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    Home » Green Cleaning » Wonder Dressing: Natural Furniture Polish

    Wonder Dressing: Natural Furniture Polish

    Published: Jan 31, 2014 · Modified: Feb 23, 2017 by Bren

    The name of this non-toxic household staple many sound odd, but I assure you  it is a great natural furniture polish (and much, much more). Curious about the name? I call it wonder dressing because the ingredients are ones you might find in your favorite salad dressing (and vinaigrette is just too hard to spell on the label).

    Natural Furniture Polish and Cleaner is easy to make, cost effect and works great -- the best part, it's all natural and non toxic. Try this DIY furniture polish, stainless steel polish, leather cleaner, and label remover in one!

    This post uses affiliate links. They don’t cost you a thing and help us bring you creative projects. Read more in Policies & Disclosures.

     

    High Standards for Household Cleaners

    Wonder Dressing could be used for salad topping (minus the essential oils) which means that it meets my safety standards. A friend pointed out the salad dressing/cleaner relationship to me after I gave her the recipe. I was delighted! Why?

    I used to clean and polish my wood with commercial furniture oil until I found out that it rated F (as in FAIL) by the Environmental Working Group. I said goodbye to it as I moved toward natural, non-toxic home cleaning.

    Imagine your child dropping a dinner roll on the freshly polished dining room table then pick it up to eat it without a second thought. I’d prefer that a non-toxic cleaner had been used on that table… not one full of hazardous chemicals.

    Natural Furniture Cleaner and Polish Uses

    Wonder Dressing can:

    • Dust and protect finished wood surfaces in your home (cabinets, furniture, railings, window casings, mantels, baseboards, etc.)
    • Remove fingerprints and smudges from stainless steel appliances (clean with a damp rag then lightly apply dressing and watch them disappear)
    • Minimize water damage rings or spots on furniture (just apply and blast with a hair dryer)

    Natural Furniture Polish and Cleaner is easy to make, cost effect and works great -- the best part, it's all natural and non toxic. Try this DIY furniture polish, stainless steel polish, leather cleaner, and label remover in one!

    • Dust and polish leather furniture (apply dressing sparingly to a soft cloth and wipe gently)
    • Shine faucets and help them resist water spots (wipe clean with a damp rag then apply dressing)
    • Remove sticky/tacky residue left by price tags on glass or plastic items (apply generously to residue and wipe clean)
    • And much more… (basically I make a batch and walk around the house shining things up until it is gone)

    *I recommend testing this on a small area of each item before going polish crazy.

    Natural Furniture Polish and Cleaner is easy to make, cost effect and works great -- the best part, it's all natural and non toxic. Try this DIY furniture polish, stainless steel polish, leather cleaner, and label remover in one!

     

    Ingredients

    I make Wonder Dressing in small batches:

    • 1 Tbsp pure olive oil
    • 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar (or orange vinegar)
    • 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
    • Orange or lemon essential oil (6 drops total)

    Directions

    1. Combine ingredients a bowl or glass jar and stir until oil does not separate out (it will thicken slightly).
    2. Apply lightly to wood with a clean paper towel or rag. (If surface is very dirty first wipe it clean with a damp rag.)

    *You can also use a spray bottle to mix and apply the polish, spray lightly (a little goes a LONG way)!

    Cost

    This solution costs $0.87 for 2 ounces (and 2 ounces goes a LONG way).

    • Olive oil – $0.35
    • Vinegar – $0.09
    • Lemon juice –$0.33
    • Essential Oils – $0.10

    More All-Natural Wood Care Tutorials

    These all natural cleaners will keep your home in tip top shape!

    • Non-Toxic Hardwood Floor Restorer

    Hardwood floors get dingy in homes with kids & pets. All natural restorer for hardwood floors makes floors shine like new and eliminates scratches & scuffs.

    • All-Natural Hardwood Floor Cleaner

    Cleaning floors can be a chore. Keep your hard surfaces in tip top shape with this guide to natural floor cleaning and homemade floor cleaner recipe. All purpose natural floor cleaner for hardwood, laminate, tile and more. Best DIY floor cleaning recipe.

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tracy Esposito

      March 20, 2020 at 8:32 am

      Can I use apple cider vinegar? I am out of white vinegar.

      Reply
      • Bren

        March 24, 2020 at 11:22 am

        Yes, you can use cider vinegar but it might change the smell a bit.

        Reply
    2. Cynthia Ramberg

      October 24, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      What can I use in place of vodka? I can’t have alcohol in my household.

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 15, 2019 at 10:55 am

        Hi Cynthia! You don’t need any vodka in this recipe just vinegar!

        Reply
    3. Lorraine Cappuccio

      July 24, 2019 at 8:38 pm

      Hi,
      Is it necessary to use the essential oil?

      Thanks

      Reply
      • Bren

        September 30, 2019 at 3:55 pm

        No, you can skip them.

        Reply
    4. Kari H.

      April 18, 2019 at 8:40 am

      Hi there 🙂
      Can this wonder dressing be used to clean stainless steel appliances?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Bren

        April 22, 2019 at 2:07 pm

        I’ve successfully used it on my stainless steel trash can and appliances after they have been wiped clean.

        Reply
    5. Trisha Gawley

      July 11, 2018 at 7:02 pm

      Hi,
      Can you explain how it’s OK to use vinegar in this wood polish when the other post on uses for vinegar states not to use it on wood surfaces?

      I have a beautiful midcentury dinning room table and need to find a good cleaner!

