Product Care & Maintenance

 Furniture Care Basics

• Keep furniture out of direct sunlight.
• Avoid placing furniture in front of or under windows.
• Place furniture away from heating and air conditioning vents.
• Blot up spills immediately.
• Use coasters, place mats and tablecloths to protect furniture during use.
• Lift and place items instead of sliding across furniture surfaces.
• Rotate accessories on your furniture periodically.
• Avoid prolonged use of plastic and rubber items on your furniture.
• Dust your furniture regularly and polish every 4-6 months.

Products

There are a variety of products developed especially for furniture care as well as other commercial products available that afford similar results.

Polishes, waxes, oil treatments, stains and preservatives are formulated to provide your furniture protection from the elements and regular use.

Which products are right for your furniture depend on the amount of use as well as climatic conditions.

Waxes – Furniture waxes afford the longest lasting protection for your furniture’s finishes and are available as a paste or liquid. Some furniture paste waxes are colored to help disguise minor nicks, scratches and other surface blemishes.

Oils – Lemon oil and other pure oil polishes can leave behind an oily film that actually attracts dust and moisture to your furniture surface. It’s a common myth that you need to “feed” the wood. We do not recommend the use of furniture oils.

Cleansers – Furniture cleaners and dusting aids help to protect the furniture finish and are recommended for regular use. The use of these products helps to avoid scratching the surface when dusting furniture with a microfiber cloth.

Polishes – Most furniture polishes are emulsion base and can be used regularly on most furniture surfaces. It’s a good idea to clean and remove any wax from the surface prior to using a furniture polish to avoid a cloudy appearance.

Leather

Leather is a material easily maintained and cared for.  Proper care such as dusting regularly, using cleaning products designed for leather, and removing spills immediately, will extend the life of your leather furniture.

Aniline Leather – Aniline leather is a type of leather dyed exclusively with soluble dyes without covering the surface with a topcoat of paint or insoluble pigments. The resulting product retains the hide’s natural surface with the ‘grain’, i.e. visible pores, scars etc. of the complete original animal’s skin structure.

It should be cleaned with a soft cloth and vacuumed with a soft brush extension. You should also rub the leather down with a cleaning solution to preserve the quality of the leather.

Nubuck Leather – Nubuck Leather is top-grain cattle leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side, or outside, to give a slight nap of short protein fibers, producing a velvet-like surface. It is resistant to wear, and may be white or colored. This is a form of leather that will have more noticeable range marks, and is more likely to stain and fade than Aniline Leather.

Using a product such as Leather Master Nubuck cleaner and protection which will help the leather resist natural body oils, liquid spills, and perspiration and maintain the velvet/suede texture.

Stone

Marble, Stone and stone veneers are beautiful accents to fine furniture and will last a lifetime. Caring for your stone surfaces properly will enhance their beauty and provide years of enjoyment.

• Blot spills immediately.
• Use coasters on table tops under beverages.
• Use a cleanser and polish formulated for stone surfaces.
• Avoid scouring powders which are abrasive and will scratch stone.
• Use the appropriate cleanser for your stone and stain type.
• Refer deep scratches to a professional.
• Do not wax white marble; this can cause yellowing.
• Acidic juices can etch stone surfaces leaving dull spots.

Rattan

Rattan or cane furniture and accessories are fashioned from the steam bent poles of the rattan palm, a spiny sub-tropical climbing palm that grows like a vine and can attain lengths of up to 600 feet.  From a strand of rattan, the skin is usually peeled off, to be used as rattan weaving material. The remaining “core” of the rattan can be used for various purposes in furniture making. Rattan is lightweight, durable, flexible, and because it grows more quickly and in a in a wider variety of conditions to most other subtropical hardwoods, and is considered to be sustainable.

Rattan furniture is easy to care for and when maintained properly, will provide years of enjoyment.

• Dust your rattan furniture regularly using a soft cloth
• Vacuum woven panels with a brush attachment
• Do not drag rattan chairs to avoid splitting the rattan reed

Solid Wood & Veneer Furniture

Quality wood furnishings are an investment that you expect to last. To maintain its natural beauty and protect your investment, wood furniture needs the right care.

Wood furniture is coated with a plasticized film that’s referred to as finish. Besides enriching the grain and adding luster to solid wood furniture, the finish seals and protects the wood from moisture, dirt and regular use.

These finishes are diverse and vary from simple nitrocellulose lacquers to more complex polyester resins. All modern wood furniture finishes are long lasting and provide the protection your furniture needs. Wood expands and contracts with the variations in temperature and humidity. Expect each piece of solid wood furniture to react differently depending on the type or species of wood used. Laminated woods and veneers are more stable than solid wood planks.

Use and Care – There are some simple things you can do to protect your fine furniture during everyday use. Following some of these tips can extend the life of the finish and the furniture itself.

