Olive oil is a highly versatile oil that you can use for cooking to skincare. But can you use it on wood as a polish? What happens when you apply olive oil to wood? This article will discuss everything about olive oil as wood polish and some tips and guides you may find helpful.
Can you use olive oil on wood?
Olive oil can be used on wood, and it will work nicely to bring back the shine of the wood. Olive oil is milder than most other wood polish, but that attribute allows it to get deep into the wood and hydrate the fibers. It works best when used with lemon juice or vinegar.
Wood is the structural component of trees. Alive trees can protect themselves from environmental and microbial damage, but wood is a non-living material and starts to decompose without care. Polishing and curing are necessary to keep woods in shape.
There are many items for polishing and curing wood, but can you use olive oil on wood? Yes, olive oil works great to nourish the wood and restore its natural shine. Olive oil slightly darkens the wood.
Applying the oil is essential as dry wood can bend and lose its shape. Olive oil can reach deeper parts of the wood as it is lighter than other petroleum-based wood polish.
Olive oil is a natural product commonly used for cooking, skin and hair care. It does not have any toxic chemicals, so it’s safe to use on most of the furniture in the house.
Olive oil is also a great item to apply to children’s toys and furniture as they often lick anything they find around them. Another great plus of using olive oil on wood is that it does not have any bad smells even if the oil gets old.
The best way to use olive oil on wood is to add a weak acid to the oil. It can be vinegar or lemon juice. The acid will remove the dirt over the wood, and the oil will cure the wood resulting in the best natural shine.
We will discuss the application process in the later segments of the article. Let’s find out if you can apply olive oil on the following surfaces.
Wooden spoons:
Olive oil and other food-based oil on a wooden spoon. Although olive oil does not cause bad smells when applied to the furniture.
But it’s a bit different for the spoons. It is something you will taste, and if you apply olive oil to it, you may get a smell of rancid oil from it, which is not pleasing. Use food-grade mineral oil on the spoon for the best result.
Wood furniture:
You can use olive oil on wood furniture. Olive oil will rehydrate dry parts of the wood and protect it from bending.
Wood cutting boards:
Olive oil is not the best oil for wood cutting boards. Use mineral oil or beeswax on wood cutting boards. Wood cutting boards frequently come into contact with moisture, and beeswax does excellent in protecting the wood of cutting boards.
Wooden bowl:
Like the spoon, olive oil is not suitable for the wooden bowl. If you don’t use the bowl regularly, you may find an old oil smell from the bowl. Mineral oil can be used on wooden bowls.
Wooden worktop:
You can use olive oil on wooden worktops, and it will keep the wood healthy for a long time.
Wood table:
You can use olive oil on wood tables, but you may need a large amount of oil. However, olive oil is cheaper than other available wood polish items.
Can I use olive oil on wood floors?
Olive oil works nicely to nourish and bring back the shine of hardwood floors. It’s a lot cheaper than other floor polishing products and works great to heal the dull parts of the floor.
So, how do you use olive oil on the floor? The floor will absorb a lot of oil, so how can you apply that much oil? Don’t use raw olive oil. Adding hot water and vinegar makes it convenient and works better to bring back the shine of your floor.
First, get 2-gallon of hot water in a bucket. (make sure it’s not burning hot) Add 4 cups of olive oil and 2 cups of white vinegar to the hot water. Mix the water nicely, and then you can start applying the olive oil to the floor.
The water and vinegar will dissipate within a few hours, leaving the moisturizing olive oil. If an area of your floor looks dull, you can use natural olive oil with a cloth to cure the area.
Can you use olive oil on wood cabinets?
You can use olive oil on wood cabinets and furniture. Applying olive oil with weak acid helps remove the dirt from the furniture and reduces the dryness of the wood.
We have only discussed what olive oil does to wooden furniture. Now let’s talk about the lackings of olive oil.
Olive oil is ineffective against insects, and sometimes it can also attract insects due to its distinct smell, especially after a new application. Olive oil nourishes the wood and brings back the natural shine. But it’s also not very practical to protect the wood from microbial damage compared to other products.
But as we mentioned, it is a lot cheaper and moisture the wood from inside for a long time. You can also make the polish insect and microbe-resistant by applying a few drops of essential oil.
3 reasons why you can use olive oil on wood
Here are the reasons why it is suitable to use olive oil on wood.
Makes wood shining:
The olive oil and vinegar mixture works excellent to bring back the wood’s natural shine. Olive oil makes the wood bit darker at first, but the color lightens after a few days.
Heals the wood from inside:
Wood needs some moisture to be healthy. But that can’t is water as water will inhabit bacteria, fungus and other microbes leading to decomposition.
Olive oil is a great item to maintain the moisture inside the wood. However, don’t apply olive oil more than once a year.
It’s cheap:
Olive oil is a cheaper alternative to other polishing agents in the market but works evenly well to shine and heal wooden furniture. However, it does not have adequate protection from insects and microbes but adding essential oils with olive oil will fill the gap.
Can you use olive oil on this wood?
As you already know, olive oil is a great item to use on the wood, but let’s discuss it more precisely. Check out if you can apply olive oil to those wood.
Teak wood:
You can get excellent results by applying olive oil on teak wood, but make sure any wax product was not used on the wood previously.
Raw wood:
You can apply olive oil on raw wood, but you will have to use it 2-3 times for the best result.
Pine wood:
Olive oil is an excellent item for moisturizing pine wood.
Dry wood:
You can use olive oil on dry wood, which will prevent the wood from bending.
How long will olive oil finish last on wood?
An olive oil finish will last about one year on average on wood. If the furniture looks dry and dull, you can apply olive oil to restore its natural shine. Olive oil will moisture the wood fibers deep and protect the wood from humidity change.
When the humidity in the air change, the wood can become prone to bending. Olive oil does great to protect the wood from that. However, linseed oil is the best oil to apply to wood.
How to use olive oil on wood?
Using olive oil on wood is quite beneficial for wood health and preservation. Here is a step-by-step process of applying olive oil to the wood.
- Clean the wooden furniture with a dry cloth.
- Then mix olive oil, vinegar, and a few drops of essential oil in a jar. Add one part of vinegar with two-part of olive oil. You can also use lemon juice if you don’t have vinegar, but vinegar is more hustle-free.
- Take a brush and start applying the olive oil evenly. Keep spreading the oil until the wood stops absorbing the oil.
- Take a clean cloth and slightly soak it in the solution. Rub the cloth on the furniture to remove any dirt.
- After applying the oil, let the furniture sit for 24 hours.
Final Thoughts
Olive oil is an excellent item to stain wood. It makes the wood shiny and nourishes wood from deep, protecting the wood from bending and humidity change. Mix vinegar or lemon juice with olive oil for a better outcome. Add your favorite essential oil to protect the wood from insects and microbes.