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Proper care and cleaning of furniture preserves
its beauty! We suggest the following: |
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Caring for Wood Furniture
Protect wood furniture from excessive sunlight; too much can dry and even bleach the wood.
Keep the furniture in a place that is neither too humid nor too dry. Use a humidifier or dehumidifier, if necessary, to make a neutral condition. Too-humid environments can cause the wood to warp, while too-dry environments can dry out the wood.
Don't place your wood furniture near air vents.
If you're going to put decorative items on top of the wood, cover the bottoms with felt to prevent scratching.
Always use coasters under glasses, and protective plates under your plants
Clean up spills immediately, especially if they're alcoholic or acidic. Wipe them with a clean cloth that's either dry or only slightly damp. If you use a dampened cloth, be sure to swipe over the area with a dry cloth once you're done cleaning.
Dust your wood furniture regularly using a soft rag. Cloth diapers – clean ones, of course! – are actually ideal for this purpose, as are old cloth napkins and terry towels.
For an extra shine, forgo the cotton dusting rags for a commercial polishing cloth. These are soft and have a flannel-like nap. They're usually yellow and can be found with the cleaning supplies in most stores.
When cleaning and polishing, always wipe with the grain of the wood.
It's important to know the finish of your wood furniture in order to determine how to clean and care for it properly; it's the finish you're actually cleaning, and not the wood itself. If you aren't sure what kind of finish your furniture has, try the following tests on a hidden piece of the wood:
>> Rub a few drops of boiled linseed oil (available at hardware stores) into the wood. If it beads up, the wood has a hard finish, and if it absorbs, the wood has an oil finish.
>> If you determine that your wood furniture has a hard finish, identify which hard finish it has by rubbing acetone on a small area in a circular motion. If it's lacquered , the lacquer will dissolve within thirty seconds. If it's a shellacked or varnished finish, it will turn sticky within a minute or so. If it's a polyester or polyurethane finish, it will shed the acetone like water and remain unaffected.
When you polish your wood furniture, be sure to select a product that's appropriate for the finish. It will tell you on the label. Some polishes are labeled “multi-finish” and can be used on any type of wood.
Always use the same brand of polish; different brands, when applied over the top of one another, can cause a dull or cloudy look.
An oil finish should be protected only with an oil-based polish.
If layer upon layer of polish has dulled the shine of your wood furniture, the buildup can be removed by using a commercial wood cleaner (make sure you don't confuse this with a wood stripper). Wood cleaners are simply a mild solvent combined with oil, and will dissolve built-up polish and dirt. You can make your own by mixing two parts olive or lemon oil with one part vinegar or lemon juice; apply it with a soft cloth, and then wipe it clean.
To remove alcohol spots, you can rub the spot with paste wax, silver polish, or boiled linseed oil, and then re-wax. A dab of household ammonia on the spot will work on some finishes; put a few drops of the ammonia onto a damp cloth, rub the spot, and then wax immediately afterward.
To remove minor surface burns, you can use the same treatment described for alcohol stains. You can also dip a cotton swab into some paint remover and gently rub the affected area to remove any charring (you may even have to scrape the surface a little bit). Use one or two drops of clear fingernail polish to fill in the depressed area.
To remove candle wax or gum, chill and harden the substance by holding an ice cube over it for a few seconds (make sure that you immediately wipe up the water droplets left behind by the melting ice). With your fingers, gently remove as much of the gum or wax as you can, and scrape off what's left with the dull edge of a butter knife. Saturate a cloth with cream wax, and rub the spot.
Grease stains can be removed by a couple of different methods. One is to place a blotter over the spot and press it lightly with a warm iron until the blotter absorbs the grease. Or you can saturate the spot with mineral spirits, and place talcum powder, sawdust, or a cloth over it to absorb the grease as it's drawn out.
If ink is spilled on unsealed wood furniture, the stain can be impossible to remove. However, if your furniture is sealed, you can usually get the ink off without it leaving a lasting stain. Use an absorbent cloth and blot – don't rub – consistently turning the cloth to a “fresh” spot to prevent smearing. Then, clean the surface using a damp cloth (don't forget to dry!) or a cream wax.
To remove nail polish, soften it by rubbing with a cloth saturated in mineral spirits. If the furniture has a hard finish, apply paste wax with a piece of very fine steel wool in the direction of the wood grain. If it's an oil finish, simply apply a little bit of oil. Do not use nail polish remover – it can quickly damage the surface.
To disguise minor scratches, you may only need a coating of paste wax. If that doesn't hide the scratch, try the following:
o Break a nut ( Brazil , butternut or walnut) in half and rub it into the scratch.
o Use a brown crayon or shoe dye to color the scratch (yes, really!).
To remove white water rings, use one of these methods:
o Rub with paste wax and very fine steel wool.
o Rub the spot with a lint-free cloth moistened with camphorated oil, and wipe it immediately afterward with a clean cloth.
o Mix two or three drops of ammonia with some hot water. Dip in a small piece of cheesecloth, wring it out well, and rub the spot.
o Place a clean blotter over the spot and press gently with a warm iron.
A note for those who have pianos: the ivory keys will yellow with age. Slow the process by exposing the ivory to light – leave the piano keyboard open as much as possible. Clean the piano keys by simply dusting them. If more extensive cleaning is needed, you can wipe them down with a cloth dampened in mild soapy water, then with a cloth dampened with water alone, and dry them immediately.
Caring for Antique Wood Furniture
Antiques require special consideration to keep them in good condition. Dust, wax, and polish your antique wood furniture, but leave anything else to a professional.
When dusting antiques, use a flannel rag; it will collect the dust without needing chemical cleaning agents.
Treat a “sticky” drawer slide by adding some soap or beeswax to help it glide more easily.
Use a soft paintbrush to dust gilded areas or carved wood details.
For antiques with a hard finish, use paste wax, either beeswax or carnauba wax. Beeswax is softer and more nourishing, while carnauba is a tougher and more durable wax. You can find either type in hardware stores, and they come in varying shades to blend in with the tone of the wood (you can also purchase clear wax for painted surfaces). Apply the wax with a flannel cloth.
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