Nicholas Bailey Fine Furniture

Furniture Care and Maintenance

Simple steps to care for furniture finishes:

• Avoid contact with cigarettes, hot dishes, and harsh solvents such as nail polish, alcohol and moisture.
• Always use coasters, place mats or other protective materials when placing anything on top of your wood furniture.
• Remove spills and smudges immediately.
• Do not place furniture near heat outlets, windows, or in direct sunlight.
• Lift and place items instead of sliding them across the furniture surface.
• Rotate items that have a permanent place on top of furniture surfaces to prevent surface discolouration.
• Dust regularly with a soft cloth.
• Clean the surface with a lightly moistened soft clean cloth. Lightly moisten with warm soapy water or plain warm water. Avoid using wet cloths or mops, as this can stain and damage the finish.
• Wax the surface every four to six months.

Waxing

Waxing the surface will prolong the life of the finish. Waxing should be done every four to six months and is more essential on areas that are used regularly such as horizontal surfaces and legs that get bumped by brooms or vacuum cleaners.

When applied thinly and buffed out, furniture wax will give a longer-lasting shine than furniture sprays and oils. It will conceal minor scratches and other surface blemishes, and by raising the surface sheen, it will give the wood a deeper look. By making the surface slick, furniture wax reduces friction, letting objects slide over the surface without scratching it.

Problems to a furniture finish occur when a scratch or knock exposes the wood enabling moisture to get into the wood causing it to swell very slightly. This can force the polish to come away from the wood around the affected area. Using a furniture wax can protect the wood as well as bringing a shine to your furniture.

Good quality furniture waxes available from hardware or specialist stores:

Waxing for delicate finishes:

For delicate finishes on antiques it is best to use a man-made wax known as micro-crystalline wax. These waxes are acid neutral and are safely used by conservators in museums. Renaissance wax is one brand that can be recommended.