7 Tips to Care for Your Antique Furniture
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Article by: Martin Swinton During your spring , Have Fun With Lighting! cleaning, don't forget to think about your antiques. In this month's column, we'll give you seven tips , Create a Luxurious Bathroom with the Designer's Touch to help you care for your antique furniture. , Hall Cabinets, Benches and Accent Chests Increasing in Popularity 1. Use paste wax Every couple of months, wax with a good quality paste wax that can be found in any hardware store. If you wax too much, it can dull the finish and attract dust. To remove a waxy build up, apply varesol with a clean cotton cloth. Proper waxing will bring up the color , Hall Cabinets, Benches and Accent Chests Increasing in Popularity and grain of the wood and protect it. Rub a small amount on a soft cloth and apply it in circular motions. Let it dry then buff with a clean cloth. 2. Don't use aerosol sprays Avoid aerosol spray polishes because they can contain silicone oil and other agents that can be harmful to your furniture. , The Language Silk Flowers For daily cleaning, use a clean cloth or a clean duster. For those who like to use something more, I recommend Orange Oil because it works well to clean and polish wood finishes. I like it because it doesn't leave a wax build up and doesn't contain linseed or silicone oil. 3. Use coasters A great deal of surface damage can be prevented if you always remember to use coasters, mats and trivets and avoid placing hot , Everything You Need to Know About Futon Covers and/or wet items directly on furniture. , The Language Silk Flowers 4. Avoid scratching furniture Never slide anything (vase, plate, serving dish etc) across a surface because it will scratch. A very light scratch can be treated with Restore-AFinish, a great multi-purpose product. , Update Your Home Decor Using Colorful Rugs Deep scratches require the skill , Recessed Lighting Fixtures of professional restorers. 5. Clean liquid spills Spilled water , How To Choose The Right Lamp Shades That Will Compliment Your Decor Perfectly should be thoroughly wiped up immediately. Alcohol and solvents (nail polish, nail polish remover, perfumes) should be dabbed, not wiped because they can act like a furniture , Shutters - Window Treatments That Beat Blinds Hands-Down stripper and damage the finish. White , Hanging Pot Racks rings left from either a hot , Everything You Need to Know About Futon Covers drink or a wet glass , What You Need to Know About Kitchen Colors should be attended to right away. A little Brasso applied with a clean cloth may do the trick. Or, I have found that Restor-A-Finish works well to remove white rings. Always test on a small area first. Remove candle wax - Wait for the wax to cool then gently loosen using a fingernail to remove. 6. Draw the drapes Just as sun , The Language Silk Flowers damage to the skin is cumulative and permanent, its effects on wood , Kitchen Table Dining Nook-A Perfect Addition to Any Kitchen are just as destructive. Diffused sunlight over a long period of time can be as detrimental as direct sunlight over a short period of time. Sunlight can turn a clear finish yellow.The only good news about sun , Residential Steam Showers damage is that it's easy to avoid. Draw the drapes, pull the blinds or have an UV-filtering film applied to your windows. , Slow-Down in Real Estate Market Not Slowing Furniture Sales 7. Don't ignore relative humidity Central heating is the worst thing to happen to antiques. A warm inside , Using Bamboo Blinds To Decorate Your Home and cold outside , A Mink Blanket Will Soften the Look of a Woo-Frame Occasional Chair makes life comfortable while wreaking havoc on antiques. It's the fluctuations in relative humidity that central heating creates which cause the problem. Wood , Using Bamboo Blinds To Decorate Your Home responds to relative humidity by expanding and contracting as it tries to maintain a balance with its environment. , Dining Room Furniture It's not the rapid changes 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 , An Informative Review of Popular Adjustable Beds months when it is cold outside and warm inside, , Recessed Lighting Fixtures wood , Bedroom Furniture Contemporary Choices: Beds tends to shrink. During hot , Taking Care of Your Futon Covers damp summers , Slow-Down in Real Estate Market Not Slowing Furniture Sales when it is warm outside and cooler inside, , Tips On Buying A New Mattress wood , The Language Silk Flowers 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, , Have Fun With Lighting! use a humidifier during the cold winter , Floral Photos Brighten Spring and Summer Decor and a dehumidifier in the damp summer. Think twice before putting a good piece of furniture , Mini Blinds are Superior Window Coverings for Small Places in a basement, , Slow-Down in Real Estate Market Not Slowing Furniture Sales attic, near heating vents or near fireplaces. Keep fresh air , Modern Bedding Will Give Your Bedroom the Facelift it Needs Without Costing You a Fortune circulating. Maintain a constant room , Bed Furniture Contemporary Choices: Beds temperature and turn it low at night.  |
  
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