What is Amish Wood Milk?

A few months ago I started to notice search traffic coming to this site for a curious term.

“Amish wood milk” is not something I’d ever heard of. But quite a few people were looking for it, with even dozens a day landing here for “Amish wood milk”-related searches.

How where they arriving at Amish America, since–to my knowledge–I’d never written anything about this mystery liquid (does it go with pie? is it tapped from trees like maple syrup?)..?

It turns out most were touching down on a post about Plain and Happy Living, a recipe and remedy book written by an Amish woman.

I had shared a recipe for “Poor Man’s Rivvel Soup” on that page, which mentions “milk”, the regular kind from a cow, a few times. But nothing at all about Amish wood milk.

This leads me to believe there have probably been many thousands of people searching for this term, if that number of web searchers were stumbling onto this nearly unrelated page.

Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk

If you are like me and it took you a while to figure this out, Amish wood milk is no beverage, but rather a furniture cleaning product.

Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk Product
Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk

It also goes under the name Dutch Glow. “A pure and simple furniture polish from a pure and simple people” is how the commercial describes it on the Dutch Glow website (update: site removed at source).

You’ll also find there a selection of enthusiastic, anonymous testimonials (“All I can say is WOW!…I’m a Dutch Glow convert for life”) and at least four “Order Now” buttons.

Is Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk just another example of dubious use of the Amish name to sell a loosely (or not-at-all) associated good? You can probably guess what I’m thinking here…

The alleged Amish origins are a mystery, according to one review, which likens it to an “ordinary cleaning solution”:

There is no evidence that it is a century-old formula invented by the Amish (an old-fashioned Christian sect known for their rejection of technology and, apparently, their glowing furniture.) In fact, they don’t even list its ingredients at all.

Another review gives it higher marks, but likewise couldn’t figure out much about the product, “based on a century-old woodworker’s formula”, according to the Dutch Glow ad.

Dutch Glow Before and After

So of course this all brings to mind past products with sketchy claims to Amishness, such as the Heat Surge Amish Heater, or Amish Origins balm.

It’s no secret it’s often easier to sell things wrapped in Amish coats.

That doesn’t necessarily make this or that a bad product…it may just mean you’re paying for a story as much as you are a cleaning chemical.

Anyone seen or used Amish Wood Milk before?

How about other products that carried the name “Amish”…but made you wonder?

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    24 Comments

    1. Mary Miller

      I’m as skeptical as you,Erik!

    2. Gayle Grabowski

      Erik, thanks for this post, because I have received emails promoting this product. Like you, I could not find solid evidence that this is a product produced by the Amish. Neither the wood furniture shop nor any of the general goods stores owned by the Amish in Orleans County, New York carry this product. I would be interested in knowing if the product is as good as its marketing!

      1. It’s sold by a direct marketing company out of Tarrytown, NY. They also sell the Neckline Slimmer, Bedazzler, and something called Floam.

        1. Allison

          Hi Erik, this comment has nothing to do with the post, but I would like to subscribe to ‘Die Botschaft’ newspaper but I can’t seem to find the number for it anywhere. Do you happen to know it?

          1. Hi Allison, I don’t know how Elam handles phone orders, but here is the contact info, at the least you’ll have the address to snail-mail it:

            Die Botschaft
            420 Weaver Road
            Millersburg, PA 17061

            Editor: Elam Lapp

            Phone: 717.433.4417

            1. Allison

              Ok thanks for the address Erik!

        2. Blanca

          I bought it.

          I bought Amish wood milk.
          Was a waste of money .
          Tried it on a cpl of pieces i didn’t notice any difference at all.
          Also the spray didn’t work clumped up has to open and pour it on a towel.

    3. Alice M Aber

      I use it!

      Greetings,

      I have actually purchased and used this product. Whether it is really in any way connected to the Amish or not, it is a good product. I bought it because I needed something to bring back the luster in some old wood furniture and had been trying several products. I found this on a special bargain and picked up a bottle to try it. Didn’t really give much thought to the alleged Amish connection, I would have tried it if it was called, “Dingleberries wood cleaner”, LOL.

      I don’t much like companies who exploit the Amish to gain sales and I cannot say if this one is or not as I had not researched it. But I have to say, it does do a good job.

