FURNITURE POLISH. The two varieties in most com mon use are furniture creams and furniture wax polishes, the quality of the polish differing with the ingredients used in its preparation.
Furniture creams are thick milky white liquids, and are made by dissolving beeswax in turpentine by means of steam heat in a double-jacketed pan. The use of steam heat is on account of the dangerous inflammability of turpentine vapour in the presence of a naked light. After the beeswax has thoroughly melted the steam is shut off and a solution of soft soap in hot water is added. The whole mass is then well beaten up to a thick milky emulsion and packed in bottles ready for use. The beeswax may also be re placed, or partially replaced, by other waxes such as Carnauba wax, Japan wax, Ceresine wax, etc. The proportions of 9 oz. of pure beeswax (finely shredded) to Iipt. of American spirits of turpentine, with the after addition of I a-pt. of hot water contain ing 2 oz. of soft soap dissolved in it, is considered to make a good mixture.
Furniture wax polishes are made by similarly dissolving bees wax and other waxes in turpentine with the aid of heat, about i lb. of wax to iqt. of turpentine being used. The clear melted liquid is then poured into tins, and on cooling sets hard and is ready for use. The addition of a little wax-soluble aniline dye stuff to the polish when in the liquid state is made in order to give it a more pleasing appearance.
An easily made polish, particularly suitable for cleaning old and dirty furniture is obtained by shaking together I part of raw linseed oil, I part of turpentine, and I part of vinegar.
A polish of good quality is distinguished by its yielding a high gloss that does not smear or take a finger-mark. (See FRENCH POLISH.)