Raw Materials

The primary ingredients used to prepare furniture polishes are

polishing agents, solvents, and emulsifiers. Auxiliary materials
include preservatives, colorants, and fragrance.

Polishing agents

The waxes, polymers, and oils are used to improve the

condition of the furniture surface can be loosely grouped
together and labeled as polishing agents. The waxes employed
can be of vegetable, animal, or mineral origin. Common
examples of vegetable waxes are carnauba (from palm leaves)
and candelilla (from the Mexican plant of the same name).
Sugar cane wax, cotton wax, and many others are also used.
The primary animal wax (or more accurately, insect wax) is
beeswax which is useful for its unique physical and chemical
properties. Shellac is another popular insect waxes, which
comes from the lac insect of the genus Ficus
religiosa. Spermaceti wax, from the sperm whale, was popular
at one time but ecological concerns have forced development of
synthetic replacements. Lanolin fractions from sheep may be
used as animal waxes. Mineral waxes, although they are not
true waxes by definition, have similar chemical properties.
These can be categorized as ozokerite, paraffin waxes,
microcrystalline waxes, oxidized microcrystalline waxes,
Fischer-Tropsch waxes, and montan waxes. In addition to these
naturally derived waxes, synthetic resins are also commonly
used in polishes. These include a multitude of polymers, some
of which were originally developed for use in the paint and
coating industry. These are materials like methyl acrylate, ethyl
acrylate, butyl acrylate, vinyl acetate, styrene, vinyl chloride,
acrylonitrile. Finally, oils derived from vegetable, petroleum, or
silicone sources are added to formulations to enhance shine.
Solvents

Solvents are used to help dissolve or soften some of the water

insoluble materials used in polishes. Common solvents include
mineral spirits, turpentine, and naphtha. In addition to solvency,
factors to consider during solvent selection include flammability
and toxicology.

Emulsifiers/surfactants.

Proper blending of oil and water-soluble ingredients requires

special chemicals known as surfactants (short for surface active
agents). These surfactants (which may also act as emulsifiers)
have the ability to bridge water and oil to create a stable cream,
paste, or lotion called an emulsion.

Propellants

Propellants are liquified gases, which are used to dispense

aerosol products as a spray. The most common propellants are
short chain hydrocarbons such as propane or butane, both of
which are highly flammable.

Other ingredients

In addition to the ingredients listed above, polishes may contain

abrasives, colorants, fragrance, and preservatives. Still other
ingredients are added to limit the chance of corrosion of the
metal can. These are often nitrogen containing materials that
raise the pH of the solution.

These ingredients can be formulated into pastes, creams,

liquids, and aerosol (including non-aerosol pump sprays).
Design

Furniture polishes are designed with a blend of waxes and oils

because no one single ingredient provides all the desired
properties. For example, in theory, a 20% paste of carnauba
wax should produce the best gloss but in reality this mixture is
gritty and hard to spread. It is beneficial to add different wax
materials (e.g., some of the mineral waxes) that may not add
appreciable gloss, but which will modify the spreading
properties of the waxes with the more desirable characteristics.
Of course the solvents and other materials play an important
role in the product's consistency as well. Factors to consider
when formulating furniture polish include hardness, buffability,
flexibility and mechanical strength, water proofing, stain
resistance. Cost and ease of manufacture are important
considerations was well. When designing such products, one
should also take into consideration the type of surface the
product is targeted toward. Some polishes are designed for
specific types of wood, others are primarily intended to add
protective shine, and still others are made to also to clean and
remove dust. The formulator must recognize what kind of
surface finish the wood has and consider its attraction for dust
and resistance to water spills and grime. Safety and
toxicological concerns can not be overlooked and there may be
regulatory issues, which affect polish formulation as well.

The Manufacturing
Process

The manufacturing procedure for furniture polish varies

depending on the type of product being made. The following is
a discussion of the mode of manufacture used for aerosol
polishes. The production of aerosol polishes requires four
important operations: compounding the wax emulsion, filling the
primary container, pressurizing/gassing the can, and finishing
operations.

