When you walk through the cleaning aisle at your local store and look at the cleaning products, you no doubt notice that the ingredients lists are miles long, featuring chemicals that you can’t even pronounce. As with our food, many people are moving towards simpler cleaning products with minimal ingredients, doing so in the name of health, safety, and transparency.
One of the ways people are doing this is by using rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol can help remove sticky gunk and also acts as a disinfectant—a big reason why we have it in our medicine cabinet. It is cheap, effective, and multi-purpose, making it very attractive to use.
But whatever you do, never use it on your wood furniture.
Reading this, you might be thinking this seems a bit overboard. It isn’t like you clean with straight rubbing alcohol; you dilute it with water first, and only use it in small amounts. Can a little homemade cleaning spray and disinfectant really do that much damage?
Yes. And this is because of how alcohol interacts with wood and wood finishes. While you might expect it to do nothing or just leave a small stain, rubbing alcohol acts as a solvent when it comes into contact with wood and wood finishes.
To understand how big of a problem this is, you need to know what a solvent does. Solvents are designed to liquify wood finishes, including varnishes and stains. This means that it effectively strips away the upper layers of your furniture, harming their looks, integrity, and value. The damage is instant and cannot be repaired except by a professional.
What to Do if Rubbing Alcohol Comes into Contact with Your Wood Furniture
The good news is that there is very little that you need to do. Simply follow these basic steps:
- Remove the rag, bottle, or whatever item that is allowing alcohol to come into contact with the furniture.
- Blot the excess alcohol on the furniture; do not wipe as this will spread it and mar more of the surface of the piece. Use something that is highly absorbent so you are sure not to spread it.
- Contact a professional furniture restoration service to ensure that the piece will look as it once did. While there are DIY guides online, if a piece has monetary or sentimental value, it is best left to a professional.
Call Rahn’s Furniture Repair
If your precious wood furniture has sustained damage from contact with rubbing alcohol, allow us to help. We have seen plenty of similar accidents over the years and we know exactly how to repair the affected spot without compromising the integrity of the rest of the piece. We have all the tools and materials on hand to perfectly match the stain and finish, ensuring no one will ever know an accident occurred. And with free pickup and return of your furniture, we make it easy for you. Give us a call today.
FAQs
Finished surfaces: Since the ethanol in it is a solvent, rubbing alcohol can liquify varnishes or finishes, doing major damage to your furniture or other surfaces in your home. Avoid rubbing alcohol on painted, shellacked, lacquered, or varnished surfaces, including treated wood.
Will rubbing alcohol damage wood furniture? ›
Alcohol interacts with wood surfaces, acting as a solvent when it touches wood. Solvents dissolve wood finishes, including staining and varnishes. It does so by stripping away the top layer of the furniture. This can significantly damage the integrity, aesthetics and value of the piece.
Can you clean furniture with rubbing alcohol? ›
Vacuum your couch thoroughly, taking care to lift up all the cushions or pillows and get in the creases of the couch. Pour the rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle to make it easier to apply; do not dilute it. Lightly spritz stained areas of the fabric. Allow the solvent to settle onto the fibers for several minutes.
How do you disinfect wood furniture without damaging the finish? ›
Steps
- Step 1 Mix ⅛ cup of Pine-Sol® for each gallon of water.
- Step 2 Dampen a soft sponge, cloth or mop with the mixture to wipe down the surface.
- Step 3 Scrub stubborn spots with a gentle scrub brush or mop. Use Pine-Sol® full-strength if needed, following up with a water rinse.
Yes alcohol does raise grain fibers that get flattened down during sanding. When dyeing figured maple I mist the wood with alcohol to raise fibers before the first layer of dye.
Will rubbing alcohol ruin my couch? ›
Filthy marks gone. The rubbing alcohol won't leave water stains, but it will change the couch color and make the seat feel a bit hard—but not for long. Just use a bristle brush to fluff the area in a circular motion once the rubbing alcohol has dried, and your couch will look as good as new.
Is it OK to clean wood with isopropyl alcohol? ›
Wood Pieces or Furniture
Whether you're cleaning a handmade family heirloom or brand new wood coffee table, rubbing alcohol should never be used to clean wood. The substance will strip away the color of the finish and eventually cause the wood to split.
What can you not clean with rubbing alcohol? ›
It's Not a Friend to Wood or Leather
You can use rubbing alcohol on some surfaces like marble, limestone, or terrazzo, but not on wood. The chemical will damage a wood finish.
How do you disinfect wood furniture? ›
A solution of warm water, vinegar and about five drops of dish soap can clean and disinfect the furniture if soiled. Remove dust and protect using a soft cloth and non-abrasive furniture polish. Avoid polish build-up by applying furniture polish sparingly to a soft cloth and gently wiping wood surfaces.
What can I use to clean wood furniture? ›
Try mixing a weak solution of water and dishwashing soap. Dip a soft cloth in the solution, wring it out and wipe the entire piece. You want a damp cloth, not a wet one. Don't saturate the wood, and rinse your cloth often.
CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR WOOD FURNITURE
A gentle, water-based solution such as Murphy® Oil Soap Original works well when cleaning and protecting the finish on your wood floors, furniture and cabinets. The soap doesn't need to be rinsed and doesn't leave any residue.
Does vinegar damage wood furniture? ›
Don't use vinegar on unsealed wood: If your wood furniture is unsealed, vinegar can penetrate the wood and cause damage. Only use vinegar on sealed wood furniture. Don't use vinegar on waxed or oiled wood: If your wood furniture is waxed or oiled, vinegar can dissolve the wax or oil and cause damage.
Is it OK to clean wood furniture with vinegar? ›
Since distilled vinegar is a mild cleaning agent, it is safe to use it on most wood furniture. However, it's always best to test a small spot to be sure the vinegar won't damage the wood or its finish. You should also dilute the vinegar with water before using it on wood.
How do you fix wood after rubbing alcohol? ›
Restore the Surface
In the case of rubbing alcohol that has dried on the furniture, make a paste of equal parts linseed oil and rottenstone, a gentle abrasive.
Why does rubbing alcohol stain wood? ›
Alcohol doesn't stain wood finishes as much as damages them. I think of a stain as residue of something added. In this case, the alcohol has dissolved and removed some material from the finish so that it's no longer transparent.
Does alcohol soak into wood? ›
Because small absorptive molecules like alcohols WILL soak into the wood. When they do, there WILL be expansion and swelling stresses. Wherever there are linear flaws, you can bet there will be stress cracks. And once it is stressed, cracks are likely to begin.
Can you use rubbing alcohol on wood cabinets? ›
You will want to thoroughly clean and oil your stained wood cabinets once or twice a year. Clean them with a mixture of seven-eighths distilled white vinegar and one-eighth rubbing alcohol, with a few drops of dish soap added. Wipe the cabinets down with this cleaning mixture using a microfiber cloth.
