Your Celebrations may not be good news for your furniture

party at home is as much a test of strength of your furniture as it is of your nerves. However, a most conspicuous difference is- that while you may afford the luxury of taking time off to relax and recuperate, your furniture shall have none of it. A little negligence on your part could lead to permanent disfiguring, discoloring or may cause some other similar hazard to your precious wooden furniture collection. Possible mishaps could be-a strain on the joints (if you move your wooden furniture too much to arrange it in the best possible fashion for your party or if it is handled carelessly), a spill or scratches. While you may easily be able to take care of the minor problems (such as accumulated dust) by a good dusting, the problems mentioned above may need immediate attention and sometimes, even professional help.

The Post-Party dangers

So, the celebrations are over. And your wooden furniture may have survived it all. But is it absolutely safe now? Not if you are negligent in the day-to-day care of your furniture. Wooden furniture is especially sensitive to the environmental conditions- heat, light and humidity. The excess (and sometimes the lack) of either of these three can cause permanent damage to wooden furniture. If you place your wooden furniture in a brightly lit zone, the light will turn your light wooden furniture dark and will bleach the darker ones. The other possible damages could be to the finish or the paint on your furniture. Humidity poses an even greater danger because it is not an easily controlled factor. Too much humidity swells up the wood and too less humidity causes the wood to give off moisture that results in splitting or cracking of wood.

Other than the environmental factors that may sometimes be beyond your reach, you may cause irreparable damage to your furniture by sheer negligence. Moving furniture in an improper fashion often causes scratches. Most people pick up furniture at its weakest point e.g. top, back or arms or may even be foolish (no offence!) enough to drag it.

The Danger signs

Your keen eye may sometimes be able to save your wooden furniture and prevent its further deterioration. Some tell –tale signs of trouble and what they could mean are given below,
Sawdust under a piece of furniture--Insect Infestation
Cloudy white patches--Water spills
Swelling in the wood--high moisture level
Growth of Mould--High humidity
Splits or cracks--Low moisture level

And, finally "The Remedies

Like I mentioned earlier, a good dusting and a good stable environment may often be the cure of most problems related to wooden furniture. In rare cases, you may have to consult an exterminator or conservator. This would be called for in cases where your furniture is found to be infested with insects or it needs extensive repair. For a stable environment, the use of humidifiers and dehumidifiers is recommended to maintain the acceptable RH level. Monitor the temperature with the use of a thermometer. Do not place the furniture in direct sunlight and if possible, apply a film to windows to screen the UV light.

The markets abound with dusters that are specially designed to clean wooden furniture (Fuller Brush # 153 Go Around Duster). If you are exotic in nature, you may like to procure a lambs wool or an ostrich feather duster for dusting your furniture. (Fuller Brush # 156 Lamdswool Duster, Fuller Brush #136 Ostrich Feather Duster). Mitts may also be used for this purpose (Fuller Brush #158 Polishing and Cleaning Mitt). There are a number of commercially available products that may contribute to the longevity of your furniture. A favorite, these days, are the wax polishes. They protect the wood against moisture and pollution. Some of these contain silicone that forms a barrier to dust and stains (Fuller Brush # 749 Lemon D.C.W Furniture Wax). Certain oils containing Lemon are also recommended to prevent your wooden furniture from drying and cracking (Fuller Brush # 741 Lemon Furniture Oil). Also available are furniture creams that are used for the same purpose i.e. nourishing the wood (Fuller Brush # 692 Rich Furniture Crème).

In conclusion, if you wish to keep your wooden furniture looking elegant and maintain its original luster, then follow the solutions and guidelines and most importantly the preventions mentioned above. Be sure that your wooden furniture will continue to add elegance, class and beauty to your home for a long, long time.