Old School Polish Is Just Plain Bad For New Furniture

If you grew up seeing your grandmother or parents routinely apply polish to the furniture, you may be conditioned to mimic that behavior. Nothing against family traditions, but putting polish on solid hardwood furniture is one tradition we recommend you reconsider. 

Gat Caperton puts it bluntly: “Pledge, Armor All, those polish products that have tons of silicone in them, they are the devil for furniture. Some people rub those products on the dashboard of their car and they want to see that  “new car” shine, but it is ultimately not good for your furniture. And probably not good for your household considering some of the other chemicals that go airborne when you spray on those products.”

The truth is, our catalyzed lacquer finish makes polish unnecessary. Your Gat Creek furniture leaves the workshop with a super stable, long-lasting protective layer against the effects of air and moisture. It is fully cured, does not off-gas in any measurable way and can be easily maintained with a sponge and a gentle soap and water solution. Just be sure to wipe it completely dry. Using trivets and place mats and always placing rather than sliding objects over the surface will prevent nicks and scratches.

Those simple measures will keep your furniture looking great for decades. However, if you simply must apply something to address smudges, fingerprints and maintain the showroom “glow” of your furniture, our recommendation is called Aristo Shield. It is a very thin, silicone-free product designed to make the finish more resistant to scratches, smudges and fingerprints and reduce dust build-up. We trust it because it is made by our finish manufacturer and is available on their website. Click here to learn more about Aristo Shield.