Now that you've purchased your beautiful new furniture, we want to help you take care of your investment. Below you’ll find general information on how to clean and maintain leather, wood, and fabric.
Wood Care
It's the nature of wood to have knots, mineral deposits, worm holes, and unusual grain patterns. Each piece is as individual as a fingerprint and will take stain slightly different - even two boards from the same tree. This is inherent to wood and isn't a defect.
How to Care for Wood Furniture
Here's how you can care for your wood furniture to maintain its appearance and structure:
- Avoid placing your furniture in highly humid or dry areas, such as directly next to air vents.
- Direct sunlight may darken wood furniture.
- Use coasters and tablecloths or placemats when dining to avoid scratches, dings, and water rings.
- Place trivets under serving dishes, especially hot plates, to keep heat from damaging the finish.
- Wipe up spills immediately.
- Tough, sticky spots may require a small amount of dish soap. Rinse clean with a damp cloth and dry any excessive moisture.
- Clean your wood furniture with a lint free, lightly water-dampened cloth.
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth.
- Dust particles can be abrasive, so always dust with the grain and not against it.
- Do not use harsh chemicals or abrasives on any finish.
- Store table leaves properly flat; otherwise they can warp if placed on their sides.
- Don't stand on chairs or tilt back while seated. It's dangerous and will loosen the joints. (Decorative wood spindles are fragile and will break when subject to undue stress).
Leather Care
Genuine leather is one of the few materials that gets better with age. Continued use only makes it more comfortable.
Nature loves to be creative and, as a result, no two pieces of leather are identical. Even the same hide has shade differences due to higher or lower density of the material's fibrous structure. There may be distinctive marks from barbed wire nicks, branding, scratches, and even insect bites, lending each piece of furniture its own personality. Only true leather can boast these marks without cause for a warranty claim.
How to Care for Wood Furniture
Cushion care for leather upholstery requires the same care as fabric upholstery:
- Fluff and rotate any loose seat and back cushions at least once a week.
- Leather can fade so it should be kept out of direct sunlight.
- Dust regularly with a dry cloth and vacuum as needed.
- Blot liquid spills immediately with a clean, absorbent cloth or sponge.
Cleaning methods will depend on the type of leather purchased. Check your leather type - aniline/protected leather, wax pull up leather, oil pull up leather, or nubuck leather - prior to cleaning or conditioning to ensure you have the appropriate product.
Upholstery Care
Quality upholstered furniture is designed to last, but it requires regular maintenance.
How to Care for Upholstered Furniture
Follow these steps to make sure your upholstered pieces look their best for a long time to come:
- Flip, fluff, and rotate loose seat and back cushions at least once a week to distribute material and wear evenly. Keep in mind that although cushions may feel firm on the day of delivery, they will soften and settle with time.
- Vacuum all fabric on a weekly basis using the upholstery attachments to pick up any loose particles and debris that could cause your upholstery to wear.
- Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight.
- All fabrics and leather will fade over time.
- Place furniture cups or non-skid disks underneath legs to help protect your floors and carpet.
- Periodic cleaning by a professional upholstery cleaning service is highly recommended.
Cleaning
Professional cleaning is preferred when it comes to upholstery. If you decide to spot clean on your own, be sure to follow industry standard cleaning methods indicated by the fabric codes found on the law tag:
- Always pre-test cleaning agents in a small, inconspicuous area before proceeding.
- Never use strong chemicals or detergents.
- When cleaning a spill, blot immediately (never rub) with a clean, absorbent white cloth.
- Clean spots or stains from the outside to the middle of the affected area to prevent rings.
- Pile fabrics may require brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush to restore appearance.