Timeless and forever trending. When it comes to upgrading lifestyle with furnishing, wooden furniture has always been a popular choice amongst homeowners. Wooden tables and chairs not only blend brilliantly with all interiors, palettes, and aesthetics; but also allow easy and affordable revamping. There is no doubt why wooden furniture is so popular, available not only in a wide range of designs, structures, and patterns but also in different types of wood, each online table can help create a completely different but equally elegant look.
However, despite all its benefits, wood can be a tricky pick because of its maintenance requirements. Earlier with offline shopping, homeowners could go on and on about the questions they had regarding the type of wood and their maintenance needs. But now with online shopping, these important conversations are eliminated and most people wipe their tables with a towel and call it a day. Although some online furniture India stores do list a few care tips for the pieces, they are too vague to practice.
So, in this blog, we are listing some furniture maintenance tips that will help keep your wooden pieces fresh and new for a long time.
Use Accents And Tableware With Silicone Padding
The main reason why our wooden furniture develops scratches is due to the sharp edges and textured base of our accents and tableware accessories. To prevent this issue, you should make sure to buy products with light protective padding, or you can also use a table runner on your table, and place all the home decor items on it. So, when you buy home decor or furniture online, always refer to their descriptions.
Dust It Well
It might seem like an obvious hack, but most of us are guilty of skipping the dusting day, which can accumulate the dirt over time, making it a permanent problem. To keep your wooden coffee tables in their initial smooth form dust them regularly, using a dry cloth. For stubborn stains, wipe them with warm water and dry them immediately.
Minimize Sunlight Exposure
Natural wood develops bright spots when exposed to direct sunlight for long periods. So, avoid this by covering the table surface with table runners. If you want to place a furniture piece in your patio or terrace, consider investing in a table that comes with weather-resistant paint coating. You can verify this information when you buy furniture online on the website. Most garden stools and plant stands online come with such protective paint coating.
Consider The Temperature
Be it coasters for drinks and trivets for pans – make a habit of using these tableware accessories on your furniture to avoid ruining its surface because of extreme cold or hot temperatures. Serveware or drinkware containing contents with extreme temperature might leave impressions on the table surface, which can distort its original color or texture. So, make sure to buy coasters and trivets online when you buy furniture in India.
Let It Age With Grace
Being a natural element, furniture tends to age with time. With years as it loses its moisture, it acquires a new character and tone, and in some cases, the wood can become light-colored or may darken as years pass by time. This can vary depending on the type of wood, so make sure to read the characteristics of the type of wood you invest in while buying furniture online.
Avoid Using Sharp Objects Around It
As mentioned above a scratch can ruin your furniture’s finish permanently, so be careful when using or storing sharp objects around its surface. Whether you are using a cutter on your work desk or a butter knife on your dining table, keep them delicately on the table. Dining tables are especially prone to developing such scratches because of the traffic around the table. So, make sure to keep a caddy on the table for storing the cutlery. And even while arranging the table, put the cutlery on the plate or a napkin. Using table linens on your furniture is an effective and affordable way of preventing scratches, sun damage, etc, so make the most of these tablecloths.
Avoid Watering Your Plants On Your Wooden Furniture
It doesn’t matter if you are very patient with watering or use highly absorbent soil in your pots. Please, avoid spraying, watering, or even displaying plants on your wooden furniture, if it doesn’t come with a protective coating. Water can really damage the color and texture of the wood as it is an absorbent. Make sure to invest in a plant saucer if you are keeping your plants on a table, this way, if there is excess water it will get collected in the tray instead of your table. I would personally suggest you only use plant stands for displaying pots, as they are designed for this purpose, keeping in mind everything that can go wrong while watering a plant.
Clean Immediately In Case Of Accidental Spills
A lot of care and maintenance goes behind any long-surviving furniture; this also includes taking measures that can prevent staining, which is often only possible when you wipe the spills immediately. If you leave the curry stains, and wine spills on your table surfaces for too long, there is a high chance that it will permanently leave a mark. So, make sure to keep a tissue holder handy on your table, so that you wipe the stain immediately.
Wax & Oil Your Furniture At Least Once Annually
Have you ever wondered how people pass down furniture as family heirlooms when your new plant stand already looks lifeless? Well, this my friends, is the magic of regular oiling and waxing, which helps in increasing its life while also giving the wood a shiny varnish. Oil and wax add a protective layer to the wooden surface giving it a fresh and smooth enlivening appearance. Ideally, your wooden units should be waxed and oiled twice a year. However, you can also do so based on the recommendation of the brand, from where you are purchasing the product. Most handmade furniture and home decor items (India) are made of wood, hence, usually have detailed instructions on how to take care of them.
We hope these wooden furniture maintenance tips will help your assets last longer in your home.
Post Credit: Sachin Kushwaha, India