The two great enemies of a well-finished wooden surface are heat and moisture. Wood and wooden veneers crack when they dry out too much, so keep your furniture away from radiators and out of direct sunlight. Wet encourages rot, mold and mildew, staining and swelling so, similarly, make sure wooden pieces are kept in reasonably dry conditions. Antiques should be kept in a safe place, protected from spills and generally cossetted. Your outdoor dining table in plantation teak may be more robust but it will still suffer if its feet are always sitting in damp grass.
To maintain the surface of indoor wooden furniture, polish it every few months with a good wax polish. Avoid silicone-based spray polishes for cherished furniture – it gives a hard, glassy shine which is inappropriate for wooden surfaces and it is almost impossible to remove afterwards. Dust the furniture regularly to prevent build-up of dirt, using a brush for awkward corners or carved detail, and wipe over sticky surfaces with a just-damp cloth.
Outdoor wooden furniture will usually come with specific instructions on its maintenance. Its surface may be pre-treated to help it resist the weather and you will probably need to renew this treatment each year. Cover the furniture when not in use, and bring it into indoor storage over the winter.
Small scratches on wooden furniture can be colored in with a pencil crayon and polished over. The old remedy of rubbing with a half-walnut can be surprisingly successful. Removing white rings from cups, vases etc is harder but there are usually proprietary treatments on sale which may reduce the stain. Mayonnaise or a mayonnaise-ash mix is also reported to work if rubbed in gently for a long time. (Ash is abrasive so watch out on your polished finishes.)
Care of wooden furniture includes protection while it’s in use. Use cloths, corkboard, coasters with upturned edges and table-mats to protect the wooden surface from heat and spills while serving and eating food. With a little care, your wooden furniture will continue to please you with its warm shine for many years!
Rattan Outdoor Furniture has more advice on caring for your wooden furniture, including rattan furniture of course!