Anyone who applies wood oils risks health risks due to ingredients and poor declaration, according to the experts at ÖKO-TEST. Read what you should pay attention to when buying.
Wood care oils are intended to protect furniture and make surfaces shine. But not every product is as harmless as a test by ÖKO-TEST shows. Some contain pollutants that can irritate the skin and respiratory tract or even affect fertility.
This is how it was tested
ÖKO-TEST has in the Issue 02/2026 19 colorless wood oils tested, including five for worktops, which are available in hardware stores, specialist stores, a supermarket, a furniture store and online. Priority was given to products designated as furniture oils, otherwise universal wood oils for interior use or worktop oils. Converted to 500 milliliters, the prices were between 6.98 and 34.80 euros.
Laboratories tested the oils for pollutants such as heavy metals, VOCs, isothiazolinones, oximes, fragrances and biocidal active ingredients. Environmental information, safety and hazard information as well as material and recycling information were recorded on the packaging. Manufacturer information on safety data sheets, declarations and emissions were compared.
Wood oil at ÖKO-TEST: The test winners and losers
Seven wood care oils performed recommendably in the test. The Vincent worktop oil from Hellweg even achieved the rating “very good”. The price is 21.32 euros per 500 milliliters.
Some products were not convincing in the test. Four were rated “sufficient”, two “poor” and two “unsatisfactory”. This is among the losers Hornbach wood oil, colorless from the hardware store. Despite the moderate price of around 10 euros, it was not convincing and received a rating of “poor”. In which oil was Zinc pyrithione proven to be an active ingredient that is classified as harmful to reproduction in the EU and is suspected of affecting fertility and the development of unborn children.
In the Remmers care oil, colorless became Tebuconazole proven to be a hormone-active substance that is likely to harm reproduction. The oil does not have a biocide label, although it contains the substance. IPBC, a potentially allergenic and water-polluting biocide, was also detected. The product received an “unsatisfactory” rating for these loads.
Indoor air pollution from volatile substances
When applied and dried, wood oils release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), mainly from solvents. This is acceptable up to a certain salary, based on the Blue Angel guidelines. Ten oils tested exceed this value, which pollutes the air in the room and can promote fatigue or headaches. Good ventilation when applying is therefore important, as is information on the packaging. Six products also contain phthalic anhydride, which can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract and cause skin allergies.
Problematic ingredients
Has been added to several wood oils cobalt proven, which is used for faster curing. Some of the content is considered to be increased. Cobalt can cause allergies and release carcinogenic dust during grinding. Some also contain oils artificial muskswhich accumulate in the environment and are believed to affect the endocrine system. Other problematic substances include certain solvents and Oximeswhich can have reproductive toxic or carcinogenic effects. preservatives like Isothiazolinones can cause allergies and irritate skin and eyes, especially Chloromethylisothiazolinone.
Defects in declaration and safety instructions
Many wood oils contain information on the packaging that does not always correspond to the actual ingredients. Promises such as “solvent-free”, “cobalt-free” or “oxime-free” cannot sometimes be confirmed, which can be misleading for consumers. Important information on how to handle oils safely, such as ventilation or protecting the skin, is often missing or incomplete. Such defects significantly degrade the overall rating of a product and may increase the risks when applying or sanding.
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