Furniture polish
The majority contain silicone, and a federal conservation leaflet says silicone residue survives stripping the finish down to bare wood.
What not to do
Furniture polish should be avoided for Wooden furniture
Best avoided
The available guidance advises against this.
The cost is paid only if the piece is ever refinished — and it is paid then whatever is done in the meantime.
Precautions
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Conserve O Gram 7/6: Silicone in Furniture Waxes and Polishes
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, 1993 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That waxes or polishes containing silicone should not be used on furniture in museum collections, that residue can be present even when the finish is stripped to bare wood, and that fish eyes appear when a new finish is applied. (states this directly)
Furniture polish is unsafe on Dashboard and interior trim
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
The harm is not to the dashboard. Silicone and wax raise the gloss unevenly, and the maker states the increased gloss may cause reflections in the windscreen and make it difficult to see through — a cleaning product creating a driving hazard somewhere else.
Evidence
Strongly supported
Sources
General Motors LLC, published via NHTSA · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That silicone and wax-based products and those containing organic solvents such as naphtha or alcohol must not be used on a vehicle interior, because they increase gloss non-uniformly and the increased gloss may cause reflections in the windshield and make it difficult to see through under certain conditions. (states this directly)
Precautions
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
- Ventilate the area
In detail
Furniture polish is among the most-used products in a house and among the least examined. The federal conservation guidance is unusually specific about what is in it: the majority of commercial furniture polishes contain silicone in one form or another, and it is found in almost all liquid and aerosol wax preparations. Manufacturers add a silicone fluid to make application easier and to obtain a higher gloss. The finding that follows is why it is worth explaining at all. Once a wax containing silicone has been applied it can be difficult to remove, which is why the guidance says such products should not be used on museum furniture — and then goes further: a silicone residue can be present on a piece of furniture EVEN WHEN THE OLD FINISH IS STRIPPED DOWN TO THE BARE WOOD. Stripping does not remove it. The damage is invisible until the day it matters, because contamination only becomes apparent when a new finish is applied, at which point small crater-like indentations called fish eyes appear. The alternatives are a hard wax without silicone, or the duller answer that most furniture needs dusting rather than polishing.
Properties
- pH
- Not applicable
Why
- Furniture polish is explained by Water-repellent and water-attracting surfaces
- Furniture polish is explained by Coating thickness
Hacks and claims involving this
- Furniture polish feeds the wood Does not work
Sources for this page
Sources
Conserve O Gram 7/6: Silicone in Furniture Waxes and Polishes
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, 1993 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That the majority of commercial furniture polishes contain silicone and it is found in almost all liquid and aerosol wax preparations, that once applied it can be difficult to remove, that a silicone residue can be present even when the old finish is stripped to bare wood, and that fish eyes appear when a new finish is applied. (states this directly)
Maintenance, and How to Clean and Take Care of Your Wood Floors
National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That the cleaner should be one made specifically for the finish, and that the finish rather than the timber governs. (inferred from the source; not stated directly)