Wood has been the material for most furniture for the longest time because it adds a vintage allure to your house and lot. More than this, it can be passed down from generation to generation since they tend to last very long. Nevertheless, even the highest quality of wood is susceptible to scratches and abrasions; taking care of wood furniture becomes a tough necessity.
Over time, companies would use steel, aluminum, glass, and plastic to manufacture furniture. As revolutionary as these types of furniture are, none of them could supersede wood as on the primary materials for furniture.
Wood furniture is a timeless tradition that will always be a staple of any house and lot.
Be it a desk in your home office, a side table in your bedroom, or the chairs in your living room, furniture manufacturers will not hesitate to use wood to incorporate beauty and practicality and your home.
It was said above that wood furniture maintenance can be tough. But that is only if you lack the proper materials or are negligent in caring for it. If you know how to take care of wood furniture, it becomes easy to maintain.
Here are a few tips to maintain your wood furniture.
1. Dust Often
Sparkling furniture leads to a sparkling room, overall. Consequently, even a small speck of dust can ruin the ambiance of the room since they can converge on the piece of wood and scratch it.
Frequent dusting, as frequent as bi-monthly, prevents this buildup from occuring. Make sure you use a soft, dry cotton cloth to wipe any dust off. Always use soft cloth like cotton T-shirts, cloth diapers or microfiber to avoid damage.
If you can dust other furniture of the house, then you can find time taking care of wood furniture.
2. Avoid Environmental Damage
Heat, especially sunlight, can severely damage your wood furniture. It results in a phenomenon called “spotting” where bright and dark spots appear across the cross-section.
As much as possible, keep any wood furniture away from uncovered windows where it will be exposed to sunlight. In the dining room, turn the stove or oven off immediately and keep the temperature as low as you can.
If not, at the very least, put a piece of cloth over the wood furniture. Case in point, wooden dining tables almost always come with tablecloth.
3. Treat it Right
Wood furniture is susceptible to food and drink damage because often, you will be bringing you snacks with you and placing them on your wood furniture.
To use a dining table as an example again, you must invest in placemats and coasters to properly care for it.
Never directly place glasses, plates, and pots on your dining table. To avoid those rings and heat damage, use coasters for cold glasses and hot mugs, respectively. Always eat with a placemats and place potholders under hot food.
4. Keep it Clean
It is great to dust your wood furniture often. But when fully taking care of wood furniture, dusting may not suffice, and it may need to be cleaned.
Never use all-purpose cleaners, which can cause damage to the finish.
If you have a spot that is heavily soiled or sticky, dip a cloth into warm water that contains a mild dish detergent. Wring it out as much as possible and gently wipe the area. Be sure to follow up with a rinse from a damp cloth containing just water, followed by soft dry cloth.
5. Polish and Spray
Elevate that cleaning with polishes and sprays. These cleaning materials come with petroleum distillates and silicone oil to make your furniture look fresh, clean, and shiny. More importantly, the provide protection for your wood.
However, too much polish and spray will lead to a buildup that combines with dirt to create a dull and sticky film.
Always be sure to buff well when using products to help avoid this buildup, and never use these products with a wax protectant because the combination will result in another gooey mess.
6. Treat Damage Immediately
Even with the best care, wood furniture can sustain injuries. You may have been careless and damaged your wood furniture using sharp objects near it.
For small scratches, you can use scratch covers, which is a liquid polish that hides scratches, making it less obvious and maintaining the piece of furniture’s beauty.
If major scratches and abrasions were sustained and the damage is too extensive to be treated with minor liquid polishes, you may need to resort repainting.
Painting a piece of damaged furniture serves as a breath of fresh, new life, giving it several more good years. Painting also allows you to save time by skipping sanding, something you cannot do if you opt to re-stain.
7. Oil and Wax
Oiling and waxing wood is highly recommended since it gives it a shiny varnish to it. Also, it adds a protective layer, just like polishing and spraying.
Wood furniture tends to dry up, hence the need for re-oiling. On the other hand, to extend the protection of the wood furniture, you re-apply wax.
Oil and wax your wooden units once in three months and you will be taking care of wood furniture.
8. Maintain the Wood’s Fragrance
Sometimes, older pieces of wood furniture will develop an unpleasant odor if they have been stored for a long time or have unattended stains, which this article will get into eventually.
To combat this, use baking soda to freshen it up and place a pan of charcoal inside the drawers to absorb smells that emanate from inside. You can place it outside where it is warm, dry, and in a shaded area to remove potential stench.
A small sprinkle of baking soda will yield giant results.
9. Combat the Tough Stains
Despite your best efforts, sometimes the inevitable happens and your beautiful wood furniture gets stained. No matter what kind of stain you have, be sure to clean it as quickly as possible — the longer it sits, the harder it will be to remove.
For white rings from wet glasses, apply equal amounts of white toothpaste and baking soda. Rub it into the stain until it’s gone. Then, wipe the furniture and buff it with a dry cloth.
For dark spots from water damage, try gently blotting the stain with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
For crayon marks, apply mayonnaise over the area. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before rubbing clean with a damp cloth and buffing with a dry cloth.
Wood furniture benefits
Adding to the aforementioned benefits of wood furniture, it is valuable and modifiable.
First, wood tends to be expensive, but its value will be seen down the road as wood if taken care of properly since it depreciates slowly. Second, it is easy to modify wood furniture by sanding, staining, or painting it, giving it a fresh new look.
Additionally, you can combine wood furniture with other materials like steel or glass to add character to any room.
With the effort and initiative, taking care of wood furniture will not be tough or even time-consuming. In the end, you will be rewarded with a home filled with elegant wood furniture that looks amazing, now and for years to come.
Written By: Cholo Hermoso
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