How to care for wooden furniture and the best cleaning methods
Furniture maintenance rules vary depending on the type of materials from which home furniture is made. To preserve such products, it is also important to observe the operating conditions and regularly clean the surfaces of any contamination. At the same time, caring for furniture in the house does not require serious effort and does not take much time.
Features of support for various types
Regardless of the type of materials used in the manufacture of household furniture, the maintenance of furniture requires compliance with the following rules:
- ambient temperature - above +10 degrees;
- humidity level - 50-70%;
- location - away from sunlight and heat sources;
- in contact with the liquid, it must be eliminated immediately.
Furniture care products are selected based on the type of material and other characteristics of a particular item.The tree does not tolerate changes in temperature and humidity. Therefore, maintaining the microclimate in the house is considered a prerequisite for the preservation of furniture.
chipboard
The main requirement for the operation of furniture made of chipboard is that the room should maintain humidity at a level of 50-70%. Failure to follow this rule will cause the plates that make up this material to scatter.
natural wood
The tree has a porous structure. As a result, dirt and grease seep into the material. As a result, it is impossible to clean furniture from old stains. In addition, it is more difficult to eliminate fats, since they are prone to polymerization. For this reason, professional detergents are not able to cope with such stains.
In addition, it is recommended to periodically wax furniture made of natural wood.
MDF
MDF furniture is less demanding to maintain. This material tolerates high humidity well. Most often, problems with such furniture arise due to defects that arose either during operation or at the production stage.
Bright
Glossy surfaces are "afraid" of scratches and direct sunlight. Such furniture should be cleaned regularly (daily) with a dry felt or flannel cloth. It is recommended to remove stains from glossy surfaces with a mixture of ammonia and water (ratio 1: 6).
Cleaning rules and methods
As noted earlier, the rules for cleaning furniture depend on the material from which household items are made.In particular, natural wood and varnished surfaces do not tolerate the effects of aggressive substances and detergents, which contain abrasive particles.
Weather conditions
The following conditions are considered optimal for wooden furniture:
- air temperature - from +10 to +25 degrees;
- humidity level - more than 45% and up to 70%.
As the humidity level increases, the wood swells and mold develops on the surface and inside the material. Due to excessive dryness of the air, the furniture dries out. Both of these factors cause wood to crack.
Use of chemicals
Before using chemical cleaners, it is necessary to clarify whether the selected agent is suitable for specific materials.
Presto Clean Towels
These wipes, impregnated with natural oils, are used for the daily cleaning of wooden and lacquered furniture. Presto Clean acts as an antistatic agent. Thanks to this, dust does not settle on the furniture after cleaning.
Furniture Wax Cleaner Spray
The product is formulated with citrus terpenes and silicone to prevent dust from settling and remove existing scratches. After treatment with this product, a layer forms on the surface, which protects against contamination for a long time.
Wood conditioner
Wood Reviver contains organic oils that prevent wood from cracking and warping. This tool removes various impurities, including grease. Wood Reviver is recommended for the restoration of antique furniture.
Repairing Oil Danish Oil
Danish Oil contains a blend of natural oils that penetrate deep layers of wood, protect the material from ultraviolet rays and restore old furniture.
Review of folk methods
Traditional methods of caring for wooden products are no less effective than professional ones. In this case, the type of material to be processed must also be taken into account.
walnut
Walnut is used to remove scratches on the wood surface. To do this, it is enough to wipe the defect back and forth. Then you need to leave the material for a few minutes and remove the remnants of the nut with a dry towel.
Paraffin
Paraffin wax is used to remove traces left by hot objects on the varnished surface.
This substance should be rubbed into the problem area, then covered with blotting paper and held on top with a heated iron.
hot knife
A hot knife is mainly used to remove large defects that cannot be removed with the indicated means. With a heated blade, cut out some of the material near the scratch, then insert similar-sized glue-soaked wood into that recess.
Use gasoline against mildew
To get rid of traces of mold on furniture, it is recommended to wipe problem areas with a rag soaked in gasoline.
Potato
If there are fingerprints on the varnished surface, wipe the problem area with peeled raw potatoes.
oil and wax
Vegetable oil is used to remove traces of water left on the varnished surface. After cleaning, the material should be wiped with crushed wax.
Olive Oil Polish Recipes
Olive oil creates a protective layer and prevents the wood from drying out. Therefore, this agent often goes into the composition of various varnishes.
Lemon juice
By mixing a tablespoon of oil and 2 - lemon juice, you can get a cleaner for wooden surfaces from dirt.
In white vinegar
Vinegar has the same properties as lemon juice. Therefore, you can use similar ratios (1:2) to create a cleanser.
With beeswax
To create a polish according to this recipe, you need to melt 2 tablespoons of beeswax in a steam bath and mix it with a glass of olive oil and half a teaspoon of essential oil.
After cooling, the resulting polish should be rubbed into the damaged surface with a cotton cloth.
Lighting requirements
The only requirement for the illumination of the room in which wooden furniture is installed is that direct sunlight should not fall on household items.Under such influence, the material fades, and the lacquered surface loses its original shine.
Little secrets for different types of wood
Fine wood furniture requires more careful maintenance. Such items do not tolerate the proximity of heat sources.
Nut
For remove small scratches on furnituremade from this material, it is recommended to use an iodine solution. Brazil nuts are also used for these purposes. Both methods are not suitable for grouting large dents.
Oak
A mixture of 5 grams of sugar, 10 grams of wax and 200 milliliters of beer helps clean oak surfaces from dirt. This composition must be boiled before application.
red tree
To clean it from dirt, mahogany furniture should be wiped with burdock oil.
Ebony
A mixture of red wine and olive oil helps clean ebony surfaces.
How to maintain wooden facades?
The maintenance of wooden facades is carried out in compliance with the above conditions: do not use damp cloths, degrease immediately after the appearance of stains, etc. When cleaning, it is also important to clean the joints of different parts of the structure. In addition, it is recommended to vacuum the facades once a week using a soft-bristled nozzle.
How to recover?
A number of defects formed on wooden furniture can be eliminated with your own hands. This includes minor scratches, fingerprints and streaks.
Delete prints
To remove fingerprints, wipe the contaminated surface with peeled potatoes or talcum powder.
How to remove scratches?
The methods to solve this problem depend on the type of surface to be treated:
- on oak furniture - treat with a solution of weak iodine;
- on ordinary wood - rub a small amount of shoe polish;
- on DPS or MDF - paint with a marker or wax crayon in the same color as the furniture.
To remove scratches from wood, a mixture of melted wax and turpentine, taken in a ratio of 4: 3, is also used. In this composition you need to enter 2 parts of alcohol. Having prepared such a putty, you need to wipe the scratch with a woolen cloth soaked in gasoline, and then apply the resulting product to the problem area.
How to get rid of drops?
To remove streaks from shiny surfaces, use a mixture of water and ammonia, taken in a 6:1 ratio.
Daily grooming rules
To keep the furniture in its original form for a long time, it is recommended to avoid contact of the wood with aggressive substances (petrol, acids and others), regularly wipe the varnished surfaces with a dry cloth and promptly remove traces of grease, water, fingers.If small scratches appear, these must be cleaned immediately.
Tips & Tricks
If the room where the wooden furniture is installed is constantly damp, the back wall of the household furniture should be covered with paper. This will remove some of the moisture. It is also necessary to regularly air the rooms in order to normalize the humidity level.
Compliance with this recommendation helps to avoid the appearance of beetles in the room, which gnaw the wood.