Useful Tips On How To Maintain Your Wooden Furniture
There’s nothing quite as beautiful as solid, handmade wooden furniture. In order to protect your wooden furniture’s appearance and prolong its lifespan, you must maintain it. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of this and instead allow their wooden furniture to deteriorate.
If left unmaintained, wooden furniture can rot, deteriorate, and potentially become infested with woodworm. All of these things can lead to a piece of furniture no longer being usable.
If you don’t want your furniture to fall apart, then you’ve visited the right page. Here are some useful tips on maintaining your wooden furniture:
Finishing Wooden Furniture
If you are making your own furniture, then you need to apply a finish. The two main types of finish are shellac and polyurethane. There are a number of shellac and polyurethane differences worth reading about so that you can make the right decision for yourself. Applying wood finish protects your wooden furniture’s surface, preventing it from swelling and cracking, as well as protecting it against stains. The finish also enhances the appearance of your furniture, enhancing the natural grain and adding smoothness. Out of all finishes, shellac makes wooden furniture look the nicest. Polyurethane and lacquer look plastic-like.
Regular Deep Cleaning
If you want your wooden furniture to last a lifetime [or more], then you need to regularly clean it with wood soap and warm water. Like everything, wood attracts dirt, dust, and grime. If you allow these things to go unchecked, then they can spiral out of control. A dirty piece of wooden furniture is more likely to attract woodworm and other pests. In addition, if your wooden furniture is allowed to sit around and get dirty, it could attract dampness, which could, in turn, become mould. Once mould begins to form on your furniture it can be hard to get rid of it.
Polishing Wooden Furniture
After cleaning your wooden furniture, you should apply polish. Make sure to carefully research polishes in order to find the one that’s right for your furniture. Some polish damages the surface of wooden furniture. Aerosol polish is notorious for this. Find a polish that is non-damaging and is non-toxic. Furniture polish gives your wood protection against damage. Polish protects against scratching, abrasion, and chipping. After you deep clean your wooden furniture with wood soap, the chances are that the polish will come off. This is why you have to repolish it.
Dusting Your Furniture
Wood dust can cause multiple health problems. While you are unlikely to become exposed to large enough quantities of wood dust to hurt your health, it’s still worth bearing this in mind. Hardwood dust is particularly harmful to one’s health. In addition, dust floating around can increase one’s chances of developing respiratory infections. It also triggers allergies and asthma flair-ups. Dust can also dirty your furniture’s appearance, making it look old, grimy, and unwanted. If you want your wooden furniture to last you for a lifetime, then you need to regularly dust it and maintain it, keeping it clean and well looked after.
Using Coasters
You also need to use coasters on the surfaces of your wooden furniture. If you put glasses down directly on your wooden furniture, they can stain the wood’s surface. This can lead to unsightly circular stains, which massively devalue a piece of furniture. Stains can ruin an antique wooden piece of furniture’s value, making it look ugly and uncared for. Coasters are cheap, easy to find, and come in a variety of patterns and styles. Make sure to invest in them for your furniture.
Direct Sunlight
If you leave your wooden furniture in direct sunlight, such as beneath a window, then your furniture can become permanently discoloured. In addition to becoming discoloured, it can fade and look unsightly. Sun exposure from time to time won’t hurt your furniture, but if it is continuously exposed then it will inevitably become damaged to some extent. If you care about your furniture’s appearance then it’s crucial that you do not allow this to happen. Put curtains up in rooms where there is wooden furniture. Blinds will also suffice. If you want some sunlight getting in, then you can put net curtains up.
Keep Pets Away
Pets such as dogs and cats are notorious for destroying pieces of wooden furniture. This is because they tend to use them as scratching posts. Make sure to keep your most precious wooden furniture in a room that’s separate from any pets, otherwise, the chances are that your furniture will be destroyed.
If you have wooden furniture, you need to look after it. Solid wood furniture can be very expensive. If it is handmade, then it is even more of a shame if you let it deteriorate. Follow this article’s advice and your furniture should survive a lifetime or two.
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