Girlfriend nearly destroyed coffee table

G

gebbel

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We recently bought an Aztec coffee table. The day after it arrived, herself went cleaning it with a cloth and a can of pledge. To my horror, the colour started to fade before my eyes. She stopped but the damage was done...the table is now a shade lighter. We only stupidly realised afterwards that the wood is not suitable for a cleaner like pledge.
Can anyone advise us how to clean and protect this table from further fading?
 
Not sure what type of timber your table is made from, but you should buy a wax sealer (beeswax). You sould be able to buy this at good hardware shops or a timber suppliers. I suggest doing a google search for "furniture wax". You should get some results.
 
Not certain, but you could look at 'Malones' lavender scented carnuba wax polish - don't think any wood surfaces are described as unsuitable for this.

For the faded areas - maybe those 'crayon' type things that are used for wooden floors? Depends maybe on how large the affected area is.
 
I feel sorry for your girlfriend, shaming her on AAM!!

it was the pledge that did the damage.
 
gebbel said:
We recently bought an Aztec coffee table. The day after it arrived, herself went cleaning it with a cloth and a can of pledge. To my horror, the colour started to fade before my eyes. She stopped but the damage was done...the table is now a shade lighter. We only stupidly realised afterwards that the wood is not suitable for a cleaner like pledge.
Can anyone advise us how to clean and protect this table from further fading?
Click to expand...


I would go back to the shop. If the instructions that came with it did not say not to clean it with particular products, then I would say that finish is defective and the table should be replaced.
 
why not give it a coat of clear matt varnish. Then you can clean it as much as you like!
 
Just to set the record straight.....the damage was not done by Pledge, but by a can of Mr Sheen multi surface polish! It says on the tin that it is a multi-surface (including wood) cleaner with dustguard and stainguard properties! It does not mention that it can lighten the shade of your wood to a sickly pale.......sorry there whats this.....ah yes, in the small print...."not suitable for unsealed or waxed wooden surfaces".
I`m guessing that the table is unsealed, but I thought you used wax to fix this, as suggested by the first poster who replied to me :confused: .
Anyway moral of the story, it does`nt always do what it says on the tin!
 
Well now that you've gone and put furniture polish on an unsealed surface then the chances of being able to successfully apply a coat of varnish to it are fairly slim.

The polish contains silicone (which gives that 'luverly' shine when buffed) but the problem is that most modern wood surface finishes applied over a now silicone-impregnated substrate (in this case your coffee table) won't take. Sooner or later it will react and peel off. The technical term is 'sissing'.

Best try to give it another good rub over with oil and see how you get on.

By the way the only way to clean your wooden furniture is with a soft cloth and mildly soapy water. Steer clear of furniture polish of the spray-on-wipe-off variety. It'll wreck what might come to be an heirloom
 
Try putting a glass top on it. They can be cut to size at fairly little expense and will probably see it lasting longer
 
I agree with Gobig. Glass will keep it for much longer.

My suggestion now would be to sand the table down, stain and seal it what colour you choose then put the glass on top. If you like DIY this is a good thing to do, if not, you could always pay somebody else to do it.
 
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