The most important and frequent function in the care of furniture, both antique and new, is regular dusting and polishing. Grandma with her feather duster understood the secret of preventing the accumulation of surface soil, often abrasive and harmful to the finish.
Today there is a choice of excellent waxes and polishes.
The kind of wood and finish should be considered when choosing wax or polish. If you have used a paste wax, do not switch to an oil polish without removing the old wax. Do not use both on the same piece of furniture since this can cause the finish to gum up. The same is true of the pretreated, oiled dusting cloths on the market. Although they will not damage waxed furniture, they can cause streaks and a dull look.