The best care for furniture is an ocassional simple dusting with a soft cloth.
- Be careful of the sun light! It can damage the wood and the finish on your furniture. The surface temperature on your fine furniture when in direct sunlight can exceed 140 degrees in the summertime. That’s hot enough to bake the finish to a crackle and dry the wood and cause it to shrink and crack.
- Try to monitor the humidity level on your home and keep it fairly constant throughout the year by either humidifying in the drier winter season and dehumidifying in the more humid warmer seasons. We recommend a digital hygrometer to get a good idea what percentage the humidity level is. BTW between 40 and 50% is best for your furniture, artwork and yourself!
- Keep any loose pieces of wood or veneers which have come off your furniture in a Ziploc bag and put it in the piece of furniture so it doesn’t get misplaced. It will save you quite a bit of money when you call us in to repair the item and it keeps your furniture as original as possible.
Ah yes, "old school" furniture care...smile!
- As an antique furniture restorer and appraiser, one of the most commonly asked questions is how to care for heirlooms and fine furniture. When cleaning a piece that has been neglected and the dirt is visible, a mild detergent or oil soap will do nicely. However, keep in mind that there are two kinds of grime. The first is dissolved by water and the second is removed with mineral spirits. Water base cleaners will remove dirt but not wax buildup or grease, mineral spirits will. Mineral Spirits will not disturb most finishes and will not raise the grain. It is safe to use on shellac finishes whereas water is not. With a little elbow grease and mineral spirits you can clean just about any antique or fine piece.
A gentle cleaning with mild dish soap & water, then apply a paste wax and hand buff.
- An annual application of a quality paste wax is the best way to protect the old and delicate finishes on you antiques. It also makes it easier to maintain a “glowing” finish by just lightly buffing the surfaces once in a while when dusting. But don’t use any furniture polishes on a waxed surface it will soften the wax and make a smeared mess! We can come to your home and perform an annual cleaning and waxing of your furniture. Just cal us to schedule it.
- If the brass hardware on your furniture is darkening from oxidation, do not clean it with a polish while it is on the piece. Carefully remove the brasses to polish and replace them when done. Brass polishes will damage the wood finish. We’d be happy to come to your home and do this for you. Please call to inquire.
- To remove candle wax, use a hair dryer on low heat to soften the wax and then scrape wax off with a credit card. Clean with mineral spirits and apply a paste wax and buff to return the shine.
Tips for Moving Furniture
- Much damage occurs when objects are moved. This can be avoided if the item’s construction is wholly understood. Failing that there are a few simple rules that will help avoid embarrassing moments:
- Furniture should be lifted by its strongest units or rails: chairs, including arm chairs, by their seat rails, tables, by the rails/aprons below the top or by the legs; cabinets and chests by their lowest rails or at “foot level” and not by the top.
- In principle NEVER DRAG furniture, not even for an inch! If there is no alternative, then the dragging force must be as close to the floor as possible. This can be eased by purchasing some type of large nylon “disks” to put under the feet. These are usually sold at hardware stores and home centers.
- When transporting furniture whether it’s across town or cross country, any known repairs should be done prior to the move, this will avoid further damage to the piece.
