Furniture tips

Wood Care   Upholstery Care

Fine quality furniture will give you years of trouble free use with just a little care. In this section we will try to give you a few simple instructions for the care and feeding of your furniture. At the same time we will try and dispel a few myths and “old wife’s tales”.

For example, do you know the difference between a furniture polish and a wax? Do you need to “feed” the wood to keep it from drying out? How about the care of leather? And why could washing your windows spell doom for your brass lamps? We will explain all of these and more in an ever expanding series of quick hints and tips.

And if you have a question for us please go to our contact page and email your question to us and we will try and get you a personal answer. You may even see your question added to this page!

Wood Care

Dusting- Quality furniture finishes have been rubbed down with mild abrasives at the factory to achieve the desired sheen. This is always done with the grain of the wood and leaves a microscopic scratch pattern in the lacquer. Dust is also an abrasive and even careful dusting will leave tiny scratches. Therefore always dust in very straight lines with the grain. The simplest cloth is an old white 100% cotton shirt with a spritz of water to pick up the dust.

Cleaners- There are lemon oils, soaps, sprays and cleaners by the hundreds on the market. While some are useful, many are worthless to harmful.
As outlined above, the clear lacquer topcoat is designed to keep liquids of any sort from reaching the wood. So any product that purports to ‘nourish’, ‘moisturize’, or ‘restore lost oils’ will do nothing of the sort. Oil based cleaners will actually clean. But they also leave a thin film of oil. This will provide a temporary shine, but also will cause dust to stick to the surface. It also may show fingerprints, streaks and smudges.
In our opinion any product with silicone should be avoided. It does provide a desirable sheen. But silicone products are commonly used to provide water repellency to fabrics. In the same way it will repel any other cleaner, wax or polish applied to the furniture. So once you start with it you are committed forever. Many of our customers report that their furniture gets to a point that the finish looks patchy, streaky or cloudy. Trying to restore the original patina is next to impossible. Over long periods the silicone will penetrate the clear coat and get into the wood grain. Then even chemical strippers are useless. Once in the wood, only heavy duty sanding to remove all the affected wood will solve the problem.

Polishes- Now here is something we recommend. A good quality polish is like Windex™ for your windows. The film that gets on your windows gets on your furniture too. Just as you can wash your windows as often as you wish, so a quality polish may be used to keep your furniture in like new condition. (Of course, never use any product with ammonia, such as window cleaner, on your furniture.) Good polish will not contain wax, silicone, abrasives or leave any oily film. It will not leave a protective barrier or add sheen. It is designed to clean the furniture and leave the finish in like new condition. Here we sell Guardsman™ polish. It is recommended by more furniture manufacturers than all others, and our customers report excellent results.

Waxes- In areas where extra protection or a higher sheen is desirable, wax may be the answer. Any good quality furniture, floor, bowling alley or butchers block wax is fine, as most are the same formula. Just be sure that the container says it is made for furniture! A dresser top that may get hit by a drop of perfume, or a coffee table or dining table that may get spills are good candidates for a wax topcoat. Be sure the finish is clean and dry to start, and do a small portion at a time. Paste wax is harder to apply and take off, liquid waxes just the opposite. Follow directions carefully, being careful not to let paste waxes dry before wiping off.
Once you start with wax, stay with wax. Just dust in between, but do not use polishes. Remember, they are mild cleaners and will soften the wax, but not remove it. The result could be ‘mud’. Two coats of wax on a table top to start, then another coat once or twice per year will provide excellent protection. This is a case where a ‘wax buildup’ is desirable. That glow or patina that we admire in well cared for antiques comes from a wax topcoat that has been developed over many years. It will add visual depth to the finish, hide minor scratches, and protect against most spills. If a wet glass left overnight produces a ring or blush mark it will be in the wax, not the finish. Remove the wax and the ring leaves too! Wax can be removed with mineral spirits, the ingredient in paint thinner. (Not turpentine!) Paint thinner will safely dissolve the wax without hurting the lacquer underneath. Then recoat with wax to restore the shine.

Deep cleaning older pieces
In spite of your best efforts, or maybe because of them, your furniture may acquire a cloudy, streaky, or muddy appearance. No product or amount of elbow grease seems to help. This is not due to a wax build up, but usually a product mix up! Through the years various polishes, cleaners, waxes ands oils have been used. Do you have a cleaning service? Have you had several? They are notorious for using what is easy, not right.
Finally you realize that the wood grain can’t be seen and the finish has a gray tinge. Don’t call the refinisher! It is time to really clean the finish. We carry Guardsman wood Cleaner ™ made for just such a job. It will safely take off all the gook and bring the finish back to its original state. Then add a final coat of polish or wax, and you piece should take on a new luster and life!

Upholstery Care

Stain protection- Most stores will offer stain protection at an additional cost. Before saying yes, ask some questions. Are you merely purchasing an insurance policy, or is there an actual product that will be applied? An insurance policy is fine as long as you realize that there is no actual protection against stains being applied. The policy may guarantee removal of the stain, but would you rather that the stain did not penetrate the fabric and cause a problem in the first place?
If you have a product applied, inquire about what kind of stains are and are not covered. Are there limits on common food dyes found in drinks and popsicles? What about pet stains, blood, pens and markers?
If you find a stain and report it, what happens next? The salesperson should be able to walk you through the steps that the company will take to remedy your problem. Does it all seem reasonable and customer friendly?
How long is the warranty? Is it pro rated, that is, declining coverage as the years pass? If all else fails to remedy the stain issue, what does the company do? In most cases they will simply refund the cost of the stain protection, but you are left with the stain!

