Regular Maintenance for Wood Furniture

by Nick, Digital Specialist | April 27, 2023

Congratulations on your new wood furniture. Please take a minute to review this extremely important article showing what maintenance you must do on a regular basis to keep your bedroom, dining room, living room tables and home office furniture looking great for years to come.

#1 Keep your wood furniture surfaces clean.  Accumulated dust, grime and dirt can take its toll on wood.  Dust is actually absorbent and can attract moisture and oil. Grime and dirt can be abrasive. Remove these items on a regular basis with a microfiber cloth for a dry wipe, or with a slightly damp cotton cloth. Furniture polish is unnecessary unless you have a wood finish that needs its luster brought back. If you do plan on using a furniture or wood polish we advise using a cream polish. Lemon polishes and wax polishes tend to have oils and can leave a waxy buildup and can some times even change the consistency of the finish. Most wood furniture has some protective top coat and requires little to clean it.

#2 Keep your wood furniture free of debris or items that will slide back and forth across it and if not, at least put something under these items. Although most wood items have some kind of a protective top coat, items sliding back and forth are likely to create surface scratches and dullness in the finish over time. In extreme cases if persistent, the friction of items on a wood surface can even rub through the finish. If you have plates, cups and bowls on a  dining table on a regular basis, use trivets and placemats. Put something under your tv remote and soda can to protect the cocktail and end tables. Put something under your cell phone and water bottle on your nightstand at the side of your bed.  

#3 Keep your wood furniture moisture and chemical free. Moisture is not your wood furniture’s friend. If you spill something wipe it off immediately. Put coasters under water bottles and beverage glasses and soda cans to catch dripping condensation. Don’t let water or other liquids sit on your wood furniture’s surface for very long as this can cause rings, bubbling and staining in the finish. Chemicals spilled on wood surfaces will also cause a reaction that will tarnish the finish. So keep that nail polish remover in the bathroom and not on top of the dresser or nightstand.

#4 Invest in a furniture care protection program for things you can’t control. Accidents happen. Many furniture stores offer accidental protection at additional cost that covers a variety of things not covered by manufacturer's warranties. General wear and tear are never covered under protection programs so you still want to maintain your furniture on a regular basis. For dining room tables you can also invest in a table pad for every day use. For more info on protection plans see our videos on them.  

To sum it all up, your wood furniture is an investment.  But it’s also something that is supposed to be used. Something your family is going to enjoy and make memories on for years to come. Protect it and keep it looking great by developing some of the furniture saving habits we mentioned here. If you have additional questions about furniture care email us at service@suburbanfurn.com and check out other educational articles and videos online at the Suburban Furniture Learning Center.