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Tips For Preserving Your Antique Wood Furniture
August 21, 2015 01:33:43pm
Your beautiful wood furniture is an investment, and naturally, you want to protect your investment. Wood furniture can be beautifully preserved with just a few simple precautions and techniques.
Tip 1: Dust frequently.
If dust is allowed to accumulate on wood, it can cause damage to the furniture. Dust particles can cause oily buildup on furniture and debris can even scratch its surface. Use a microfiber cloth or a lamb’s wool duster, or even a simple cotton cleaning cloth to routinely go over your furniture’s surface, even if there isn’t visible dust. Avoid feather dusters, though, as any sharp or broken quills could scratch the furniture’s finish.
Tip 2: Be careful where you place your furniture.
Whenever possible, keep wood furniture out of the sun. We love the sun here in Florida, but your antique wood furniture does not share the same feelings. Summer sun coming through a window is extremely hot – hot enough to fade the finish and dry the wood, causing cracks to appear. You don’t need to keep your furniture in a cave, but you should be aware of how and when the sun hits it. For example, if you notice that strong sunlight shines on your furniture in the late afternoon, you will want to pull the shades or blinds during that time of day. If you leave the house for the weekend, leave the shades down to protect your furniture, or push it to a darker part of the room.
Secondly, do not place wood furniture near heating units or vents. Dry heat will have the same effect as direct sunlight, and can dry and shrink the wood. It’s often a good idea to use a humidifier in the winter, but likewise, do not situate the humidifier too close to the furniture, as moisture can cause damage to the wood.
Tip 3: Cover your furniture when you leave town.
If you leave your home for an extended period of time, it’s a good idea to cover any antiques and fine furniture with a cloth. A clean, cotton bed sheet will work well. This will protect the surface from dust buildup and other potential damage from sunlight, and may even provide a small measure of protection against changes in temperature.
Tip 4: Clean your furniture with warm water and mild dish soap.
Most types of wood furniture can be cleaned with a mixture of warm water and mild dish soap. Don’t be afraid to use this on your wood furniture, but do not soak the furniture or get it overly wet in any way, as excess moisture will cause warping. Rather, use a soft cloth to apply a small amount of the mixture one small area at a time. If needed, you can use a soft toothbrush to clean around any design details or crevices, but be careful not to get moisture into any cracks or splits. When you are finished cleaning the surface, make sure to remove all moisture with a soft, dry cloth.
Tip 5: Remove hardware to best clean it.
Part of the cleaning process for your furniture involves cleaning and polishing any metal pulls, knobs, handles or other hardware. Remove the hardware before polishing the pieces so that you don’t accidentally get any of the metal polish onto the wood. If your furniture has multiple types of hardware on it, be sure to make note of which hardware goes where. Find a good quality polish for the type of metal it is, and apply it according to the instructions. Lastly, when you reattach the hardware, do it carefully so as not to scratch the wood.
Tip 6: Trust the professionals to restore your wood furniture when needed.
Even when you follow each of these tips and suggestions, your furniture may still need professional care from time to time. Find the best professional furniture restoration company in your neighborhood and let them care for your wood furniture when it needs a repair, a refinishing job, or even just a careful cleaning.
If you live in Northeast Florida, Jax Furniture Refinishing & Upholstering is the best wood refinishing service in town, and the one to trust with your own wood furniture. We specialize in restoring and refinishing wood furniture of all kinds, including heirloom antiques and contemporary pieces alike. Our master woodworker and craftsmen are experts at knowing exactly how to care for your unique furniture. Our clients throughout downtown Jacksonville, Ortega, Fernandina Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach call on our craftsmen and trust their expertise. If your wood furniture piece needs professional care, let us get started on it right away!
