10 Best Furniture Polishes, Tested by Cleaning Experts

Our Cleaning Lab experts and at-home testers loved how shiny this Diptyque lotion left wood, how well it removed light water rings and how good it smelled, with notes of cedar, patchouli and beeswax.

"It felt like I was giving my wood and leather a spa treatment," said one consumer tester. Another shared, “It performed beautifully. My wood surfaces stayed well-polished and shiny for days. It also removed two rings on my coffee table that I was unable to remove with other products." A Good Housekeeping tester said the product even buffed away a minor scratch on the arm of an antique wood chair, a mark she had not been able to erase.

In our test, this Diptyque polish went on smoothly, absorbed well and required little to no buffing after application. One tester used it on the leather seats in her car with great results. The company even recommends it for leather jackets and shoes. Its sister product, the Diptyque La Droguerie Odor Removing Candle, earned one of Good Housekeeping's Best Cleaning & Organizing Awards. The product is Ecocert Greenlife certified, with 99% ingredients of natural origin.

This Pledge is a multitasker. The spray tackles electronics, glass and mirrors, granite, laminate, marble, stainless steel, wood and more — essentially, any sealed surface. It helps you spend less on cleaning products since you won't need a whole arsenal. Its antibacterial formula also sanitizes hard, non-porous, no-food-contact surfaces in 60 seconds when used as directed.

In our testing, we found that it works well, is versatile and has a pleasant citrus scent. We also like that it doesn’t leave a sticky residue behind. While it won’t fully restore the look of your wood furniture, it will give it a good, quick sprucing.

We like this squeezable wax to pamper and help preserve antique wood. Made by Howard, a California company dating to 1969, the formula contains carnauba wax (derived from the carnauba palm tree) and beeswax to provide a protective coat and help keep moisture out.

Feed-N-Wax is also made with conditioning oils to help guard against further drying and fading, which are natural consequences as wood ages. In testing, we found it’s easier to buff dry than most traditional wax-only formulas, like paste wax. It also capably cleared away crayon marks, greasy fingerprints and water spots and is suitable for finished or unfinished wood.

Applied to a microfiber dusting cloth, Endust grabbed an impressive amount of dust in our test — much more than you could get using a naked cloth. In our Lab tests, the silicone-free formula helped reveal the existing shine on finished furniture without leaving any residue or buildup.

It removed greasy fingerprints, smudges and smears, and the formula works on a variety of surfaces, including cabinets, countertops and paneling. One Amazon user who gave this five stars said, "My surfaces with glossy finishes are gleaming after using this."

Scott’s Liquid Gold goes on easy and swiftly snagged dust and added shine in our tests without leaving behind a smeary residue or needing extra buffing. It gave wood a soft glow, thanks to oils that help hydrate and nourish, so it's a good choice for old and new furniture. We were so impressed when we tested it that it earned a past Good Housekeeping Cleaning Award.

We're not the only fans. It's earned over 4,500 five-star reviews on Amazon. Reviewers raved about Liquid Gold's performance on a solid oak bedroom set, wood cabinets and antique furniture. "I recall my parents using this when I was a kid," said one user. "Same great product. Restores wood's beauty."

GH Seal star Weiman Furniture Wipes are convenient and ideal for targeting small spots. We like them for sprucing up a few surfaces, like end tables, in a hurry. In our tests, they cleaned very well and left our test wood panels with an excellent gloss. The wipes also protected against smearing; any marks were easy to rebuff, and smudges vanished quickly from the polished surface with a quick wipe.

The Weiman Wipes are infused with lemon-scented oil and, according to the brand, offer UV protection. Take note, these wipes should not be used on wood floors or stairs since they contain oil and can make surfaces slippery.

This versatile pre-treated cloth helps keep furniture, mirrors, floors and more dust-free with a soft touch and no threat of scratching. A regular dry cloth can't compete with a pre-moistened cloth that traps dust and allergens. Simply rinse it off after each use, shake it out to dry and use it again.

We have used this brand in our homes for years and love that it keeps going time after time. It effectively removes dust without camouflaging the wood’s finish, allowing the shine to come through.

A supple leather couch or buttery tufted ottoman signals comfort and luxury. But you definitely need to know how to keep leather furniture clean because it can get badly damaged, fade or crack if not cared for properly.

We gave high marks to GH Seal star Furniture Clinic's Leather Care Kit because it both cleans and protects. In our test, the cleaner erased grime — even blue denim transfer dye stains — and the Protection Cream helped repel water spills and protects against oily stains. It also imparted a warm glow and made it easier to remove new stains later.

The large kit comes with a bottle each of Leather Cleaner and Protection Cream, an applicator sponge, a cloth and instructions. You can also replenish leather shoes and bags, and in our tests, this kit worked well on those items too.