Wooden furniture of excellent quality often lasts a lifetime. Such items are also passed down through many generations. However, if they’re not cared for properly, there’s always a possibility of scratches and abrasions. It must be one of your priorities, therefore, to make sure that your furniture is always kept clean.
When you’re buying furniture made of wood, it’s always good to know the necessary instructions for their cleaning and care. If you’ve already got some furniture in your home, we have a few tips:
1. Dust your furniture often
You might feel too lazy to dust, but this chore is an important one. It frees your furniture from the airborne particles that form a filmy layer on the surface of the wood. This buildup can be prevented with frequent dusting. While doing so, always use one of your unused T-shirts or any other soft cloth.
Furniture with ornate carvings can be cleaned effectively with lambswool dusters. Some places of the furniture can be hard to clean with the cloth that most of us normally use.
2. Keep them away from environmental damage
Exposure to environmental factors like heat, sunlight, and rain can damage your fine wood. For this reason, you must not place them in front of fireplaces, vents, or uncovered windows. All the light and heat can fade and degrade the quality of wood used in the furniture.
3. Avoid mistreating your furniture
It’s always a great idea to use coasters when placing glasses or mugs on tables made of wood. You must be careful not to place hot food directly on the dinner or coffee table. There must be a potholder or trivet to protect the furniture from hot food. Using decorative placemats or a tablecloth on your dining table can protect it from drink and food spills.
4. Protect the wood
Most of the commercial polishes and sprays contain either silicone oil or petroleum distillates. They not only provide protection to the wood but also give them a fresh and shiny finish. You must make sure that you don’t use too many of these products.
If you do, it would cause a buildup that combines with dirt. This creates a dull and sticky film. You must also make sure that you buff well while using such products. This would go a long way in avoiding the buildup. You must avoid products that contain a wax protectant as the combination might result in a gooey mess.
5. Be careful while cleaning your wood
You might feel that dusting isn’t enough to keep your wood clean. When you’ve decided to clean your wooden furniture, the best option would be to call a professional cleaning service. They have the required expertise and years of experience in cleaning different surfaces. You don’t need to worry about anything happening to your furniture as all the items would be in safe hands.
If you want to clean everything yourself, don’t use an all-purpose cleaner. If you have a sticky or heavily soiled spots, use a cloth dipped in water with a mild detergent. Wring it out and wipe the surface gently. Using a damp cloth containing water, follow up with a rinse. As soon as you’re done rinsing, wipe the area with a soft and dry cloth.