How to clean a wooden table. Safely cleaning a wooden table with our 4 tips

Wooden furniture provides a wonderful warm feel in a house. It also fits in any kind of decor. Wood is a tough material, but it doesn't take much for it to have stains or rings. A wooden coffee table or dining table that get plenty of use will suffer their share of accidents. Cleaning a wooden table regularly will keep the table beautiful for longer. It is not difficult to clean wooden furniture, such as a wooden table. It is particularly important to know what you can use to clean wood. We give you 4 convenient tips.

What do you need to remember when you remove a stain from a wooden table?


how to clean a wooden tableIt is particularly important to know what type of wood you have. Do you have teak? That is really hard and less prone to staining, but it's a good idea to protect it. Cleaning a teak table is different from cleaning other types of wood. Soft wood, like oak and pine, is more sensitive to stains and rings. When you want to know how to remove ring marks from wood, you need to remember whether the wood was treated or not. When you clean a varnished or oiled table you use different products than for wood that has not been treated.

How to get stains out of a wood table with HG

HG has suitable products for every type of wood. For cleaning untreated wooden tables we have HG furniture restorer for light wood. You can use this to dissolve grease and to remove stains. You protect the wood at the same time.how to clean a wood table that is sticky

If you want to clean an oiled or varnished wooden table, use HG wooden furniture cleaner. This product cleans and nourishes the surface, and makes it shine again.

Cleaning untreated wood with HG wooden furniture cleaner:

  1. Spray the surface to be cleaned.
  2. Get a damp lint-free cloth or dish cloth. Add a little HG wooden furniture cleaner.
  3. Spread it properly over the surface.
  4. Rub a little extra on any stains or greasy marks.
  5. Leave to dry and rinse the cloth with warm water.

Cleaning wood with 3 alternative products

Cleaning wooden furniture is easy with HG. There are some alternative products you can use. We have listed a few:

1. Cleaning a wooden table with soft household soap

Soft household soap is really convenient for cleaning a teak table. It is also suitable for other wood. Particularly for cleaning an oiled or varnished table. Add some soft household soap to a bucket of lukewarm water. Use a soft sponge or cloth to clean the wood.

2. How to clean a wood table with vinegar

Do you have oak furniture? You can clean your oak wood furniture with vinegar. Add some cleaning vinegar to a bucket of warm water. Use a sponge or soft, clean cloth to clean the wood. Do you want to know how to remove a stain from a wood table or even ring marks? Mix some vinegar with a few drops of olive oil and scrub the rings with a sponge. If you clean teak furniture with vinegar, you may end up damaging the wood. Teak can contain lime, which reacts with vinegar and can produce irrecoverable stains. So be careful with teak and vinegar.

3. Cleaning wood with soda

If the wood is not too dirty, you can use soda. Dissolve a few scoops in warm water and wipe the wood with a sponge or a cloth. 

Convenient tips for cleaning wooden furniture

Generally you cannot do much wrong when you clean wood. Even so, we will give you a few more tips that will help you to make the right choices when you clean your wooden table. 

1. Clean wood with the grain

Wood generally has a grain. Cleaning wood works better and is easier when you clean with the grain.

2. Test a new product in an inconspicuous place first

If you want to make sure that a new product does not damage the wood, test it in an inconspicuous place.

3. Dry damp patches immediately

A glass of drink fell on your wooden table? Dry it immediately. That way you can prevent it from absorbing into the wood and leaving white marks and rings.

4. Be careful with scouring pads

If you want to clean an untreated wooden table, you can use a scouring pad to scrub away a stubborn stain. Be careful! It may cause differences in colour. Do not use a scouring pad to clean an oiled or varnished table. You will scrub off the oil or varnish coat. 

Prevent your wooden furniture from getting dirty

It is even better to prevent your wooden furniture from getting dirty. That is easy to achieve by using coasters or placemats. You can also protect the wood with HG furniture restorer for light wood for example.

If you have a good tip for how to get white heat marks off a wood table, please let us know!

Frequently Asked Questions about how to clean a wooden table

What do you need to remember when you clean wood?

It is particularly important to know what type of wood your furniture is made of and whether it has been treated with oil or varnish.

How do I clean wooden furniture?

You can clean wood with:

  • Soft household soap 
  • Cleaning vinegar (for oak)
  • Soda

What are the tips for cleaning a wooden table?

It is a good idea to remember the following tips when you clean wood

  • Clean with the grain
  • Test a new product in an inconspicuous place
  • Dry up damp patches immediately
  • Better not to use scouring pads

How can I prevent my wooden furniture from becoming dirty?

Use coasters or placemats to prevent furniture from getting dirty. You can also protect the furniture with HG furniture restorer for light wood.

Which HG product do I use to clean a wooden table?

Use HG wooden furniture cleaner to clean varnished and oiled wood.



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HG furniture restorer for light wood

HG furniture restorer for light wood

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