8 Tips for Taking Care of Wood Furniture

Your wood furniture is special to you, and you want it to last long. With proper care, your furniture can maintain its beautiful look and be a wonderful addition to your interior décor. This blog post will discuss essential tips for caring for your wooden furniture.

1. Wash With Water and Soap

Soap and a damp cloth are typically enough to keep your furniture in shape. Once you finish cleaning with the soap, use the damp cloth to wipe the furniture and remove any remaining water and soap residue. However, don't use any soap that contains ammonia since this substance may destroy wooden furniture.

2. Oil Hardwoods

Many homeowners prefer to wax wooden furniture, but oiling may be better, especially for hardwoods. You can use most types of oils, although teak oil works best. 

Use a soft cloth or brush to apply the oil to your furniture. Give the oil a few minutes to soak in, and then spread any excess oil to

the dry sections.

When you use oil on hardwood furniture, you help the furniture maintain its natural color. The preservation is possible because oil blocks water infiltration into the furniture surface. When water spills on a piece of oil-treated furniture, you'll see beading. If the beading fails to occur after some time, reapply the oil. 

3. Remove Old Polish

If your furniture has had the same polish for decades, you may need to remove the old polish. Here is how you can do it.

•  Boil water and then add in some tea bags. 
•  Allow the water to cool to room temperature.
•  Dip a soft cloth into the water solution and wait for the cloth to become damp.
•  Use the cloth to wash the polish from the furniture. 

You can reapply the same type of polish or choose a new one. 

4. Get Rid of Water Stains on the Wood

Exposure to some weather elements can cause water rings to appear on your furniture. To remove the water stains, apply non-gel toothpaste on the sections where the stains are. If the toothpaste fails to get rid of the stains, create a baking soda solution to remove the remaining marks. Then, wipe the furniture with a clean cloth to remove any remaining particles.

5. Protect Furniture from Pets

Pets can offer companionship and help alleviate stress, but the animals can threaten your furniture. For example, dogs and cats can scratch the furniture and cause damage. You may not always be around to stop the pets, but you can take steps to prevent further damage. The most recommended solution is to properly groom your pets and train them not to use furniture as scratch tools.

6. Protect From Cold or Hot Dining ware

Few people know the danger dining ware poses to furniture. A seemingly harmless cup of cold water can damage your table if the cup remains on the table for extended periods. Therefore, always protect your furniture from cold or hot dining ware. Use coasters that absorb moisture and pot holders to shield the furniture from hot dining ware.

7. Avoid Environmental Damage

Weather elements and other factors can cause damage to your furniture, particularly furniture made from fine wood. For example, extreme heat and intense sunlight will cause problems for your wood furniture. To prevent damage, keep furniture away from uncovered windows and doors. Also, your furniture shouldn't be near fireplaces and vents. If your furniture is near a furnace, the heat may melt the polish and cause the wood to fade. 

8. Dust Often

One great way to improve the durability of your furniture is to dust regularly. Dusting removes airborne substances that may accumulate on the furniture surface and cause scratches. Use a soft and damp cloth, like microfiber towels, to dust your furniture. Wool dusters can also help to remove dust from hard-to-reach areas.

At Chris Furniture, we offer high-quality furniture and mattresses for use in homes. Contact us to order furniture for the dining room, living room, and bedroom.