5 Tips to Avoid Damaging Your Antiques

Article by: Martin Swinton

You've bought a great antique. Now what? Here's what you need to know to avoid damaging your newfound treasures.

1. Ignoring Effects of Relative Humidity

Today's central heating wreaks havoc on antiques. It's the fluctuations in relative humidity caused by central heating that results in real damage.

Wood responds to relative humidity by expanding and contracting as it tries to maintain a balance with its environment. , Finding Furniture That You Can Enjoy It's not the rapid changes , Blinds during the course of a day that cause the most damage. It's the long-term seasonal fluctuations, which cause the serious damage.

During the dry winter , The Benefits of Hookless Shower Curtains months when it is cold outside , Warm And Cozy Down Comforters Will Turn Your Bed Into A Luxurious Sanctuary! and warm inside, , Warm And Cozy Down Comforters Will Turn Your Bed Into A Luxurious Sanctuary! wood , Bed In A Bag - A Fantastic Solution To Your Interior Decorating Needs tends to shrink. During hot , Making A Bedroom Useful With A Stanley Mirror Door damp summers , The History of the Tiffany Lamp when it is warm outside , How to Buy Discount Bamboo Flooring and cooler inside, , Mission Style Lighting - It's Timeless Beauty Continues wood , The History of the Tiffany Lamp tends to expand. Long-term exposure to these conditions leads to cracking, warping and splitting.

To guard against the fluctuations in relative humidity in your home, , Kitchen Counter Top Materials use a humidifier during the dry winter , Eiderdown, For a Princely Sum You Can Sleep Like Royalty. and a dehumidifier in the damp summer. , Eiderdown, For a Princely Sum You Can Sleep Like Royalty. Think twice before putting quality furniture , Storage Ottomans in the basement, , Spruce Up Your House With A Country Style Home Decor Theme attic, near heating vents or next to your fireplace. Keep fresh air , Storage Ottomans circulating. Maintain a constant room , California King Bedding Cannot Be Interchanged With Standard King Bedding temperature and turn it down at night.

2. Overlooking Impact of Sunlight

Just as sun , 7 Budget Kitchen Decorating Ideas damage to the skin is cumulative and permanent, its effects on wood , Tips On Choosing A Futon Bed are equally destructive. Diffused sunlight over a long period of time can be as harmful as direct sunlight over a short period of time. Sunlight can turn a clear finish yellow. The only good news about sun , Five Quick and Cheap Ways to Decorate for Fall damage is that it's easy to avoid. Draw the drapes, pull the blinds or have an UV-filtering film applied to your windows. , Mattress Shopping May Score You an Extra Snooze

3. Thinking You Are an Accomplished Furniture , Contemporary Rugs - Home Decorating With Contemporary Area Rugs Restorer

Unless you are an expert furniture , Bathroom Vanity Sinks restorer, don't attempt to repair , Why A Mattress Pad Matters broken legs, burn marks or other damage. Inexperienced individuals can strip off patina causing irreversible damage. Leave restoration to professionals. In the long run, it is worth the investment.

4. Over Cleaning Antiques

Remember that less is more when cleaning antiques. Every couple of months, treat your wood furniture , The History of the Tiffany Lamp a good quality paste wax that can be found in any hardware , Five Quick and Cheap Ways to Decorate for Fall store. Waxing too often can dull a finish and attract dust. Avoid aerosol spray polishes because they can contain silicone and other agents that can be harmful to your furniture. , Slipcovers are a Simple and Easy Make-over for any Room

For daily cleaning, use a clean cloth or a clean duster. For those who like to use something more, I recommend Orange Oil by Howard Products , Feng Shui Tips for Your Kitchen because it cleans and polishes wood , Tips On Choosing A Futon Bed finishes very well. Orange Oil is one of my favourites because it does not leave a wax build-up, and contains neither linseed nor silicone.

5. Rough-Handing Your Antiques

Some repairs , Use A Wallpaper Border For A Budget Backsplash to antique furniture , Tips On Choosing A Futon Bed can be avoided with more considerate care. Don't lean back on antique chairs , Shedding Some Light on Lantern History or pick them up from the back of the chair, , Spruce Up Your House With A Country Style Home Decor Theme rather lift front and back together. This type of handling coupled with the effects of relative humidity and a chair , 'Let There be Light" also Applies to Your Home back may result in your chair , The History of the Tiffany Lamp back becoming unhinged, requiring repair. , Different Mattresses = Different Benefits Avoid scratches and water , Decorating Your Teens Bedroom damage by using coasters.

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium, an antique shop located in Toronto, Canada. He does furniture , 'Let There be Light" also Applies to Your Home restoration, caning and rushing repairs, , Contemporary Rugs - Home Decorating With Contemporary Area Rugs custom reproductions, upholstery, teaches courses on antiques and does appraisals for estates and community events. He can be reached at 416-785-4555 or by visiting http://www.takeaboo.com

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