Compounding the wax emulsion

• 1 The type of emulsions used in furniture polishes can be

made with a variety of mixing techniques. One common
method is to heat the water and water-soluble materials
together in one vessel and the waxes and oil soluble
ingredients in a separate vessel. These mixing tanks are
typically constructed of stainless steel and are equipped
with a jacketed shell that allows steam and cold water to
be circulated around the tank. This provides a way to heat
and cool the batch without letting it come in contact with
external water. The mixing kettle is also configured with
temperature controls, and inlet and outlet plumbing for
adding ingredients and pumping out the finished product.
When the water and oil phases are at the appropriate
temperature 158-176° F (70-80° C) they are mixed
together using a turbine type mixer that provides relatively
high shear. Typically the oil is pumped into the water
phase. Heating and mixing continues until the batch is
homogeneous at which point cooling is initiated. As the
batch cools, other ingredients such as preservatives, dyes,
and fragrance are added. When the batch is complete, it is
assayed to insure it meets quality control standards for
solids, pH, etc. The batch may be pumped to a filling line
or stored in tanks until it is ready to be filled.
Filling the primary container

• 2 Aerosol furniture polish is packaged in metal cans, which

are capable of withstanding the pressures required by an
aerosol product. Typical can construction may be
tin-coated steel or aluminum. When the product is ready to
 be filled into the package, the emulsion is pumped to a
filling line outfitted with a conveyor, which carries the cans
to the liquid filling equipment. At the filling head, there is a
large hopper which holds the polish emulsion and
discharges a controlled amount, usually set by volume, into
the can. The filled can then proceeds down the conveyor
line where, depending upon the production method, the
valve may be inserted and sealed in place immediately
before gassing.
Pressurizing/gassing the can

• 3 After the can is filled with the polish concentrate,

propellant is added in a process known as gassing.
Aerosol cans may be gassed before or after the valve is
crimped into place. In order to fill the can, the propellant is
shot into the can around the circular metal cup that forms
the base of the valve. This method, which is preferred for
economy and speed, is known as undercupping. The other
gassing method fills the propellant under high pressure
through the stem of the valve after it is crimped in place.
This method, known as pressure filling, is much slower
because all the gas has to enter the can through a very
small opening. Both operations are conducted with special
pneumatically operated equipment, which is properly
grounded to limit the chances of electrical spark, which can
trigger ignition of the highly flammable propellants.
Final operations/finishing steps

• 4 At some point during, or immediately after, the filling

operations, the cans are coded with the date and other
batch information to allow traceability. This is useful
because if there is a problem with a specific batch of
products, for example a spoiled raw material does not
allow the emulsion to be stable, then the finished goods
 made with that lot of raw material can be traced. If
necessary, this number can even be used to issue a
product recall, although this is a rare occurrence. The can
is also usually capped with a plastic overcap, which
prevents the valve from being accidentally triggered
causing leakage of the slippery contents. After final
capping and coding and after the appropriate quality
checks, the cans are packed, usually in cardboard
shipping cartons, and palletized. They are then sent to a
warehouse or distribution center to await final shipping
instructions.
Quality Control

Quality of furniture polish is assayed at various points in the

manufacturing procedure. Before manufacture, the raw
materials are checked to ensure they conform to specifications.
After the product is batched, it is analyzed to make sure it was
correctly prepared. Key formulation parameters include water
content, pH, solids level, and preservative activity. After the
product is filled into aerosol cans and charged with propellant
the spray characteristics of the valve are checked. The can is
passed through a heated water bath to ensure it does not leak.
Before filling, a representative number of cans are tested to
make sure they are of the appropriate strength. The United
States sets limits for bursting strength of aerosol cans.

The Future

As with any technology driven product, improvements will be

made as the advances are made in underlying technology. For
example, new silicone polymers are constantly being developed
and some of these are likely to be incorporated into future
furniture polish formulations. Perhaps the most significant
changes in store for the future of the polish industry are likely to
be driven by regulatory concerns. Air pollution legislation is
limiting the types of propellants and solvents used in furniture
polishes. In the mid-1970s a similar situation occurred in the
antiperspirant industry. Safety concerns caused aerosol
antiperspirants to almost vanish from the market where they
were originally the most popular type. Whether the industry will
respond to regulatory challenge with improved aerosol
formulations, non-aerosol pump products, or some new delivery
system altogether remains to be seen.