      Blessings, Alice

    4. Brad of the Brethren

      Wood Milk

      I too, like Alice, use this stuff and I also could not find any Amish connection. I was skeptical when I bought it as to whether or not there was any link. I use this on all my antique furniture and it does a good job and I will from now on refer to it as “Amish Milk”

    5. Gayle Grabowski

      Thanks Alice!

      Thanks Alice! I will have to try this product, as I am not having much success with other products, and I do not want to strip and varnish the centry-old woodwork in my house.

    6. Naomi Wilson

      I have a fridge full of “Amish” milk. Maybe I should rub it on all my wood furniture. Floors too, while I’m at it. Or maybe not.

    7. Mark - Holmes Co.

      Look for this product in your local store. It should be beside the Baptist Bees Wax and the Catholic Leather Cleaner. 🙂 Actually, if it really does work good on wood, I’ll have to try it on our older pieces of furniture. When I saw this post I thought of “almond milk” for some reason, but apparently this is not for human consumption. Grin!

    8. Alice M Aber

      I bought mine on collectionsetc.com I was ordering some solar lights and they have an “as seen on TV” category. As it happens this was on there and on a special 2 for $10. I was already getting free shipping because of the lights I had ordered so it worked out well. It does clean build up of furniture polish, dirt and grim pretty well.

      There is no list of ingredients on the bottle and other than the name it does not say anything about the Amish on the bottle either.

      Gayle, if you have bubbled up varnish on your woodwork try a little denatured alcohol. That will smooth it out. It actually softens the varnish, so it will be sticky for a while until it dries. I would suggest trying it in a small out of the way place first to see how it will work.

      Blessings,
      Alice

      1. Gayle Grabowski

        Thanks Alice for the tip!

    9. Oldkat

      I wondered about this stuff

      I had seen an ad for this recently and wondered about it. I wondered: 1) is it any good and 2)do the Amish have anything to do with it? So now I know: 1) Yes, it is a good product and 2) Who knows for sure? (But probably not)

      Learn something from this site every time I check in.

    10. JAMIE P

      Wal-Mart sells Amish Wood Milk in the “As Seen On TV” area of the store. It sells for $9.97. Have never tried it but I know it sure sells well. Don’t know if it’s because it really works or because of the word Amish attached to it.

      1. Buying Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk in stores

        I can’t say anything about how it works but on the first review page I linked above there are something like 185 reviews for Amish Wood Milk. It seems the negative ones focus more on the unexpectedly high shipping charges and other billing practices though there are some comments on how the product works as well. They do suggest this can be purchased in stores.

        This reminded me that we had a saying when I was in sales, “a happy customer will tell one person, an unhappy customer will tell 10.” 🙂

    11. Jerry L

      I’ve seen this product on the shelves of several “Amish” tourist traps in the Lancaster, Pa area. I’ve also seen it in a small retail chain that caters to the Amish and Plain People. I think it’s called Goody’s or Goods. There is one in the Northeastern Lebanon area and one in the Epharta area. I can also find it in two true Amish stores in Synder County, Pa. and one in Newville, Cumberland Co, Pa.
      I’ve never tried it but always assumed it was the real deal.

    12. at Stewart

      Perhaps we shall see...

      I’ve sent them an email asking for the ingredients and the size of the bottle (which they also don’t talk about. Will let you know.

    13. Dee C

      hummmm

      Sorry, not impressed..Used on old well kept wood furniture and some Amish furniture also, left my wood dull and streaked…

    14. Elizabeth Ward

      RE: AMISH WOOD MILK

      The sprayer broke on the bottle I purchased. Can’t find an 800# to call to get a sprayer for the full bottle. Anyone know how to contact DUCTCH GLOW directly? Says SAS group, Ince. Tarrytown, NY

    15. Alice Song

      Hello!

      I am interested in selling SAS Dutch glow Amish wood milk. Please let me know how to set up a business retail account with your company. Thank you!

      Alice Song
      201)674-4520

    16. Maria cousins

      I love this product. I use it weekly on my floors since they are getting worn and in need of a professional refinishing. This product takes all the scratches out and leaves a nice non slippery finish. Unlike other wood refinishers it doesn’t peel off and it doesn’t build up. The only thing you have to do is shake it really good and apply with a slightly damp sponge mop. I highly recommend it. I really don’t care if it’s really made by the Amish. It’s a good product.

    17. Linda Caputi

      ingredients please

      ??? not even on the bottle I purchased.