Whether you think about them or not, tables are one of the most useful yet underappreciated pieces of furniture in our homes, and there’s one in almost every room for a reason. We don’t notice them all that much, especially when it comes to cleaning, but it’s as important that they get as much attention as the rest of the household, so here’s how to clean your tables.
How to Clean Tables
Regular Cleanings
Just like how you go through your regular cleaning routine around the house, you should also do the same with your tables, and it’s incredibly easy to start doing so. Tables only need to be dusted with either a feather duster, a damp cloth or a microfiber cloth to remove any dust or dirt particles.
It’s pretty straightforward to do, but make sure that each wiping motion pushes the particles over the edge as anything less would push the dirt around the table.
Removing Stains
Wooden Tables
The moment you see a stain on your wooden table, it’s crucial that you act immediately as leaving it for long periods of time could cause any particles or liquids to absorb into the wood and make it that much harder to remove. Begin by getting a damp microfiber cloth and using this to wipe the entire surface to remove dust, food particles or dirt that may be present.
The next step is to make your cleaning solution, which can easily be done by getting a bowl or container of warm water and dropping in two drops of liquid dish soap. With another microfiber cloth, dampen it in the soapy water before gently rubbing the stained area. Make sure that your cloth isn’t soaking as we don’t want to oversaturate the wooden table.
Once the stain has been removed, get a dry microfiber cloth and dab around the area to make sure that all traces of soapy water have been removed completely. Then, leave the wooden table to dry.
For any water stains, mix up equal parts of white vinegar and olive oil in a little container and use a soft cloth to apply it all over the stained areas. When everything’s removed, dry the area with a soft cloth.
Glass Tables
To give your glass table a good cleaning, use a commercial glass cleaner and simply follow the printed instructions at the back, or mix up your own cleaning solution by combining equal parts of water and white vinegar into an empty spray bottle.
When you have your bottle ready, spray it all over the glass surface of the table before going in with a microfiber cloth to wipe everything down. If you don’t have a microfiber cloth, use a crumpled piece of newspaper as this will give you a good clean without leaving any streak marks.
Rattan Tables
When dealing with rattan tables, a cleaning solution can be combining four cups of warm water and a teaspoon of liquid dish soap in a bowl or container. Mix the soapy water until it begins to form bubbles, and prepare another bucket with some clean water to rinse out your cloth later.
After making sure that there are no more solid particles left on the table, get a microfiber cloth and dip this into the bubbles of the soapy water. Begin wiping the rattan table by following one motion, and feel free to rinse out your microfiber cloth as much as you need to. Use a toothbrush to get into the harder to reach areas before leaving the table to dry completely
Plastic Tables
After removing any visible crumbs, use a commercial cleaner with a soft cloth, or make a homemade cleaning solution by adding a few drops of dish soap into a bowl of water. If you’re dealing with much more serious stains, add a tablespoon of white vinegar.
With a sponge, dampen it in the soapy water and carefully run it over the entire table until no stains remain. Make sure that you use the soft side as the abrasive side may scratch the surface when used with too much pressure.
Tips on How to Maintain Your Table
Remove Stains Immediately
No matter what material your table is made out of, the most important rule is to never leave any spills or stains for too long. Attending these as soon as possible is a good habit to develop, and it can be as easy as scraping and dabbing away as much solids as you can before it has the chance to soak in and do some damage.
Keep Your Table Away from the Elements
The sun is probably one of the worst things you can expose your table to, regardless of what kind of table you have. Sunlight can cause wooden tables to crack and split, rattan and plastic tables to fade and lose their color, and glass tables to get streak marks no matter how much you clean them.
Humidity is also another major offender. While glass and plastic tables may not be so affected by the moisture levels, wooden and rattan tables definitely are. Fluctuating humidity levels can cause wooden tables to get distorted and rattan tables to split and break apart.
Never Soak Your Table
Another thing you should never do is overly saturate your tables with cleaning solutions. For glass tables, using too much cleaning solution and letting it dry could result in those unsightly streak marks that no one likes to see.
For wooden tables, it could damage the wood over time as the porous nature of the wood can absorb too much moisture, which could lead to gradual weakening of the fibers. The same can be said as rattan fibers are just as absorbent. While not too big of a problem for plastic, excess moisture absorption could still lead to deformities over time.
When In Doubt, Call Luce Home
When you don’t have the time or energy to clean, Luce Home is here to make sure that your home never stops shining. Our professional home cleaners will make household chores seem easy and effortless so that all you have to do is come home to your fresh space.
Send us a message and schedule an appointment today!
