As detailed in our step by step guide How to Apply Rubio MonoCoat to Furniture, most furniture and artwork we create is finished with Rubio MonoCoat Oil Plus 2C, which is a hand rubbed natural oil and hardwax finish that is VOC-free. It leaves a durable soft matte finish that highlights the natural fibers, texture, and beauty of the wood.
General Use Guidelines
Our furniture and art finished with Rubio MonoCoat is meant for daily use, and does not need to be babied, but that does not mean to treat it carelessly. We encourage you to think about it like you might think about a glass coffee table, or the hood of a car. It is fine to set things on it and use it frequently, but you wouldn’t want to throw your keychain or something rough across the surface. Wood finished naturally will tend to show some marks and use over time, and this is nothing to be concerned by. This can quickly, easily, and affordably be refinished and spot repaired as necessary in the future as needed.
After your wood surfaces have been treated with Rubio MonoCoat, and it has been allowed to fully cure, it is generally water resistant. That does not mean waterproof, but most spills and condensation can simply be wiped up with a clean cloth rag. A lightly dampened rag may be used to wipe the surface if moisture is required to pick up something dried or caked on.
For very hot surfaces (such as the bottom of a pan fresh from the stovetop or oven) we recommend using a trivet, potholder, kitchen towel, or something else similar beneath so it does not mar or scorch the surface of the natural wood.
Cleaning
For daily use and cleaning you can simply use a clean towel to wipe up spills and moisture. If something persists feel free to use a slightly damp rag or towel and a little elbow grease.
Please DO NOT USE any harsh chemicals, sprays, Magic Eraser, or anything similar to clean the wood surface. The caustic nature or solvents present in many commercially cleaners available can have deleterious effects on a natural finish, and may damage both the function and appearance. If any soap or cleaner is desired please use Rubio Surface Care Spray (which is Rubio’s specially formulated soap product, and will not damage the finish). We have provided you with a Rubio Maintenance and Cleaning Package, including a branded spray bottle and Rubio Soap, a specialized cleaning agent meant to be used with your furniture that is finished with Rubio Monocoat. To use this, simply mix 1 teaspoon of the Rubio Soap concentrate together with 750ML of water in the included spray bottle, which will dilute it to the recommended strength. Spray the wood surface and immediately wipe with a clean cloth. Rubio Soap is affordable and the concentrated Rubio Soap can be ordered directly from Rubio’s website here.
Maintenance
Rubio MonoCoat is durable and long lasting, but like with any oil and hardwax finish, periodic long term maintenance will help protect and keep your pieces looking gorgeous for years to come. The finish should have a soft matte feel. With regular daily use a simple maintenance treatment can be done when the wood feels or looks like it needs it, which is most often about 2-5 years at a time, depending on climate and use case scenario (kitchen countertops for example may see harder use, and require maintenance more often than something like an occasional use side table). This maintenance requires no sanding, and takes less than an hour to perform, which we will highlight below.
Rubio Renew
Rubio Renew is an easy to use product that you simply wipe on, let tack up for a few minutes, and then buff off. This will bring an additional application of oil to the existing Rubio MonoCoat finish, providing a fresh layer of protection. There is no set timetable to due this, but when there are obvious signs of surface wear, or if the wood feels too dry or rough from use, then it is probably a good time to begin thinking about some maintenance. This is very easy to do in home (and requires no special tools or expertise) using the directions immediately below.
Like Rubio MonoCoat, it is best to work in sections with Rubio Renew. It does not leave any overlap lines or marks, so feel free to work in small batches (let’s say two batches for a large dining table top). Different things can be used to wipe on the Rubio Renew, such as a clean rag, or blue shop towels, but we prefer just using 3M white pads, which are non-abrasive and do a good job of soaking up excess oil which can be used to rub into the surfaces. Work in sections and apply and rub in the oil to the surface, and if any section looks dry continue to apply more. Once the Rubio Renew has been wiped onto the surface, let it tack up for about 3-5 minutes, and then begin to wipe all excess off within 10 minutes (we like to use clean white towels or disposable blue shop towels). Go over the surface a few times with new/fresh towels until nothing significant is being picked up by the towels. Per Rubio’s instructions, you can never wipe too much off, but you can wipe too little off, which will have negative effects of gumming up over time, so be sure to wipe off the wood thoroughly. The rags, towels, and oily materials are combustible and require proper attention, and tips and tricks to disposing of these can be found courtesy of NFPA here. Similar to the original application of Rubio MonoCoat, surfaces treated with Rubio Renew can be lightly used or moved after 24-48 hours. After 48 hours the finish will be about 75% cured, and after 7 total days it will be fully cured and more moisture resistant.
Removing Stains or Dark Spots From Finished Wood
Dark spots or stains can sometimes appear after both treated or untreated wood comes into contact with a strong alkaline or prolonged moisture (such as a rusty can, a flowerpot sitting directly on a surface for a prolonged period of time, etc.). Rubio Tannin Remover is an easy to use product that can be sprayed on and then simply wiped off, which can help reduce or remove stains caused by tannins. Rubio Tannin Remover should NOT be used in conjunction with any surface that has been Fumed, as it can neutralize or interfere with the grey color effect provided by Rubio Fumed. Unless you have specifically requested and had a product built with Fumed, we do not use this in our finishing process. But others who may used Fumed on furniture or flooring may need to keep this in mind. Rubio also recommends testing the Tannin Remover spray on a non-visible part of your wood surfaces, to test the effect of the product on your specific substrate.
Spot Repairs and Refinishing Damaged Spots Using Rubio MonoCoat
When a piece finished with Rubio MonoCoat eventually sustains significant damage, or long term maintenance above was not performed, it may be time to refinish the piece using Rubio MonoCoat again. Depending on the severity of the damage (or if it is isolated or wide spread), there may be some different techniques used to prep for refinish. Please see our step by step guide How to Refinish Furniture with Rubio MonoCoat.