The sturdy dining table made of oak wood or the vintage dresser crafted from mahogany wood is more than just an aesthetic feature. We handle such furniture with great respect and love, but at the time of cleaning our home, most of us use the same bucket filled with water and soap that we use for cleaning tiles in our bathrooms. Although it might seem quite natural, the truth is that such a habit could be hazardous for high-quality wood furniture.The problem with wood is that it is not dead at all; rather, it remains a porous and living substance with a complex and often unstable relationship with moisture. As much as the surface dries within five minutes after wiping with it, the liquid used in cleaning has started its invisible journey deep inside the fibres, capable of inflicting damage beyond repair by any type of buffing or polishing.The silent struggle inside the fibre structureFor one to understand the destructive power of water in wood, it is essential to delve deeper into the composition of wood itself. The wood is made up of billions of straw-like structures whose primary role while alive was to serve as pathways for the transportation of water. In spite of being turned into pieces of furniture, the wood cells remain intact and do not undergo any physical changes.A comprehensive study titled Water in Wood: A Review of Current Understanding and Knowledge Gaps, explains that water exists in wood in two distinct ways. There is “free water” that sits in the larger pores, and “bound water” that chemically attaches itself to the cell walls through hydrogen bonds. When you introduce too much liquid, the cell walls swell as they absorb this bound water. This is why drawers suddenly stick in the summer or why a tabletop might develop a slight, mysterious curve after years of wet cleaning.According to the study, the interior expansion of the wood causes intense stress on the wood fibres. This leads to bending, splitting, and weakening of the wood due to multiple soakings followed by drying. This is a slow and silent destruction of your furniture caused by the same water you thought would preserve it.
Finishes offer limited protection, trapping moisture and fostering decay. Learn the gentle, effective cleaning method to preserve your cherished pieces for years to come.
The illusion of protectionIf you have your furniture varnished or waxed, you might think you are secure. Finishes do make wood less prone to water damage, but they cannot completely protect wood from water. In households, finishes are designed only to withstand accidental spills but are no match for regular use of water for cleaning purposes. Inevitably, cracks will appear on any finished surface.Research published in the Journal of Building Engineering sheds light on this false sense of security. The researchers tested various coatings and discovered that while film-forming finishes like varnishes are good at stopping liquid, they are surprisingly poor at stopping water vapour. Even worse, if water manages to get under the finish through a tiny scratch, the coating actually traps the moisture against the wood, preventing it from evaporating.The study warns that when moisture levels inside the wood stay above 20 per cent for too long, it creates a perfect microclimate for decay-causing fungi. This can lead to “brown rot,” which eats away at the cellulose that gives wood its strength. By the time you see the discolouration or smell a faint musty odour, the damage is often irreversible.In the end, the sensible way to clean wooden furniture is to remember that the less is more principle applies here. According to experts, the recommended fabric should be very slightly wet and feel cool to the touch, without causing any visible water marks at all. Then comes the next step: dry the surface with another soft microfiber fabric. Thanks to the proper cellular equilibrium mentioned in the above mentioned study and the finish limitations found in the Journal of Building Engineering, you will keep the furniture beautiful forever.
