The secret of success in the use of French-polish revivers lies in the ability to clear off any trace of oil that may be used, and in making the polished surface free from grease and dirt. Some revivers combine the two qualities, and act as a cleansing and restoring agent. Should the article be very dirty, it should be first cleansed with warm soda water - half a small teacupful of common washing soda dissolved in 1 gal. of water will answer. The same procedure may also be required in the case of goods on which creams and pastes with a wax basis have been used. Good results cannot be obtained from revivers containing oil, vinegar, or spirit if used on a surface previously cleansed with wax. Furniture creams or pastes, or even the old-fashioned beeswax and turpentine, will, in skilful hands, give good results.

It is supposed that an article, the polish of which has gone dull, requires freshening up. Use a mixture composed of lime water, raw linseed oil, and turps in equal quantities. The two former are first well shaken till thoroughly incorporated, and the mixture is then thinned out with turpentine. It is applied rather liberally to the article by means of wadding; rub well to clean away any dirt or sweat, and afterwards wipe off with a piece of rag. Then take another piece of rag, fold it up firmly till it presents a face free from creases, sprinkle this with methylated spirit, and press well in till it presents a fairly moist (not wet) surface. With this rag give the article a smart polishing; apply lightly at first, and exert a little pressure as the spirit evaporates. The second pad, containing spirit only, is for finishing the article; take care to clear away any trace of oil without disturbing or breaking up the lac surface, to which continued friction has imparted a polish. In the case of goods on which it is impracticable to use soda water for first cleansing, it will generally suffice to wipe over with benzoline.

This is sometimes used at the finishing stage, with the object of killing any grease; instead of this may be used a reviver made of vinegar, oil, and spirit, to which is added a very little butter of antimony as a grease killer. Failure may result from the first attempt, but the fault may be in the mode of application, or in the fact that the original polish has so sunk into the wood, or perished, that there is really no good lac surface left which can be revived.