5 Care And Maintenance Tips For Your Wood Furniture

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Wood is among the most popular materials for making furniture. One reason for this popularity is its natural, rustic, and down-to-earth beauty. It helps that it’s also a sustainable material you can easily customize to meet your unique needs and preferences.  

Additionally, wood is versatile. It looks good in all designs and styles and is timeless, making it perfect for both traditional and modern homes. Besides that, wood is easy to maintain and can last for decades. You can visit this website, among many others, to see how it can be shaped for various purposes in today’s abodes.  

Still, regular wear and tear can make wood vulnerable to scratches, abrasions, and water and sun damage. Therefore, caring for and maintaining your wooden pieces is vital to making them last. 

Here’s what you can do to achieve this:

Care And Maintenance Tips For Your Wood Furniture

1. Keep Your Wooden Furniture Clean

Over time, dirt, grease, and dust can build up on your wooden furniture. Leaving them for long may result in stains that are difficult to remove or leave their mark on the grain. Hence, clean up smudges and spills immediately to preserve the look of the wood. 

Generally, it’s not ideal to use water on wood. But some stains, like wax buildup, need soap and water to fix. For that, you should dip a piece of cloth in detergent dissolved in water. Then, squeeze the fabric and use it to wipe the stained area carefully. After that, rinse and dry it using a clean and soft cloth.

2. Frequently Dust Them

In addition to frequently wiping your wooden furniture, regular dusting is an essential step to proper wood care and maintenance. It allows you to remove dust particles that settle and scratch the surfaces. 

You can use a conventional feather to dust your furniture. However, this may not be effective as the particles can quickly resettle. Try using a damp cloth to capture and remove dust efficiently instead.

3. Never Expose Them To Direct Sunlight

Constant exposure to sunlight can damage your wood furniture. With time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays may fade your wood or cause permanent discoloration.  

Control the amount of light coming into your rooms as much as possible. To achieve this, you can use window treatments like blinds and shades. The former lets you manage the amount of daylight coming in by lowering or raising slat levels. On the other hand, the latter limits the intensity of light entering your room through the windows.  

Of course, you can alter the position of your furniture. For instance, move your wooden chair or table near a bright sunny window into a corner.

4. Re-Oil And Re-Wax Regularly

As wooden furniture ages, it may lose its shine and freshness. You can maintain them through regular oiling or waxing. These help preserve the look, feel, and integrity of your wooden furniture pieces, keeping them in top condition. 

Furniture oil penetrates deeper than other finishes and polishes that sit on top of the material. For this reason, it gives it a more natural look. Also, it protects your furniture from scrapes and moisture since it seeps into the wood.

Re-oiling and re-waxing also help remove accumulated dirt and enhance its aesthetic appeal. 

Here are some steps to restore wooden furniture with oil:

  • Clean the wood surface using a mild soap and water solution and leave it to dry.
  • Dampen a piece of cloth and use it to polish the old wax layer. After that, rub the new wax over a small area of the wood in a circular motion.
  • Leave it for up to 10 minutes till it hazes over. Then, remove the excess wax using a piece of cloth.
  • After some minutes, buff the surface with a different cloth.
  • Finally, apply additional wax and repeat the above last two steps.

The steps are relatively similar for re-oiling. You clean it and leave it to dry. Then apply your oil and leave it for around 15 minutes before continuing. However, if you need to add a protective layer, let the oil soak for a day before adding the solution.      

5. Handle Your Furniture Carefully

A lot of bumps and scrapes come from careless handling. Therefore, be cautious when moving or shifting furniture in your house. 

Remove any objects on top so they don’t fall and scratch the surface. You can also use coasters and placemats to keep things in place; placing hot pots on top of your wooden table can cause it to swell. Meanwhile, cold drinks may leave permanent white rings on the wood. These little implements prevent direct contact with hot and sharp objects, keeping your furniture in superb condition.

Care Is Key

Taking good care of your wooden furniture is one of the best ways to enhance and maintain the longevity of these precious investments. Start taking these steps to preserve their value for your home.  

Consider hiring professionals to remove tougher stains to avoid damaging your furniture.

Julie Higgins
Author
Julie is a Staff Writer at momooze.com. She has been working in publishing houses before joining the editorial team at momooze. Julie's love and passion are topics around beauty, lifestyle, hair and nails.