How To Clean Old Rosewood Furniture

By Rachel Turner Jan 13, 2011 2:57 pm EST

Things Needed

3 clean cloths
Cotton swab
Lint-free cloth
Wood polish

Tip

The shade of rosewood timber is available in many different hues, including pale, honey brown to a rich, deep red hue. Avoid setting extremely hot or cold items directly on the rosewood furniture to prevent the wood from becoming damaged or warped. Use place mats and coasters regularly when using the rosewood furniture. If you live in an area that remains severely dry, use a humidifier in the same room as the rosewood furniture to prevent the wood from drying. Dust the rosewood furniture with a soft cloth daily, and maintain once-a-week polishes with the linseed oil based polish to maintain shine and beauty.

Rosewood furniture is made from rosewood timber grown predominately in Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, India and Burma. The wood grain naturally occurring within rosewood resembles the flowing vein patterns featured in marble, making rosewood an attractive choice for furniture. Common conditions such as sunlight, excessive heat, extreme dryness and very humid locations can cause the rosewood furniture to crack or warp. Due to the expensive price of most rosewood furniture, owners need to know the proper regular maintenance routines and cleaning procedures to keep their old rosewood furniture beautiful.

Step 1

Allow the old rosewood furniture to sit in its intended location undisturbed within the residence for at least one month so the rosewood can acclimate to the humidity levels and temperature changes.

Step 2

Moisten a clean cloth with warm water. Wring the excess moisture out of the clean cloth until it is damp, but not dripping wet.

Step 3

Wipe the dampened cloth over the rosewood furniture to remove all dirt and dust. For tiny, hand-carved detail work, use a cotton swap dampened with warm water to get to hard-to-reach areas.

Step 4

Rub a dry, lint-free cloth over the entire surface area of the rosewood furniture

Step 5

Apply a light application of wood furniture polish with a base of linseed oil onto a clean, soft cloth. Wipe the polish over the rosewood furniture, coating the wood evenly. Allow the wood polish to sit on the rosewood furniture for the recommended amount of time given on the label of the polish product.

Step 6

Buff the wood polish on the rosewood furniture with a dry, soft cloth to accentuate the wood's luster and shine.