Here at Westwood Furniture we offer a product called Fabricoate™, and their coverage may give you an idea of what you should expect if you purchase stain protection for your new furniture. Currently we charge $75 to treat a sofa, $35 for a chair. It is manufactured by Guardsman Chemical, and we have offered it since the early 60’s. We like it because it works and it has a superb warranty.
We spray it on the day before it is shipped to your home. Our staff requires no special protective gear when spraying it, it has no odor when dry, does not change the feel of the fabric or it’s color. It will not wear off and if you have the piece professionally cleaned it will not remove the protection.
Their 10 year limited warranty covers anything that may be consumed, or discharged, by humans. There is fine print to the warranty, but here is an overview of how it works.
Should you spill a consumable liquid most can be blotted up with a paper towel. Blobs of ice cream, tomato sauce and the like can be scooped off with a butter knife. The residue can then be removed with a well wrung out sponge and a gentle rub.
Should you discover a stain that has dried, Guardsman has an 800 number for you to call. They will offer suggestions that should remedy the problem. If their suggestions do not work, a return call to the 800 number will start the 3 step warranty process:
1- They will hire a pro to clean the stain.
2- If they fail to remove the stain, Guardsman will ask us to get fabric and they will pay to have the affected area recovered.
3- If the fabric is not available, Guardsman will write you a check for the original cost of the piece, and take the piece out of your home!

Their warranty does have exclusions, including overall soil. You cannot use a sofa for many years and then expect ground in dirt to magically come out!

Day to day care- A little maintenance will go a long way!
First, vacuum your furniture. The dust that you see on your end tables settles on your upholstery too. What would your tables look like if the dust accumulated for a year? Well, all that dust is in your fabrics! Is it any wonder that your furniture looks a little dingy? Vacuum under the cushions too!
Second, have your furniture professionally cleaned every few years. We Americans are funny about this. We will buy a two piece suit for $200, wear it once a month, and take it to the cleaners every year. At $12 per cleaning, in 5 years we will spend $60 to keep a $200 suit looking right. But we purchase a sofa for $1000, use it and see it every day, and never consider having it cleaned!!
Expect to pay about $75 for a sofa and $50 for a chair, when cleaned as part of a ‘package’ price.
Third, turn and rotate seat cushions to insure even wear. Fluff throw pillows and back cushions.
Other “no-brainers” include: don’t sit on arms; take your shoes off if you put your feet up, don’t allow jumping on the furniture, and sit on the furniture, don’t fall into the furniture.

There is a stain! What do I do?
If you see it happen, don’t panic. If it is a liquid get a paper towel and blot, don’t rub. If any remains, call the store where you bought it and ask for advice. If you purchased stain protection (see above) check your warranty.
We generally do not recommend going right to a cleaning agent. We hate the phone calls where a client has tried a remedy, made it worse, and then call us. But there are some fairly safe home remedies.
If the stain is similar to salad oil or grease from a pizza, try rubbing a little corn starch or baby powder into the stain. Both will absorb oil and can be easily vacuumed out.
If you discover a stain that appears to be dried non greasy food or dirt, try gentle brushing with a stiff bristle brush. My favorite ‘secret weapon’ is a small vegetable brush. It is amazing how many stains will brush out of today’s synthetic fabrics.
Notice that I have not recommended a liquid cleaning agent. Should you decide that you must use one you must be certain of the Cleaning Code for your fabric. (See below) Then choose the correct type of cleaning agent and always test the cleaner on an inconspicuous area first! If it leaves no ring or other side effect, use it sparingly. Never soak a stain. That will only spread it further and drive it deeper into the material. The technique is to use just enough agent to loosen/dissolve the stain and then quickly blot it up into a dry cloth.

Cleaning codes on fabrics
Fabrics may be made out of natural or synthetic fibers, or a blend of both. All will have a cleaning code which will be your guide to removing stains. These codes are found on the fabric swatches at a store or from the factory that made the furniture.
W- Water based cleaners should be used.
S- Solvents only. In my opinion this is a bad name. It means dry cleaning agents only. No water based agents.
WS- Either type may be used.
X- No cleaners at all! Vacuum only. (Rarely seen)
In all cases, test any cleaner in an inconspicuous location. There are hundreds of products. No fabric company can guarantee that all are safe for their fabrics. Cleaners may make dyes run, fade or leave a ring. Try them on the back edge of a cushion near the zipper, or lift a skirt and test on the back.

Never, never!
We occasionally have customers report that that they have thrown cushion casings in the washer and the results have been terrific. These are some of the luckiest people in the world. I want them to buy me some lottery tickets! Never, never, never put your casings in the wash or take them to the dry cleaners! The results may be disastrous. These are not clothing fabrics. Have a reputable professional clean your furniture in your home.