Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Refinishing Teak Furniture - Final Coating?

I am in the process of "refinishing" my old 1950s Janson teak furniture. Really I am just cleaning it up from years of use and renovation dust.

I have washed down each piece with a fine grade steel wool and an orange clean solution (should I have used Murphy's instead?). I then checked for differences in staining and repaired (I have a stain the same colour because I matched it for my new pine trimwork).

After allowing to dry, I wiped down each piece with teak oil. This darkened and evened out the look of the piece. It is quite beautiful.

However, I find the oiled surface a little sticky for the dust, but don't want to add varnish or anything like that, because it never had it and I want to keep it as true to original as possible because of its value.

Is there another surface finish I can use to finish the furniture? I know that the commercials these days are pushing products like "Orange Glow" as providing an easier to maintain/clean surface, but I don't really know what it is. I don't think I want to wax -- since I already oiled, but maybe that is the right stuff?

Is all the grey gunk I washed off the old spray on furniture polish it used to be cleaned with? If so, how should I clean it from now on?

Any recommendations?

Thanx

A good paste wax will eliminate the sticky and make the pieces easier to clean.

I always suggest Endust for dusting - NOTHING else.

If the furniture needs more serious cleaning, Murphy's oil soap.

For desperation cleaning - VM&P naphtha, available from your local paint store.

FYI: Naphtha is highly flammable, but it cuts grease, dirt, oil and wax and will not harm ANY cured finish, including shellac. Additionally, it leaves no residue of its own.

Thanx

So, it is ok to put the wax over the oil? What about if I want to oil it again? Or better yet, why might I want to oil it again?

When do I have to wax it again? Do I have to clean/wash it all again in order to wax?

So, I take it that so far I have done everything right. I really wasn't sure what the grey goo was that seemed to be washed off, but I assumed it was old dirt/grease/cleaners.

Why Endust?

Finally, what is all this "orange glow" wood product all about? (see http://store.yahoo.com/giftplus/orglowoodcle.html for description). Never mind the price, I'm just wondering about the veracity of the claims.

You can put the wax on right now.

If you want to oil it again, the wax must be removed Naphtha works.

Re oiling teak is for appearance - if it looks good, leave it alone (If it ain't broke, don't fix it.)

Rewaxing is normally not necessary but every 6 months or so. The first additional 3 or 4 coats can be applied over previous ones. after that I'd clean it (see above) and start in again.

Endust has NO additives to harm a finish - wax or otherwise. Some other widely popular products (who will remain nameless in this post for legal reasons) do.

Just looked at the page you referenced - I LOVE it! Sounds just like a good old carnival pitchman, and we all loved the carnival, right?

Read the claims again and keep these thoughts in mind. The wood is dead -how can it be "Nourished"?

If the wood has any finish at all, how are the supposed nutrients even going to get to the wood to 'revitalize' it?

The product may be a good cleaner. Not having tried it, I can't say. But as for removing dirt, dust, wax, oil, grease, grime, etc - so does paint thinner, and that costs less than $3.00 a gallon.

I will now get off my soapbox.