Care & Cleaning of Wood Furniture

Care
Wood furniture is a great investment that can last for generations. Wood furniture needs the right care to not only maintain its beauty, but to help it last. Your wood piece must have a protective finish. The finish protects the wood and adds to its beauty, but remember no finish is totally indestructible. However, with regular care, the finish will last much longer and providing years of enjoyment to you.

To protect and care for your wood furniture you should:

Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Keep wood furniture away from radiators, heat and air vents, as well as windows as sunlight can fade the wood.

From time to time rotate accessories on the furnitures surface so they are not always sitting in the same spot.

Use pads of cloth or felt to protect the surface of the wood furniture from hot dishes and beverages, and accessories that have rough bottoms to them, such as bookends, flowerpots, and vases.

You should clean up spills immediately. Blot rather than wipe the spill. Water left on the wood surface for a long period of time will cause spill marks, rings from the cup, and add white spots in the finish.

Use a protective pad or layer multiple pieces of paper when writing with a ballpoint pen on the furniture surface, as the pressure from writing can become etched in the surface of the wood.

Lift and place objects rather than drag them across the wood surface to prevent scratches.

Cleaning
You should dust your wood furniture frequently with a clean, soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Make sure you clean the surface by rubbing in the direction of the grain and polish your furniture every six months.

Waxes should be avoided because regular use can result in a build-up of a wax film on the surface of the furniture attracting dirt, smoke and other pollutants in the air. This can resulting in smudges and streaks. Also, waxes contain grit that can permanently damage furniture surfaces with scrathces and imperfections if used improperly.

Polishes are recommend. The contain detergents, emulsifiers and mineral oil. The detergents clean and remove dirt from the furniture, the emulsifiers restore body to the wood, and the mineral oil is left behind as a barrier for dirt and moisture.

With these simple tasks, your wood furniture should be protected so you can further enjoy its beauty for years to come.