How to Clean Black Furniture

Pour about 1 tbsp. vinegar into a bucket with 3 gallons of water. This simple, cleaning agent is the best treatment for your black furniture, excluding leather and suede furniture. It cleans gently and does not streak or leave a residue.

Using a soft cotton cloth, dip the cloth into the bucket and wring it out thoroughly so that it is only damp, not dripping. Gently wipe down your furniture 1 piece at a time. Take a soft, clean, dry, cotton cloth and dry the piece you have just wiped down. This prevents streaking and puddling which really shows up on black furniture.

For black suede furniture, use a new, clean, dry horsehair or boar-hair brush. You will use this brush on your black suede furniture only. Take the brush and gently brush the furniture with sweeping motions going in the same direction. Brush debris off and into a dust pan and use a vacuum with a brush or furniture attachment to remove what the brush loosened out of the suede's grain. If you do use a vacuum, be sure that the attachment that touches the suede is clean and dry. If you use it for other things, wipe it off first so that you don't bring any new dust to the furniture. Never get suede wet. If it needs to be cleaned any further, have it done by a professional.

For finished leather furniture (which usually has a shiny look), use Armor All in the pump spray or those specialty leather care towels available in automotive stores (see link in Resources). These products will clean and restore your black leather furniture and give it a protective sheen. Leather wipes are specifically designed for leather only.

To polish black furniture that is not leather or suede, use a soft lambs wool or acrylic sham to buff the furniture after you clean and dry it thoroughly. With gentle, circular motions, buff the furniture to a shiny and clean finish.