Jojoba wax is a natural liquid wax that never goes rancid. The wax comes from the jojoba tree (pictured), and it is antiseptic, a good lubricant, and an excellent substitute for the old formulas that called for sperm whale oil. It is also perfect to include in a formula for a DIY furniture polish because it doesn’t go rancid.

Most commercial furniture polish is mostly petroleum solvents with a bit of synthetic lemon fragrance, exposing yourself and your family to neurotoxicants, respiratory toxicants, and cardiovascular and blood toxicants, according to scorecard.org. The neurotoxic exposure can make you feel depressed and anxious.

Here is a solution that is natural, green, and non-toxic, yet it gets the job done. One source of jojoba oil is Desert Essence.

DIY Furniture Polish/Wax

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon jojoba liquid wax
a few drops natural essential oil of lemon (optional, although note that lemon oil is very uplifting, as opposed to the depression that petroleum distillates can cause)

Add the ingredients to a small glass jar, and shake to blend. Dip a soft rag into the mixture and work the polish into the wood, moving along the grain line.

A similar concept, although without jojoba, is found with Natural Choices 100% Natural Shine Furniture Cleaner and Polish. Instead of vinegar the ingredient is real orange oil (d-limonene), squeezed from the peel, and instead of jojoba, soybean oil is used as a lubricant. A petroleum-free product, Natural Shine cleans the wood at the same time that it moisturizes and polishes.

Adapted from Home Enlightenment (Rodale, 2007), by Annie B. Bond