The Best Wood Polish

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Murray
Published on
May 15th, 2019

Expert BioExpert Bio

Ben’s formal training and certifications in cleaning include the ASD (Advanced Structural Drying), AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician),
WRT (Water restoration technician), CCT (Carpet Cleaning technician), and bio hazard cleanup, as well as several other certifications from the IICRC. Ben has managed teams involved in cleaning projects around the United States. Ben’s passion for cleaning dates all the way back to keeping his rugby gear tidy while a young lad. Ben holds an undergraduate degree from Oxford, a Master’s degree from Oxford, and a mountain of hands on experience at the school of hard knocks.

The Cleaning Institute

In most households, there are many different surfaces or items that are constructed out of real wood. While wood is durable and offers a pleasant, natural design, it still needs a certain amount of care to ensure that it maintains its appearance and continues to look beautiful. We tested multiple products on the market and used our 35 years of experience to determine which products stood out. We discovered that the Howard Products Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish and Conditioner is the most effective in conditioning wood and preserving its finish. The product smells natural, is easy to apply and doesn’t leave behind an oily residue. We gave an honorable mention to the Howard Restor-A-Finish product for its ability to blend out scratches and scuffs on wood surfaces when restoring the material. Our green pick was the Method Wood For Good Daily Wood Cleaner, which is non-toxic and biodegradable, making it one of the most eco-friendly wood cleaning products on the market.

Testing Categories

We created different testing categories throughout the review process to determine which polish has the most value and delivers the most impressive results.

Application: We evaluated the ease of use for each product during the application process. To do this, we followed the manufacturer’s directions to determine how easily and quickly the products could be applied and examined their texture.

Odor: We felt it important to review the scent of each wood polish to determine if they were pleasant to smell or if they overpowered the room once applied. We also reviewed whether the scent was natural or seemed too chemical-heavy.

Power: We made the power of the wood polish our top category, judging each wood polish on how it worked to restore the surface of different wood products. We also reviewed how much of the product needed to be applied to work effectively.

Top Pick

Howard Products
Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish
and Conditioner

The Howard Products Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish and Conditioner is designed to polish different types of wood surfaces and includes a protective coating of Carnauba Wax and Beeswax.

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Most notable upside: The wood polish is effective when used on wood floors, especially in high traffic areas to restore the deep color shade and glow of the material. The product has a pleasant, natural smell and is useful in restoring the grain of different wood items. It includes conditioning oils to moisturize the wood and prevent it from fading or drying over time, which can preserve it and allow it to maintain its appearance and quality. Consumers can apply the product on a wide assortment of items, including antiques, cabinets, wood doors and trim, dining tables, buffets and television consoles. The polish should be applied throughout the year to prevent the wood from drying out or the finish from deteriorating. It’s also created to be used with Restor-A-Finish to maintain the finish on new wood items. Feed-N-Wax is a natural product that can prolong the lifespan of wood products and preserve the material over time. It contains higher-quality ingredients with a blend of Brazilian carnauba wax, orange oil and mineral oil.

Biggest downsides: This product is flammable and must be used in a well-ventilated area, which can make it difficult to apply in smaller rooms or homes. The product also has a thick texture that is similar to petroleum oil. It may leave a film on certain wood surfaces. The formula can damage some types of surfaces, which makes it necessary to test on a small area before it’s applied. The product requires a bit of time to set before it can be wiped off.

Honorable Mention

Howard Restor-A-Finish

As a wood finish-penetrating formula, Howard Restor-A-Finish is designed to blend out minor scratches, blemishes and abrasions on wood surfaces to create a flawless appearance.

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Most notable upside: The product has the ability to restore wood surfaces to their original condition with a bit of elbow grease and scrubbing needed to attain the desired results. It can be used on fine furniture without damaging the finish. The product is available in nine different color shades to match different types of wood and blend in evenly with the surface. The color shades include Mahogany, Dark Oak, Dark Walnut, Neutral, Maple-Pine, Ebony Brown, Cherry, Walnut and Golden Oak. The oil is easy to wipe on and off, which makes for a quick application process that only takes a few minutes to complete. Once applied, the product is able to easily preserve the finish on wood products. It can also restore wood that has been damaged by the sun, smoke, oxidation and other types of blemishes. The product makes it easy to restore different wood surfaces without having to strip them. It’s a gentle but powerful wood polish that has the ability to penetrate shellac, lacquer and varnish finishes while going deeper to truly restore the wood material to ensure that the results last long-term before another application treatment is needed.

Biggest downsides: Some of the color shades that are available are not accurate and don’t match well with different wood products. The oil is also flammable. Some white rings or watermarks may not be thoroughly removed and can require multiple treatments to achieve the desired results.

Green Pick

Method Wood For
Good Daily
Wood Cleaner

The Method Wood For Good Daily Wood Cleaner is an eco-friendly product that doesn’t contain any harmful toxins or chemicals. The formula is bio-degradable with plant-based ingredients that can effectively clean wood surfaces.

Price Check

Most notable upside: The Method Wood Cleaner smells fresh and natural without overpowering a room. It has a unique almond scent. It’s also effective in removing water spots that have formed on wood. It’s useful in removing grime and grease to leave wood surfaces with a flawless shine. The product can be used daily to clean and dust wood tables, panels, baseboards, shelves and walls. The Method Wood Cleaner can also be used on hardwood floors and kitchen cabinets to maintain the wood. It absorbs easily and moisturizes to prevent cracking or drying. It can be sprayed on different types of surfaces without worrying about chemicals circulating in the air or settling onto furniture items in the home. The bottle is constructed from 100 percent plastic and the formula is never tested on animals. It also doesn’t leave behind any film or residue.

Biggest downsides: Users will need to apply a little elbow grease and strength to get a thorough level of clean; this is due to the product’s lightweight and thin texture. It doesn’t polish as well as it cleans. Although the product is effective, it is not ideal for deep polishing on older types of wood surfaces. The Method Wood Cleaner’s results also don’t last as long as other wood polish products on the market.

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Tips for Effective Wood Cleaning

First, wipe the surface of the wood with a cloth dampened with a a mixture of warm water and detergent. Rinse the cloth and immediately dry the surface with a soft, clean cloth. You can also use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and grime that has settled into the crevices of the wood; this will prevent damage to the surface. Difficult marks can be erased with a mixture of one tablespoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of water. Gently rub the stain out with a soft cloth before removing the paste and wiping up all moisture on the surface.

A Note About Safety and Storage

It’s important that the wood polish product that you purchase is kept separate from other household cleaners. The oil should be stored in a cool, dry environment and away from sunlight. Some wood polish products can also be stored in the refrigerator after the bottle is opened to keep it fresh. Shake your wood polish before each use to keep some of the ingredients from settling at the bottom of the bottle. Keep the polish out of reach of small children or pets to avoid poisonous contact.

The Best Wood Polish

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Murray

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Howard Products
Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish
and Conditioner

Howard Restor-A-Finish

Method Wood For
Good Daily
Wood Cleaner

All Our Picks

Howard Products
Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish
and Conditioner

Howard Restor-A-Finish

Method Wood For
Good Daily
Wood Cleaner

Tips for Effective Wood Cleaning

A Note About Safety and Storage

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