Cleaning professional explains why common furniture product is actually a 'big mistake': 'Well that will clear a space in my cupboard'

It's time to ditch furniture polish. According to cleaning experts, this old-school product is no longer the best way to dust your furniture.

The scoop

Cleaning expert Cas, known as Clutterbug (@clutterbug_me) on TikTok, recently teamed up with Melissa of CleanMySpace (@cleanmyspace) to explain why furniture polish is now largely obsolete and a "big mistake."

@clutterbug_me Do you make this big cleaning mistake!?!? @Cleaning expert | CleanMySpace #clutterbug #cleantok #cleaningmistakes ♬ original sound - Clutterbug

"This is a mistake," Cas says about using products such as Pledge. "There's been a lot of advances in cleaning technology, and also, our furniture has changed. The finishes, the materials, all of that has changed. So we have to rejig the way that we clean things and the products and tools that we use."

Furniture polish only works on a specific type of furniture. "If it's solid wood, varnished furniture with a high polish finish, you can use furniture polish," Cas explains. "In my personal opinion, I just think furniture polish is something that we can gladly skip by in the cleaning aisle and just never touch again."

Instead, Cas recommends a simpler solution: "What I do instead, I use a microfiber cloth and a little bit of dish soap and water, and that is how I polish all of my wood and all of my furniture."

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How it's helping

Swapping out furniture polish for a microfiber cloth and mild soap solution can help you save money and cabinet space. A quality microfiber cloth can be used repeatedly, while a single bottle of dish soap goes a long way.

Using gentle, versatile cleaners with safe and simple ingredients is better for your home and health. Many furniture polishes contain harsh chemicals and emit strong odors. Basic soap and water do the job just as well without those harmful downsides.

Ditching disposable cans and bottles also means using less single-use plastic. By opting for reusable tools and refillable cleaning products, you help keep excess waste out of landfills and oceans. Every spray bottle adds up.

From window cleaner to laundry detergent, thousands of cleaning products have inexpensive, eco-friendly alternatives that work as well if not better. If you'd like to give your cleaning cabinet an overhaul, visit our guide to more natural cleaning.

🗣️ Which eco-friendly initiative would make you most likely to buy products from a clean beauty brand?

🔘 Using less plastic packaging 🗑️

🔘 Using more organic ingredients 🌿

🔘 Recycling empty containers 🫙

🔘 I don't buy clean beauty products 🚫

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

What everyone's saying

The comments on Cas and Melissa's video showed that TikTok junkies support this simple approach to dusting.

"Well, that will clear a space in my cupboard," one user noted approvingly.

Switching to gentle soap and cloths "makes sense for all the laminate, plastic & manufactured furniture for sure," someone else pointed out.

So, next time you browse the cleaning aisle, feel free to skip past the furniture polish. Grab a pack of microfiber cloths instead and let a little dish soap work its magic. Your wallet, your home, and the planet will all thank you.