| Swiffer: You’ve worked on projects in homes all across the country. How are people cleaning wood floors and cleaning wood furniture? |
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| Patrick Brown: The number one thing people do is ask friends and family to take off their shoes when they walk inside. It’s a great idea for hardwood floor care. Keeping the dog’s nails trimmed is a good idea, and putting felt on the legs and bases of wood furniture helps, too. If you pay attention to the simple things, all of your surfaces will appreciate it. |
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| What is your favorite wood project so far? |
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| Most of the wood surfaces we talk about with Swiffer are indoors, but outdoor wood structures mean a lot, too. In one town, we built a pergola, an outdoor garden feature, as a community meeting space. An outreach group for kids met there every Sunday night, and it felt really good for us to build something so beautiful and useful for the community. |
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| How do you clean wood furniture to make it sparkle again? |
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It’s a process, but cleaning wood furniture can be worth it. Here are some tips:
1. Sanding wood makes the surface smooth so paint can be applied. In a well ventilated area, rub fine-grit sandpaper along the wood grain (the natural lines that appear in the wood) until edges and seams are smooth and all old paint, stain, or sealant are removed.
2. Remove dust particles and clean the wood furniture with Swiffer Dusters®.
3. To add color, brush on water-based paint or stain or use spray paint made for wood.
4. After the paint or stain has dried, paint or spray with a clear coat sealer (one or two light coats) to protect and seal the color. Allow clear coat to dry fully before touching or reapplying. |
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| When thinking about cleaning wood furniture, what is your favorite tip? |
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Cottage style furniture is really popular right now, and it’s so simple to buy old furniture and distress it. But the one thing I tell people to do is get an assessment of what a wood chair or set of wood chairs is worth before they begin painting and distressing it. They might have a piece of wood furniture that’s pretty valuable.
When cleaning wood furniture, I also really love using new Swiffer 360°. It works great in your home, you won’t have to worry about dust on your furniture when your guests come to visit. Your wood surfaces will shine and so will you in the eyes of your family and friends. |
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| Dusting is never very fun, but how do you do it? |
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| Ha. Cleaning wood furniture can seem like a chore. But the new Swiffer® Dust & Shine gave me a fresh take on the whole dusting experience. It helped me clean, protect and reveal the natural beauty of my wood surfaces. It conditions with a light, even mist that’s easy to spray and wipe away, and it also smells really good. |
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| What are your favorite pieces to look for? |
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I love cleaning up wood furniture like old or outdated dressers and bureau pieces. They can be used in the kitchen or dining area for dish and linen storage. Use paint or stain to brighten them up and coordinate them with your space.
Another idea is to clean up wood furniture and repurpose it. I like to take interesting, refurbished stools, benches and/or wooden chairs and use as plant stands in sunny spots. |
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| Do you have wood surfaces in your home in North Carolina? |
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| Yes, I love my maple wood floors, which are on the entire first floor. They are so bright and really open up our home. You know, wood surfaces are like a black tuxedo. They will never go out of style, and people love cleaning wood furniture because it adds such a richness to a home that’s kind of unexplainable. People love their wood surfaces so much, and they love taking care of them. |
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