Furniture Cleaning & Care Tips

Avoid the Need for Furniture Repair

Furniture is an investment that can last for generations. Here are some helpful hints to keep your furniture in beautiful condition and protect it from common household mishaps:

• Avoid all cleaners containing ammonia, which can damage wood furniture.
• Frequently dust with a soft, dry, clean cloth.
• Use a furniture polish that does not contain a high amount of alcohol, which can damage wood finishes.
• To reduce water rings, use coasters with felt or cork bottoms.
• Protect furniture from hot serving dishes with a natural fiber tablecloth, oven mitt or trivet.
• Never allow moisture to be trapped between glass and a wood surface. Make sure surfaces are completely dry before the glass is replaced.
• Position furniture away from direct sunlight, which can dry and fade wood surfaces.
• To prevent your pets from damaging your wood furniture, protect surfaces with a natural fiber tablecloth, chair cover or protective pad.
• Avoid placing coffee makers under upper cabinets as steam may damage the finish.
• Wood and Moisture: Preserving the Delicate Balance

It is important to maintain a delicate balance between too much moisture and dryness within your wood furniture. This helps to preserve the appearance of your furniture. Too much moisture in furniture can often lead to mildew; while dryness can cause furniture to lose its nature luster and weaken joints. Here are some tips to help prevent moisture or dryness from damaging your furniture:

Avoid placing furniture in steamy bathrooms or laundry areas, which may expose it to excess moisture.

Maintain a consistent temperature in your home. Dramatic temperature changes can affect humidity levels causing more moisture to exist in the air.
Don’t let your home environment get too dry. Excessively dry areas can cause your wood furniture to shrink, split or become brittle.
Protect wood surfaces from direct contact with water. Place glass surfaces over tabletops or use coasters, trivets and natural fiber tablecloths and pads to protect your furniture from hot or wet surfaces.

Be careful when cleaning furniture hardware or glass accessories to ensure moisture does not remain on the wood after cleaning.