed type. Avoid cooking oils: they do not cure, they go rancid and they smell.
Can I use supermarket furniture polish?
Better not. Most contain silicones that form a layer over the wood; it shines at first, but afterwards it stops oil soaking in and complicates any future repair.
Can it be sanded back and started again?
Yes, and that is the advantage of solid wood. A full sanding and two coats of oil return the piece to its original state, even twenty years on.
What about wine or cooking oil stains?
It absorbs fast, so the sooner you wipe it, the better. If a ring remains, sand that spot finely and re-oil. On waxed guayubira, lift the wax from that area with a cloth and gentle heat before sanding.