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Bren

        July 13, 2018 at 7:18 am

        Trisha, I would not use vinegar to clean wood on a regular basis or on unfinished wood it can damage the surfacs. On a well finished wood surface this polish can be occasionally used to cut through grime and add shine. I would make sure the finish on your table is in good condition before trying this polish. You are the best judge of what would work for you item. Good luck!

        Reply
      • Wood worker

        February 21, 2019 at 2:06 pm

        Hey Trisha.. This is quite a late comment on your post but maybe it can still help. I worked for a man in restauration and he used ‘soft soap’ (I hope this is the correct translation).. It comes in those big buckets and is what all the old folks used to wash wooden floors or for cleaning in general. You add a tiny bit to warm water and depending on how sensitive the timber is, scrub accordingly.
        Always make sure to dry the timber up well with a towel afterwards and don’t scrub it moist. If you do and your table happens to be soft wood you will remove all the softer growth rings, leaving your surface looking bumpy.
        Good luck on the project

        Reply
    6. Cen

      January 22, 2018 at 2:03 am

      may i ask something?
      so why should we add vinegar for the solution?

      Reply
      • Bren

        January 24, 2018 at 9:09 am

        Cen, vinegar contains acetic acid which breaks down grease, germs and mold.

        Reply
        • Cen

          February 05, 2018 at 12:40 am

          hey, thanks for the reply 🙂

          Reply
    7. Amy

      December 01, 2017 at 11:45 am

      Hello Bren. Just wondering, in all the recipes for laundry and dishwasher detergent that calls for vinegar, you mention only white vinegar or orange vinegar. Will Apple Cider Vinegar work as well?

      Reply
      • Bren

        December 01, 2017 at 1:29 pm

        I generally use white vinegar because it is less expensive and does not contain sentiment that apple cider vinegar sometimes contain. You can try apple cider vinegar and see how you like the results. Good luck!

        Reply
    8. Lori

      January 24, 2017 at 8:59 pm

      Hello Bren,
      What a wonderful blog-website you have! I noticed you used this on your wooden floors. Years and years ago, my husband and I rented a home that had hardwoods throughout. I was dusting the furniture and unbeknownst to me, the commercial cleaner I was using over sprayed onto the floor. The next morning when I got up, (I had socks on) one of my little ones was crying so I ran into his room, my feet flew out from under me and I went down an entire flight of steps. It literally knocked the wind out of me, let alone a HUGE bruise on my backside! Does this product leave a slippery residue? We have since purchased a home w/ hardwoods throughout and I’d love to keep up with the ‘shiny’ look but am very afraid as you probably would expect.
      Thanks for the insight!
      Lori

      Reply
      • Bren

        January 25, 2017 at 4:37 pm

        Lori, it will make the floor a bit slick… especially if it is not buffed well… so I would probably not use it on stairs. You can read more about how I clean wood floors here.

        Reply
    9. Mary

      October 08, 2016 at 3:18 pm

      Mine will not mix , keeps separating. Any ideas?

      Thanks,
      Mary

      Reply
      • Bren

        October 08, 2016 at 5:24 pm

        It will work fine if separated, just give it a shake before using. You can try storing it in a cooler place to help it combine.

        Reply
    10. Lisa

      December 18, 2015 at 12:42 am

      Where do you get essential oils?

      Reply
      • Bren

        December 18, 2015 at 9:30 pm

        Lisa, you can buy essential oils lots of places. Just make sure they say 100% essential oil.

        Reply
        • Jackie

          April 06, 2016 at 10:05 am

          Have you ever used this on leather shoes?

          Reply
          • Bren

            April 06, 2016 at 11:25 am

            Interesting idea, Jackie! I have not used it on leather shoes. I have used it on leather furniture. Let me know if you try it on shoes!

            Reply
    11. Jo

      November 27, 2015 at 4:51 pm

      Love it!! Great citrus smell too

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 29, 2015 at 8:13 am

        Thanks Jo! Glad you like the recipe!

        Reply
    12. faith

      November 10, 2015 at 5:38 am

      Can you use lime juice instead of lemon juice?

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 10, 2015 at 8:33 am

        Faith, I have never tried lime juice but this article says it works. If you try using lime juice please let me know how it works for you! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Becca

      August 28, 2015 at 11:01 pm

      Can you store your cleaners for later use?

      Reply
      • Bren

        August 29, 2015 at 11:28 am

        Becca, yes you can store the Wonder Dressing for future use. It is thicker when you first make it and thinner after it is stored but it still works great. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    14. Denise

      April 18, 2015 at 8:39 pm

      Hi Bren
      Can you use coconut oil instead of olive oil in this as well as your wood floor restore?

      Reply
      • Bren

        April 18, 2015 at 10:07 pm

        Good question, Denise! You should be able to use fractionated coconut oil in both recipes. I would recommend making a small batch to test it as I have never personally used it before. (Fractionated coconut oil is a liquid and does not become solid at room temperature like Virgin Coconut oil.) I generally use cheap olive oil in my cleaning products for cost savings but other natural oils should work too. Please let me know how it turns out or if you have other questions.

        Reply
        • Denise

          April 19, 2015 at 1:49 am

          Thanks for replying so quickly Bren…I have Virgin Coconut Oil at home, its hot here in Jamaica and most times VCO is liquid. I will try and let you know how it works. I discovered your site today and must commend you on your work. Very informative blog! I will be launching my All Natural Skin Care line soon and would appreciate any advise you have to offer in this area. Thanks much…:-)

          Reply
    15. Rikki

      March 13, 2015 at 6:44 pm

      Are the essential oils needed? I have everything else at home.

      Reply
      • Bren

        March 13, 2015 at 8:03 pm

        Rikki, the essential oils add scent but the recipe works perfectly well without them! Hope you like the recipe!

        Reply

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