Wood furniture Care
Four Simple Steps for Wood Furniture Care 

When it comes to wood furniture care, the process is simple and easy. A key to keeping your wood furniture looking great over the years is to provide it with proper care and maintenance. From regular dusting to fixing any potential problems before they occur, remember that the worst thing that you can do for your furniture is to completely ignore it.

Step One: Dust Regularly

Dust is something that can do much more harm than good. In addition to giving your home an unclean look and potentially aggravating allergies in susceptible individuals, dusting regularly can help you keep your wood conditioned.
Instead of using a thick polish, wax, or spray that may damage the finish of your wood furniture over time, consider using a natural element like lemon or orange oil. A dry, soft cloth can work wonders for any pieces and is the most used tool in proper wood furniture care by far.
In addition to removing the dust and dirt that accumulates on your wood furniture, you are also adding oil back into the wood to keep it from drying out and potentially splitting or cracking.

Step Two: Keep it Clean

If your wood furniture becomes particularly dirty, clean it up with a mixture of soap and water. Be sure to keep the rag or sponge slightly damp to avoid saturating the wood with water, which can cause the wood to warp or the finish to buckle.
Furthermore, the soap that you use should be a non-alkaline based soap and the entire piece should be immediately dried to prevent the wood from soaking up the solution.

Step Three: Make Repairs when Necessary

When you notice that your wood furniture is in need of repair, then you should do so immediately. This is especially true with pieces like tables and chairs, which usually see a good deal of wear and tear.
By leaving your wood pieces damaged and using them in that state, you can do more damage or potentially ruin the piece completely. If you are experienced in furniture repair, then consider taking on the task yourself.
However, if you are unsure of the proper steps needed in repairing your piece of furniture, then seek the help of a professional. To keep your furniture in top shape, you should regularly check your pieces to determine the stability of the joints and to see if any damage has occurred.

Step Four: Customize the Climate

Since wood is a natural element, humidity plays a huge part in its condition. For this reason, you should strive to create a natural environment that is appropriate for your furniture, especially if you are prone to hot, humid summers.
Try to keep your furniture out of direct sunlight, as the sun can bleach and dry out your furnishings. Also, maintain the humidity between 25 and 35 percent. This will ensure that your wood does not dry out, but that is also does not become saturated and warp or bow.

Upholstery Care

The ABCs of Upholstery Care

Upholstered furniture is a fantastic addition to any home, but it can quickly look dull and lifeless unless properly maintained. For this reason, consider the ABCs of upholstery care to keep your upholstered pieces looking fresh and new.

A – Act Quickly

When it comes to removing stains or spills, be sure to act quickly. Allowing a stain to set for a few hours  (or even days) is the worst thing you can do since stains are much more difficult to remove once they are trapped within the fibers of the upholstery material.
If you happen to experience a spill or stain, immediately blot the area with a dry cloth. When the cloth is no longer picking up any liquid, begin the removal process. If your upholstered fabric is protected against stains, then the majority of potentially disastrous stains can be wiped away quickly and easily.
However, you may need to use stain removal products for those especially tough stains. Be sure to use products that will not remove dyes from the upholstery fabric and keep the area as dry as possible, since wet fibers can stretch and warp.

B – Bring in Professionals

Whether your furniture needs a proper cleaning or you have experienced a particularly difficult stain, consider brining in professional help for your upholstered furniture.
When choosing a professional cleaner, be sure that the company does not use tetrachloride-based products, as they could damage the integrity of the fabric.
Also, search for a cleaner that does not use wet methods of cleaning upholstery, since wet cleaning can damage the upholstery fabric or the filler inside your cushions.

C – Clean Regularly

A regular cleaning to remove dust from your upholstery fabric is essential in keeping your furniture looking great. Gently dust the surface of your furniture at least once a month.
In addition to removing any dusts and other allergens, this cleaning will maintain the quality of the fabric fibers. By cleaning your upholstery fabric on a regular basis, you are eliminating potential problems caused by lack of proper maintenance.
This especially includes the head and arm rests of upholstered furniture, as body oils can be transferred from the skin and hair into the fibers of the fabric.

D – Dry is Best

Instead of cleaning your upholstered items with wet cleansers, stick to dry ones. Wetting your fabric’s fibers can cause them to stretch or break, while wet filling can mold, mildew, or rot.
Whenever cleaning your upholstery items at home, stick to dry solutions and be sure to hire only professional cleaners with dry solutions as well.

Leather furniture Care
The Do’s and Don’ts of Leather Furniture Care

When it comes to cleaning leather furniture, there is certainly a right way and a wrong way. Since leather is a natural material, it often requires a bit more attention and care then a typical upholstery fabric. A lot of owners of leather furniture find themselves confused over the proper care and actually do more harm by completely ignoring their pieces.
Do not be afraid of your leather furniture, as it will require light maintenance to keep it looking its best. Since leather will develop a natural patina over time, this process is not designed to keep your leather looking new, but rather keep your leather clean and supple for years to come.
Something as simple as regularly removing the dust from the surface of your leather furniture with a damp cloth is an excellent start in your leather furniture care.

Leather Conditioners

A key element in leather furniture care is using the proper conditioner. These special liquids are designed to return oils to the leather and keep the material soft and supple. For the best leather conditioner to use on your specific pieces of furniture, we recommend using Ultra Shield.  You can buy a kit from us  including an extended warranty with any new furniture purchase.
However, just like anything else that you plan to use on your leather furniture, you should be sure to test a small piece of leather that is not visible to ensure that no negative effects will occur. Using a conditioner every two to three months is one of the keys to keeping your leather looking fantastic.

Cleaning Leather Furniture

Just like cleaners for upholstered furniture, there are cleaners available for leather furniture. Everyone will experience the occasional spill and stain, so be sure to have a bottle of this liquid on hand in the event of an accident.
The most critical thing about spills or stains is to begin work immediately to remove the mark. Wipe up any excess by carefully blotting the area. Continue doing this with a dry cloth until all liquid is gone.
Before trying leather cleanser, you can attempt to remove the stain by further blotting the area with water. In many cases, you may be able to remove the stain without any excess chemicals. However, should you need to use leather cleaner, you should be sure the chemical is water soluble.
If the stain consists of ink or is an oil-based stain, then you may need to seek professional assistance for removing the stain. When dealing with an oil-based stain (including grease or butter), do not use water, as it can worsen the stain.