Wood is an amazing material – durable, forever stylish, practical, and beautiful. It is one of nature’s wonders. When cared for properly, wood can last for generations to come.
To help you keep your wooden furniture as good-looking as the day you bought it, we have compiled some top tips to keep wooden furniture in perfect condition.
Wooden Furniture Care Advice
At Kingsbury Furniture, we are committed to ensuring our customers get the very most from their purchases. To help you enjoy your furnishings, our experts have shared some of their top tips for wooden furniture care.
1. Protect the surface
This one may sound obvious, but it’s surprising just how often this one simple tip is forgotten or ignored. Hot plates and mugs will easily cause ring marks and heat damage if placed directly onto many wooden surfaces.
Protect wooden dining tables, sideboards, and other wooden furniture with placemats and coasters.
2. Consider where you place wooden furniture
Placing wooden furniture where it is exposed to direct sunlight or temperature/humidity extremes can fade wood and greatly reduce its lifespan. Try to position your wooden furnishings away from uncovered windows, vents, and fireplaces.
3. Clean and dust regularly
Spills and blemishes should be cleaned as soon as possible. However, to maintain your furniture at its best, it should be routinely cleaned and polished. Dust particles, if left to gather and ultimately can scratch the surface and diminish its shine. Similarly, soiled areas can permanently mark surfaces.
Always check the manufacturer’s instructions as to what types of cleaners are safe to use, and to be completely safe, try it out in an inconspicuous area first.
4. Don’t forget to polish!
Most household wood polishes are formulated to add a protective layer to your wooden furniture as well as bring its shine to life!
However, equally important is making sure that when you are polishing wood, it is buffed properly. The residue of wood polish can build up and become sticky if it isn’t buffed properly. Over time this can cause the wood to look dull and lifeless. It also attracts more dust to exacerbate the problem.
5. Re-oil or re-wax as required
Depending on the finish of your wood furniture like for example wooden beds, it may be necessary to re-oil or wax the furniture. If your furniture looks to have “dry patches” on its finish, then applying the appropriate wax or oil can make it looking like new.
Once again, it is important to follow and care for instructions issued by the manufacturer before undertaking any treatment.
6. Looking fresh and smelling fresh
Wood is a naturally breathable material. This porousness means it can tend to absorb odours over time. This is particularly relevant when the furniture has been stored for long periods.
However, a simple remedy is to place a bowl of activated charcoal inside drawers or cupboards as required. This absorbs those nasty odours and leaves your furniture as fresh as the day you bought it.
For more stubborn smells, a liberal sprinkling of baking soda can be left to sit for a day or two.
7. Tips for cleaning stubborn stains and blemishes
With all the will in the world, inevitably, stains and marks will happen. Here are just a few tips to help you deal with common household stains.
- Water Damage – Black spots caused by water damage can be treated with a cloth dampened with a little vinegar. Don’t over rub it; it is best treated little but often until the blemish fades.
- White rings caused by wet glasses – I’m sure we’ve all seen these. White rings can be treated with a 50/50 paste of baking soda and toothpaste.
- Crayons – Those of us with young children will know all about crayon marks! Luckily, on wooden furniture, crayon marks can be easily treated with mayonnaise of all things. Apply liberally to the crayon marks and leave for a few minutes before thoroughly wiping off.
Conclusion
At Kingsbury Furniture, we are proud of our range of wooden furnishings and want our customers to get years of pleasure from our range. We hope this list helps you to enjoy the indulgence and warmth of wooden furniture.
