Walk down the cleaning aisle and furniture care looks more complicated than it needs to be: sprays, wipes, creams, oils and waxes. For a timber piece with a sound finish, most of it comes down to two products. A reviver to clean and refresh the surface, and a wax to protect it and polish it to a soft lustre. Used together, they will keep most furniture clean, protected and glowing for decades.
This guide explains the difference, which finishes each one suits, and why the reviver and wax we now stock are made by Leporati in North Fitzroy.
Reviver to clean and refresh, wax to protect and polish.
What a furniture reviver is
A reviver is a cleaning polish. Its job is to lift the film of dust, skin oil and old polish that builds up on a finish and makes it look flat, and to leave a little oil behind to nourish the finish and bring back its sheen. French polishers and furniture restorers have mixed their own revivers for generations, usually from raw linseed oil, a solvent and a mild acid such as vinegar.
Leporati Reviver follows the same idea with raw linseed oil and tung oil, and two solvents: orange oil, from citrus, and a little isoparaffin. It contains no silicone, which matters more than most people realise.
Reviver, made from raw linseed, tung and orange oils, with no silicone.
What a furniture wax is
Paste wax is one of the oldest furniture finishes there is. Beeswax was rubbed into European furniture for centuries before modern lacquers existed, and wax is still the final step on many traditional finishes today.
A quality paste wax is a blend. Beeswax is soft and gives warmth and a gentle glow. Carnauba, from the leaves of a Brazilian palm, is one of the hardest natural waxes and adds durability and a crisper shine. Microcrystalline wax, a refined wax that is stable and resists moisture, is used by conservators on museum objects. Most paste waxes also add a solvent to soften the blend, traditionally turpentine. Leporati Workshop Wax is made from beeswax from Victoria, T1 carnauba and pharmaceutical grade microcrystalline wax, softened with isoparaffin, a low odour solvent, rather than turpentine, with a little orange oil and linseed oil.
Once buffed, wax leaves a satin lustre that brings out the gorgeous depth and colour of a teak or rosewood top. It also leaves a thin layer on the surface that takes the wear from hands, cups and dusters, so the finish and timber underneath do not. When it wears thin, another coat puts it back.
The difference at a glance
- Reviver cleans. Wax protects. Reviver lifts grime and brings back the sheen. Wax adds a protective layer and a deeper lustre.
- Reviver is wiped dry. Wax is left on and buffed. Reviver leaves very little behind. Wax builds a thin, lasting coat.
- Reviver is used often. Wax is used occasionally. Reviver every week to every month. Wax once or twice a year on most pieces.
- Reviver does most of the work. On a waxed piece it is the regular refresh, cutting back a little of the old wax as it cleans so the surface does not build up. Wax goes on only occasionally, onto a clean surface, so dirt is not sealed in.
Which finish needs what
- Oiled timber (teak oil, Danish oil, linseed oil): Reviver to clean and nourish, and wax for extra protection and a soft lustre on surfaces that see wear.
- Shellac or French polish: Reviver for cleaning and bringing up the shine, and wax applied with a cloth to protect a finish that water, heat and alcohol mark easily.
- Lacquer or polyurethane: Reviver as a cleaner and polish. Wax is optional, and softens a hard, glassy gloss to a gentler sheen.
- Hard wax oil: a soap and care wax made for that finish, for everyday care. Leporati Workshop Wax can add more protection and sheen on the surfaces that see the most wear, but it has to be cleaned off before any spot repair. Most restorations from our studio are finished in hard wax oil.
- Bare timber: wax, applied with a cloth or fine steel wool, for a natural, satin feel without a coating.
- Damaged or worn through finishes: these need repair, not polish.
Not sure what you have? If you bought the piece from us, ask, and we will tell you exactly what it was finished in. Otherwise, send us a photo.
What to avoid
- Silicone spray polishes. They give a quick, glassy shine, but build up into a cloudy film that attracts dust, and they soak into the timber, where they stop new finishes from bonding when the piece eventually needs restoring.
- Multi surface sprays and dishwashing liquid. They are made to cut grease, and on an oiled or waxed surface the grease they cut is the finish.
- Too much wax. A thick coat stays soft, smears and holds fingermarks. Thin coats, buffed well, always give a clearer, richer lustre.
- Waxing a freshly oiled surface. Let an oil finish cure fully first, or the wax traps it and stays soft.
- Steel wool on oak. Fragments of steel react with the tannin in oak and leave black marks. Use a cloth.
A simple routine
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth as often as you like.
- Clean and refresh with Reviver when the surface looks dull or fingermarked.
- Wax once or twice a year, or when buffing no longer brings the surface up to an even lustre.
- Use mats and coasters, and blot spills straight away.
Our guides to using Leporati Reviver and using Leporati Workshop Wax cover each step in detail.
About Leporati
Leporati is made in North Fitzroy, Melbourne, by FNESTRA, a family business founded by Stephen Leporati. From a shopfront on Brunswick Street, FNESTRA sells vintage furniture and restores pieces with a long history behind them. FNESTRA is Piemontese for window, a nod to the family's Northern Italian heritage and to the shopfront itself, and the care range carries the family name.
That background shows in the products. They are made by people who restore furniture, from materials restorers have relied on for generations. The wax is poured by hand with beeswax from Victoria. The reviver is built on raw linseed, tung and orange oil. Neither contains silicone, so neither leaves problems behind for whoever restores the piece next.
Why we stock it
We only sell care products we use ourselves, and Leporati is what we reach for on our own restorations. It suits the oiled, waxed, shellac and lacquered furniture that comes through our studio, and the wax also works over the hard wax oil we finish most of our restorations in. We would also rather recommend a maker here in Victoria whose products we trust.
Where to buy
We stock Leporati Reviver in 200 ml and Leporati Workshop Wax in 150 g.
Common questions
Do I need both?
For most pieces, yes. Reviver keeps the surface clean and bright between coats, and the wax gives longer lasting protection and a deeper lustre. If you start with one, choose Reviver for a piece that looks dull and dirty, and Workshop Wax for a clean piece that looks dry and thirsty.
Which should I buy for a piece from Fox & Wedge?
Most of our restorations are finished in hard wax oil, which is best cleaned with a soap made for that finish, with Workshop Wax as an extra layer on the surfaces that see the most wear. Pieces finished in oil, shellac or lacquer suit both Reviver and Workshop Wax. If you are unsure, ask us and we will tell you exactly what your piece was finished in.
Can I use a silicone spray polish in between?
We would not. Silicone builds up into a cloudy film and soaks into the timber, where it stops new finishes from bonding when the piece eventually needs restoring.
Is Leporati made in Australia?
Yes. Both products are made by FNESTRA in North Fitzroy, Victoria.
What if the finish is badly worn or marked?
That needs repair rather than polish. See our restoration service or get in touch with a few photographs.
