Domakihub How to Polish Wood Furniture and Keep It Looking New
A practical room-by-room guide for homes, holiday rentals, and hotel suites in Greece.
Reviewed by Domakihub cleaning pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Wood furniture takes the hardest hits in any Greek property — salty sea air, high summer humidity, and constant guest turnover all dull the finish faster than you might expect. The video above from Priory Polishes walks through the cleaning and reviving process clearly; the steps below translate that into a repeatable routine you can follow for every room, from a family home in Athens to a holiday villa on Crete. Follow this guide once a season and your wooden pieces will stay protected, smooth, and guest-ready year-round.
Why Wood Furniture Loses Its Shine
Over time, a combination of dust, cooking vapours, sunscreen residue, and cleaning product build-up creates a dull, sticky film on wood surfaces. This is not damage to the wood itself — it is damage to the protective finish layer sitting on top, which means it can almost always be reversed without sanding.
In Greece, coastal humidity and direct sunlight through open shutters accelerate this process. A UV-exposed finish can oxidise and go chalky within a single summer season, especially on lighter woods like pine and ash.
Choosing the Right Polish for Your Furniture
Furniture polish comes in three main forms: spray/aerosol, liquid, and paste wax. Aerosol sprays are quick and suitable for regular maintenance on sealed modern furniture. Liquid polishes penetrate slightly deeper and suit pieces that are used heavily. Paste wax gives the longest-lasting protection and is the best choice for antique, oiled, or bare-wood pieces.
Avoid silicone-based sprays on antiques or any piece you may want to refinish in future — silicone soaks into the grain and prevents new finishes from bonding. For traditional Greek wooden furniture (olive wood, walnut, chestnut), a beeswax or carnauba wax paste is almost always the safest and most effective choice.
How to Polish Wood Furniture: Step-by-Step
- 1
Clean the surface thoroughly
Before any polish touches the wood, remove all dust and grease. Mix a few drops of dish soap into warm water, wring out a microfibre cloth until it is barely damp, and wipe the entire surface. Follow immediately with a dry cloth. Never let water sit on wood — even a sealed finish can whiten if water is left standing. Let the surface dry for at least 15 minutes before continuing.
- 2
Assess the finish and spot-treat damage
Look across the surface at a low angle in good light. White rings from glasses, small scratches, and dull patches all show up clearly this way. For white heat rings, rub a small amount of non-gel toothpaste or a mix of equal parts olive oil and white vinegar directly on the ring in a circular motion, then wipe clean. For fine scratches on dark wood, a matching furniture marker or a rub of walnut kernel can disguise the mark before you polish.
- 3
Apply polish in sections
Squeeze or spray a small amount of polish onto a clean, soft cloth — never directly onto the furniture. Work in sections of roughly 30 x 30 cm, rubbing the polish into the wood following the direction of the grain. This matters: going against the grain traps polish in the micro-pores rather than spreading it evenly, leaving streaks. For paste wax, use a circular motion during application, then switch to grain-direction strokes to even it out.
- 4
Buff to a shine
Once the polish has been worked in and starts to look slightly hazy — usually after one to two minutes — take a second clean, dry microfibre cloth and buff the surface briskly following the grain. The friction generates a small amount of warmth that helps the wax or oil bond to the finish. Keep buffing until the surface feels smooth and non-tacky under your fingertips. For large pieces like dining tables or wardrobes, work one panel at a time so the polish does not dry before you buff.
- 5
Maintain between polish sessions
Polish only as often as the furniture needs it — over-polishing with product-heavy sprays causes build-up that is harder to remove than the original dullness. Between sessions, a quick wipe with a lightly damp microfibre cloth followed by a dry one is all most pieces need. Place felt pads under objects that sit on wooden surfaces, and use coasters or placemats consistently. In high-humidity periods common in Greek summers, a dehumidifier in enclosed rooms protects the wood far more effectively than any polish can.
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FAQ
- How often should I polish wood furniture in a holiday rental?
- For a holiday rental that sees regular guest turnover, a full polish every one to two months during peak season is a sensible routine. Between guest stays, a dry microfibre wipe and a quick inspection for ring marks or scratches is usually enough. Pieces that are handled constantly — dining chairs, bedside tables — may need attention more frequently.
- Can I use olive oil to polish wood furniture?
- Pure olive oil is often suggested as a natural polish, and it does add short-term shine. However, it can go rancid inside the wood grain over time, especially in warm Greek summers, leaving an unpleasant odour and attracting dust. If you want a natural alternative, use a proper beeswax or carnauba wax paste instead — they condition the wood without the risk of rancidity.
- My wooden furniture has a very thick, sticky, yellowed layer of old polish. What should I do?
- This is polish build-up, and it needs to be stripped before you apply anything new. Dampen a cloth with a small amount of white spirit (mineral spirits) and rub the surface gently — this dissolves old wax and silicone residue without harming most sealed finishes. Work in a well-ventilated area, allow the surface to dry completely (at least 30 minutes), and then apply a fresh, thin coat of the appropriate polish. Avoid repeating the same heavy-product routine that caused the build-up in the first place.