How to Take Care of Wood Furniture- 9+ Ways to Do it Right

Elegant and lasting for generations, high-quality wood furniture is always a sure choice for any home. No matter its quality though, it can still present a risk for scratching and abrasions. Taking care of wood furniture is always crucial for its lifespan, nevertheless.

You should start by asking for the particular cleaning and care instructions the moment you’re buying the wood furniture. If you already own wood pieces in your home, here are some fundamental rules to follow.

1. Always treat it carefully

To keep the heat damage and rings away from a wood table, you should always use coasters when placing the mugs or glasses on the wood table. Never ever put a hot food right on the wood table and always use a potholder or a trivet for extra protection. You can very well use some cute placemats or a beautiful tablecloth for protecting the dining room table from drink and food spills.

2. Dust, dust, dust

Truth be told, not many of us go for the dusting part. However, dusting is one of the surest ways to protect wood furniture. Airborne particles may form a layer on wood, scratching the surface of wood furniture. When you’re dusting regularly, the risk for the buildup is low. A soft cloth (cloth diaper, some old cotton T-shirt or microfiber) is going to help you reduce the risk for scratching.

Lambswool dusters are handy for decorating the difficult to reach places or the carvings as they collect and hold dust efficiently. Pay extra attention to the bentwood as dust may build up even faster than with other pieces of furniture.

For instance, if you’re using Thonet Chairs, keeping them in top shape is going to make them look good for a long time.

Why are Thonet Chairs so unique?

The Thonet chairs are unique as they’re made of bentwood. Their name is honoring Thonet, who took the wood bending process to the next level. He was the one that made wood bending a lot easier, allowing mass production. And if you think that this process happens only some while ago, you may want to give it a second thought as it was the mid-1830s when Thonet uncovered the world the secret behind wood bending.

The Thonet chair is the result of using durable kinds of wood and light, resulting in elegant and graceful forms of wood. To this day, when it comes with bentwood chairs, we have Thonet to thank for the use of hot steam and various wood.

3. Protect the wood furniture

Even if the commercial polishes and sprays leave a beautiful and shiny finish on your wood furniture, they also contain petroleum distillates or silicone. However, you don’t want to use them too often as they can buildup and turn into a dull and sticky film covering the furniture. You need to buff when using this type of products thoroughly. You should also not combine them with wax products as you’re only going to end up with a big gooey mess.

4. Always keep it clean

Dusting isn’t enough for the wood furniture, and some cleaning is required any now and then. You should stay away from the all-purpose cleaners as they may ruin the finish of the wood furniture. In the case of a sticky or heavily soiled spot, you may mix some water with mild dish detergent. Dip a cloth in the mix and wipe the area with gentle moves (don’t forget to wring it out well). Continue with rinsing the area with a damp cloth and end with cleaning with a soft dry cloth.

5. Address the wear and tear

No matter how careful you are with your furniture, it may still suffer some scratching. Some traditional products can give you some help with scratches and minor nicks. As the liquid polish covers the abrasions, the wood furniture is going to look fabulous again.

In the case of severe damage, the touch-up sticks or the polishes may not cut it, and you should look for the advanced measures. You should consider painting the whole damaged furniture. It’s going to cover the damage and expand its lifespan as well.

6. Take care of dry wood with some re-oil

When you’re storing the wood furniture, it can get dry after some time, and a bit of re-oil is more than helpful. You should start by cleaning it with a good cleaner. Prepare the surface of the furniture with *0000 steel wool. Use the grain all the time. Apply the furniture oil generously and give it 15 minutes for soaking into the wood. When you also want to apply a protective coating, it’s best that you let the wood furniture set for 24 hours first.

7. Re-wax only when you have to

Some wood furniture may come with a wax protective coating- it all depends on the finish. As time goes by, this type of furniture is going to need some re-waxing from time to time. Use the #0000 steel wool for preparing the surface of your furniture. Use a soft cloth for getting rid of any residue. Continue with applying a coat of wax and use a pad for spreading it. Follow the grain and use only light pressure. Twenty minutes should be enough for the wax to set. Use the pad once again to eliminate any excess wax. Get a soft cloth and buff the surface until it feels pleasant to the touch once again.

8. Make sure the wood furniture smells fresh

It’s pretty common for the old pieces of furniture to develop an unattractive odor (especially when in storage). You may freshen them up with a bit of baking soda. A pan of charcoal inside the drawers is always going to absorb the unpleasant smells. You may also take the furniture outside for a while, but make sure you place it in a shaded area on a warm and dry day.

9. Keep the environmental damage at a minimum

Heat, sunlight and various environmental factors may damage the furniture wood. It’s best that you don’t place it right in front of open windows, fireplaces or vents. The light and the heat can fade and damage for right wood furniture.

What about the stubborn stains? What’s the best way to remove them?

Even if you take good care of your wood furniture the best way, it may still get stained at times. No matter the type of stain, you want to remove it the second it happens. The longer it’s going to sit, the more difficult it is going to be for you to remove it.

Here are some tips to remember:

Blot the dark spots from water damage with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
In the case of white rings from all the wet glasses, you should begin with making a paste from equal parts of white toothpaste and baking soda. Rub the paste into the stain until you no longer see it. You should also wipe off in the end and use a dry cloth for buffing it.
Kids are amazing, but they also like to use their crayons on wood furniture. Go to the kitchen and get some mayonnaise. Apply it over the crayon marks and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Use a damp cloth for rubbing clean and get a dry cloth for buffing in the end.

One last recommendation

Caring for wood furniture isn’t time consuming nor difficult, especially since you’re hoping for the wood furniture to look amazing for years to come. It’s worth to pay the effort when you come to think of it.

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