Knowing how to disinfect a wood dining table helps you stay healthy. Cleaning wooden furniture is essential to keeping it in good condition and extending its lifespan. Our surroundings get very contaminated and dusty, especially if they are not cleaned regularly. Although most of us frequently dust our furniture, remember that not all toxins are visible to the unaided eye.
Furniture disinfection is crucial to prevent health risks, and your table must be sanitized, even if it appears clean. Allergies, bacteria, and other pathogens build up and linger on the exterior of wood furniture for a long time, endangering the health of you and your loved ones.
To maintain a secure and healthy environment, you should be disinfecting a wood dining table at least once a week. This location is even more critical since you eat off your dining table. Explore easy tips and tricks for how to sanitize a wood dining table to ensure you’re dining at a clean tabletop.
- How to Sanitize a Wood Dining Table
- Notes for Disinfecting a Wood Dining Table
- Regularly Dust Solid Wood Furniture
- How to Disinfect a Wood Dining Table With White Vinegar
- Bleach Is Perfect for Sanitizing a Wood Dining Table
- Cleaning a Solid Wood Dining Table
- Washing a Painted Wood Dining Table With Dish Soap
- Spraying Down an Outdoor Wood Table
- Polishing a Varnished Wood Table Helps Retain the Shine
- Never Use Alcohol on Wooden Furniture
- Commercial Cleaning Products to Clean Wood Furniture
How to Sanitize a Wood Dining Table
Find out how to disinfect a wood dining table to ensure you’re not exposed to pathogens at mealtime. Disinfecting a wood dining table doesn’t have to be a nightmare, and there’s no need to compromise the longevity of your table to keep it clean. Use one of our proven home hacks to help clean your table using everyday products.
Notes for Disinfecting a Wood Dining Table
Whether you have a reclaimed wood coffee table or a solid oak dining table, you need to know how to disinfect the wood surface without destroying the wood finish. Though cleaning it is generally painless, wood has a few unique challenges.
Too much water is terrible for wood, finished or unfinished. Water soaks in and leaves dark stains or water marks if it’s left to sit against the grain. Use liquid cleaning products sparingly and dry your table thoroughly after treatment.
Wood is also prone to scratching. Never scrape or gouge while cleaning and disinfecting your wooden dining table. The goal is to clean without causing damage. Soft cloths, brushes, and sponges are generally the tools of choice. These implements help you reach into the porous material’s divots without harming it.
Regularly Dust Solid Wood Furniture
Before you begin sanitizing a wood veneer, such as a tabletop, removing any dust and debris is prudent. Use a feather duster or dust cloth and sweep lightly over the table to brush off dust and dirt particles. Consider wearing a mask as you work if you’re sensitive to dust. Run a damp rag across the top to collect lint for heavily soiled tables. It’s important to use a damp and not wet cloth to prevent accidentally leaving water marks on the wood grain.
How to Disinfect a Wood Dining Table With White Vinegar
White vinegar removes stains and leaves your wooden table ready for dinner. The acetic acid in the distilled white vinegar destroys microorganisms, so you can eat confidently, knowing your surroundings are clean.
Shake the spray bottle to blend the vinegar and water and spray a small amount on the table. Carefully wipe down the wood with a clean microfiber cloth, covering the entire area, and leaving it to dry. Don’t overuse the vinegar cleaning mixture. Spray just enough to dampen the whole table to avoid creating watermarks on the wood.
Easily adjust this recipe by increasing the quantities to make a homemade wood floor cleaner with vinegar. Again, do not oversaturate the wood.
Bleach Is Perfect for Sanitizing a Wood Dining Table
Rely on chlorine bleach to disinfect under the most challenging conditions. While traditional bleach alone is drying and caustic, diluting it makes it safe to use on your dining table to kill germs or for treating mold on wood furniture or flooring.
