The Best Table Cleaner

Buying Guide

Your home likely has a wide range of surfaces, including glass, tile and granite. That mixture can make cleaning tough, requiring you to keep multiple products on hand as you move throughout the house. Sure, there are multipurpose cleaners, but they aren’t safe on all surfaces.

One surface typically not covered by multipurpose cleaners is wood. The wrong product can dull a wood finish, at the very least, and dry it out at worst, leading to cracks and other signs of damage. Furniture polish has been the product of choice for tables, chairs and other wood furnishings, but today’s consumers have options that can extend the life of your wood surfaces rather than just making them temporarily look good.

There are a few things to consider before you purchase a table cleaner. Some can leave behind a greasy finish, making your table look like it has a film on it. That also makes it unpleasant to the touch, which comes into play if people will be eating there. Look for a wood polish that doesn’t just moisturize your wood but does so without residue.

Another consideration for wood tables used for eating is cleaning. Wood polish isn’t designed to remove sticky spots or gather crumbs. After eating, you should wipe the surface down with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth to collect any crumbs left behind. If there are sticky spots, you can dip the cloth into soapy water and gently rub the area until the residue is gone. You should also avoid leaving a wood table wet. Use a dry microfiber towel to wipe up any remaining moisture.

Dusting is an important part of maintaining any wood surface. As dust particles gather throughout the week, they can be displaced when you set down items or touch the surface. Some wood is sensitive enough to develop scratches when this happens, permanently damaging the delicate surface. For best results, wipe all wood surfaces in your home with a microfiber cloth at least once a week.

• One of the best things you can do to protect your wood table is to keep spill risks at a minimum. If you’re having company, set down a protective mat before putting a tablecloth down. Use placemats and coasters for everyday activities.
• Some table cleaners come as wipes. These come in handy but typically won’t work well for cleaning large tables or polishing every wood surface in your home.
• Scent is an important consideration, as well. Lemon is a popular scent for furniture polish, but you may prefer a more neutral odor. Some furniture cleaner builds in unique scents like almond.
• Some table cleaners have UV protection built-in. You may not realize the subtle damage that comes from the sunlight entering your windows. A cleaner that has UV protection included can protect your wood from fading or drying out.
• If you have allergies, look for a furniture cleaner that has allergen protection built-in. This type of cleaner keeps dust and other irritants at a minimum to help you breathe easier.
• Those with sensitive skin need to be careful not to pick a table cleaner that irritates the skin. Generally speaking, the fewer chemicals built into the furniture cleaner you choose, the better.
• For spray-based cleaners, you’ll want to make sure no rinsing is required for it to do its work. You should be able to coat your wood surfaces, then wipe the cleaner off with a dry cloth.
• It’s best to make sure any cloth you use is made from microfiber material. There are many benefits to microfiber, including that they don’t leave excess lint behind. You can also easily wash them and reuse them each time, making them an eco-friendlier option than paper towels.