Preserve your Furniture in Six (6) Easy Steps

Purchasing finely crafted furniture is quite an important investment for most families today. If you begin taking care of your furniture properly as soon as it arrives in your home, you and your family can enjoy the furniture you purchase today and pass it down through your family in beautiful condition in later years.

Many people fail to see the importance of taking the time to properly care for their new furniture. But for those who understand it takes a little effort to keep new furniture looking like new, you can protect your investment with a few simple tips – not just for today, but for the future.

Though it’s sad to admit, one of the major threats to furniture preservation is ourselves. People are often very careless about how they use and abuse their furniture. The other big threat is the environment. However, with a little forethought, you can make a huge difference in the lifespan of your new furniture.

Successful Furniture Preservation

Recognize your furniture as an investment and make sure other family members are on board to do their part in its preservation. The human threat involves being aware of the importance of protecting the surface. Place coasters within convenient reach so no one will be tempted to place a glass directly on your new coffee table or dresser. When you’re cleaning, be sure to watch out for those legs and keep the vacuum cleaner from banging into them. If everyone treats the furniture with respect, half the battle is won from the beginning.

Although we can’t control temperature, humidity, and light, which all play a huge role in the aging process of wood and upholstery, we can do our part to place furniture in our homes so it isn’t sitting in direct sunlight and it’s kept away from locations with high humidity and extreme temperatures.

A Few Easy Steps to Preserve Your Furniture

To do the best job of preservation, you should read the labels and understand what kinds of materials your furniture is made of, but even if you are unsure, there are a number of tips for proper maintenance you can follow with any type of furniture:

• Use a magnetic cloth for dusting your furniture.
• Read the labels and avoid using harsh commercial or retail oils, sprays or cleaners on wood and fabrics.
• Apply paste wax very lightly once a year to preserve woodwork.
• Wipe up spills immediately and blot them with a plain white cloth.
• Provide coasters for your coffee tables and use place mats or table cloths to protect your dining room table.
• Use padding underneath any heavy objects placed on top of your furniture.

Moving Your Furniture

After working hard to preserve your furniture, you’ll want to make sure to move it carefully should it ever need to be moved. Take special care with living room furniture or bedroom furniture since these pieces are usually quite heavy. Follow these pointers for moving your preserved furniture.

• Always lift your furniture from the top and support it below the center of gravity. Lift chairs from the top as well, not the arms.
• Avoid pulling and dragging furniture across the floor to prevent separating or loosening joints.

Get the Most Out of Your Furniture Preservation Efforts

Using common sense and paying special attention to furniture preservation allows you to protect precious heirlooms for your own grandchildren to use and enjoy in the future. Just a little extra effort and consideration can preserve your furniture for many generations to come.

Through OrlandoHomeDirect.com, Orlando’s only online resource specifically dedicated to the home services market, you can find beautiful furniture and accessories for your home – bedroom furniture, living room furniture and more – all in your local area.

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	20-08-2007 14:51
	Very Good Read. I restore furniture for a living and this is the same information I tell my clients to do while caring for their furniture. Guest Report

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	20-08-2007 22:51
	Thank You Thank you for the Great article & Great information.    - Do it yourself Mom Guest Report

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