Work outside or open the windows to allow the bleach fumes to disperse. Mix the bleach into the water in the basin. Wearing rubber gloves, dip a clean cloth into the bleach mix and use it to clean a sticky wood table. Let the bleach sit on the wood surface for 5-10 minutes to disinfect it before wiping it away with a damp cloth. Let it air dry.
Cleaning a Solid Wood Dining Table
This DIY cleaning solution is ideal to spot clean a stain or wipe down the entire table. as a natural wood furniture cleaner, it is safe for virtually all wood furniture types.
Fill the spray bottle with all the components. To apply the solution, spray it onto the wood or use a soft cloth. Shake vigorously before using. The cleaner leaves your wood looking smooth and smelling pleasant.
Try a dab of the DIY spray for cleaning felt tipped Sharpie off a table. Carefully rub the mark until it goes away.
Washing a Painted Wood Dining Table With Dish Soap
A mild soap like liquid dish soap is perfect for cleaning your dining room table without destroying the wood finish. Choose a colorless dish soap to avoid accidentally staining your table with artificial dyes. Dilute the detergent in water and use the mixture to wipe the table. Dish soap is a gentle cleaner that doesn’t fade or loosen paint.
Combine the liquid dish detergent and warm water in the basin to make a cleaning liquid. Dunk a cloth into the liquid, wring it out, and clean off the tabletop. For deep cleaning, wipe down the legs and the underside of the table.
Spraying Down an Outdoor Wood Table
Murphy Oil Soap is safe for wood objects such as your dining table and penetrates deep to destroy dirt particles. Add the Murphy Soap to one bucket of water per the directions on the packaging. Use warm water to remove filth and grime and cut through and dissolve grease. Fill a second bucket with only warm water.
Swish your cloth or soft sponge in the first pail of water and cleaner, wring it out and rub the tabletop gently. Repeat the process with the legs, underside, and chairs for a deeper clean. To remove the cleaner and any remaining sticky residue, use a second damp cloth in clean water and wash the table once more.
Polishing a Varnished Wood Table Helps Retain the Shine
Regular polishing allows your wooden table to stay hydrated and keeps the wood veneer looking lustrous. Choose a furniture polish for finished wood, such as wood-shining paste wax. Use a dry cloth to apply the polish according to the package directions and work it in by making tiny circles following the direction of the wood grain.
The ideal polishing frequency depends on how much you use your dining room table. Most dining room tables hold up well with a polish application every six weeks. If you have young children or your table is taking a lot of wear, you may need to polish it more often to keep the wood hydrated after multiple cleanings.
Never Use Alcohol on Wooden Furniture
Alcohol isn’t appropriate for wooden tables. Can a small amount of homemade disinfectant and cleaning spray really cause that much harm? Yes. The reason is how alcohol behaves when it comes into contact with wood and wood treatments.
Rubbing alcohol reacts with wood and wood finishes like a solvent. Though solvents help clean stains, they degrade wood grain. Learning what a solvent does helps to comprehend this issue’s seriousness. The purpose of solvents is to liquefy wood treatments like tints and varnishes.
Steer clear of using rubbing alcohol or alcohol-based products on your table. It removes the top layers of your table, impairing its appearance, integrity, and value. Damage occurs instantly and is time-consuming to repair.
Commercial Cleaning Products to Clean Wood Furniture
If you’re short on time and searching for a reliable way to disinfect your dining table without fading the finish, a store bought cleaner might be for you. There’s a vast range of cleaners and disinfectants with both natural and synthetic ingredients. Choose a disinfectant based on your preferences and its suitability.
It’s essential to purchase a cleaner intended for wood. While other cleaners may do the job, you risk drying out and destroying your table over time. Look for a natural cleaner to avoid bringing toxic chemicals into your home.
Everyone should know how to sanitize a wood dining table. The surface we eat from has significant health implications. Wood tables make a stunning addition to any dining room. Yet, nobody wants to eat off a table covered in bacteria and germs.
Disinfecting your dining table doesn’t have to be a big deal. Use one of our uncomplicated techniques to ensure you’re always serving dinner on a clean and sanitized table.
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