• Keep furniture out of direct sunlight.
• Avoid placing furniture in front of or under windows.
• Place furniture away from heating and air conditioning vents.
• Blot up spills immediately.
• Use coasters, place mats and tablecloths to protect furniture during use.
• Lift and place items instead of sliding across furniture surfaces.
• Rotate accessories on your furniture periodically.
• Avoid prolonged use of plastic and rubber items on your furniture.
• Dust your furniture regularly and polish every 4-6 months.
• Use a protective pad when writing with a ballpoint pen on the furniture surface.
• Felt will protect your tabletops from scratches when used on the bottom of lamps, vases and other accessories.
• Avoid using household solvent-based products such as fingernail polish and polish removers around an unprotected finished surface. In case of spills, blot the spill immediately, do not wipe as this will spread the spill and may cause further damage. If the surface has not been damaged, clean and polish the tabletop. If the finish has been damaged, call a professional for an evaluation.

Cleaning and Polishing –  Cleaning your wood furniture regularly will help maintain the value of your furnishings. Dusting and cleaning removes the buildup of grease, lint and dust that can get ground into and damage the finish. Cleaning your furniture should be done with a soft lint free cotton or microfiber cloth dampened with water or furniture polish following the pattern of the grain. Use a light touch and rotate your cleaning cloth frequently. Follow by using a quality furniture polish to protect the cleaned surface per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Metals – Never use cleaners with alcohols or solvents on metals.  Only used fine cotton or extra soft cloths.  We recommend that tarnished metals be professionally cleaned.

Polished Metals or polished stainless should be wiped with a damp cloth. Do not use commercial or heavy duty polishes or waxes, as they may scratch or damage the finish.

Outdoor Furniture Care

Outdoor living and entertaining has always been a favorite during warm weather. The selection of materials and styles for your patio, pool, beach or balconies is as varied as ever. The quality of these furnishings has improved greatly and is reflected in the cost. Following some simple care suggestions will extend the life of your outdoor furniture and provide you with the service you expected.

The methods of care for teak will differ from the care and maintenance needed for aluminum furniture. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning and maintaining the finish at regular intervals. Some outdoor furniture finishes require reapplication at regular intervals. If you are unable to perform the regular maintenance, contact a professional refinisher in your area for assistance.

Teak

Teak is an extremely durable and weather-resistant hardwood from Southeast Asia. The naturally high oil content makes this wood stable when exposed to a range of climatic conditions. A centuries old favorite of marine builders, teak has become very popular for furniture manufacturing. Teak makes an excellent choice for outdoor furniture.

Unfinished Teak – Untreated or unfinished teak weathers with time to a silver-grey color and can be maintained easily with a periodic cleaning to remove accumulated dirt and some stains. Using a warm water and soap or detergent solution, gently scrub the wood in the direction of the grain. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry completely before use. Using a pressure nozzle on your garden hose will help to loosen most dirt and debris that has accumulated in corners and crevices. Pressure washing teak furniture should be done with extreme care as damage could result from the use of excessive pressure. A pressure of 1200 psi or less is sufficient. Adjust the nozzle to a fan pattern as opposed to a small jet stream and maintain 6-10” between the nozzle and the furniture surface being cleaned. Pre-wetting the furniture will help to soften dirt build up and require less pressure washing. Pressure washing may raise the grain of the wood and require a light sanding with a medium-fine sandpaper when completely dry. Sand lightly, following the direction of the grain of the wood. Sanding across the grain will leave visible scratches and require additional sanding to remove these scratches.

Oiled Teak – Oiled teak furniture requires regular care to maintain its rich, saturated finish. Following the manufacturers recommendation for the reapplication of the oil every 6 months (or whenever it begins to become faded) will help to preserve the new look of your outdoor teak furniture.

Teak furniture makes an excellent choice for outdoor living and if properly maintained will last a lifetime. If you are unable to perform the regular maintenance contact a professional refinisher in your area for assistance

Outdoor Fabrics – Clean with natural soap in lukewarm water. Sponge briskly and rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove dirt. Machine washing outdoor fabric that has not been backed is also acceptable. Air dry. Diluted chlorine bleach will not affect the coloration of the fiber and is acceptable for stain removal. Chlorine bleach will eventually affect the strength of any fiber, so we suggest a solution of one part bleach to two parts water. Thorough rinsing is essential.

Upholstery

Understanding upholstery and how to care for your furniture is essential. Before attempting to remove a stain from your furniture, it is helpful to verify what type of fabric the furniture is covered with. Most fabric companies provide standardized cleaning codes and instructions which list the preferred spot cleaning method. We suggest that you first test any cleaning product in an inconspicuous area.

Most hospitality-grade fabrics are generally pre-treated. However, over time this protection will wear off. It is also important to deodorize your upholstery on a regular basis. Deodorizers use enzymes to destroy offensive odors. They do this by consuming the matter which causes the smell. This will give your furniture and upholstery a pleasant scent.

Upholstery Cleaning Codes

S: Clean the fabric sparingly with a dry-cleaning solvent that’s water free. Test for color fastness, use sparingly.

W: Clean fabric with a water based solution, such as mild detergent and water or foam upholstery cleaner. Avoid over wetting.

WS: Depending on stain, use a water based solution, dry-cleaning solvent or upholstery shampoo.

X: Fabric should be professionally cleaned only. Vacuum or brush lightly to remove any accumulation of dust, dirt and debris. Do not use cleaning solvents or water based products on fabric.