We all know the value of these handcrafted pieces in your home.
Our Amish builders have worked long hours, carefully creating our furniture from solid wood. You have spent countless days, pondering your options, choosing the perfect design and color for this new household addition.
Our furniture doesn’t come without the price of time, dedication, and skill.
But seeing your new, dream furniture gleaming inside your humble abode is worth every ounce of effort and time.
Yet, like with every treasure, you must care for your furniture — properly and precisely. Luckily for you, furniture care is rather easy. In fact, it’s as simple as the ABC’s.
When it comes to furniture care, we find these three tips work best. They will help ensure your handcrafted masterpiece will live a long life in its original pristine condition.
A stands for…
Avoid Direct Exposure
When placing furniture in a room, avoid excessive exposure to sunlight and heaters. Harsh light or strong heat will fade and lighten the stain quicker. Take caution when placing the furniture in front of a window with direct sunlight on the surface.
The window may act as a magnifying glass and bake the wood. Don’t, however, cover the table with heavy vinyl or plastic table cloths. The color of these materials may leak onto the furniture’s surface over time and make a mark. We advise using shades or curtains to soften the sunlight’s effects. You can even install tinted windows for further protection of strong UV rays.
Tip: Remember this helpful motto for moving items on your furniture: Always Lift—Never Slide. Whenever moving objects on the surface of a furniture top, lifting will protect your piece from potential scratches.
Never place anything hot directly on the furniture; hot pads work great to protect the surface from heat. We know home wouldn’t quite feel like home without the comforting scent of a favorite candle. Don’t worry; just place a candle holder underneath and the warming wax won’t affect your furniture’s wood surface.
B stands for…
Be Careful of Humidity
Keep a sharp eye out on your home’s humidity levels, especially low humidity. Temperature, on the other hand, isn’t a major factor in caring for your solid wood furniture — Humidity is.
It is natural for wood to swell and contract with fluctuating temperatures and changing environments. Before the furniture is built, the wood is kiln dried. If it becomes too dry, however, the wood may crack or split at the joints. That’s why monitoring the humidity is important to the beauty and structure of the piece.
To minimize this movement, we recommend a indoor humidity of 30% or above.
Tip: For wood or coal burners, ideal humidity can be accomplished by simply keeping a water kettle on the top of the stove. This step will give your room enough humidity so that your furniture doesn’t over dry.
C stands for…
Clean Spills Quickly
Messes happen. Your home is a place you should feel comfortable enough in to enjoy yourself without worrying about spills.
Instead, ensure your furniture’s safety by being quick to wipe up any spills on your furniture. While the protective varnish on your furniture will fight against any spilled liquid, prolonged exposure may cause damage.
Don’t underestimate a damp cloth for cleaning your furniture and fighting dust bunnies along with the other many messes of life.
A soft, lint-free cloth will gently wipe away the grime of daily life without being too abrasive, like a dry cloth, for the handcrafted furniture. Lightly clean with a soft touch while rotating your cloth often.
Tip: When it comes to cleaning, it’s best to avoid silicon based polishes.
We recommend Heirloom Essentials, a trustworthy brand that won’t leave a waxy buildup or film on your furniture. You can find this cleaner at our Peaceful Valley Furniture store in Strasburg.
Plan ahead and prepare for messes ahead of time. Use coasters or place mates when eating. Place padding under anything sharp like knives or pens.
But the best advice we can give you is very simple: enjoy your furniture. Don’t be afraid to make memories and enjoy life.
Life is too short to be worried about dents and scratches!
Be good stewards of your furniture — like the Amish! — of course, but try not to let the fear of damage keep you come making the memories that you’ll cherish the rest of your life!
Information gathered from a local employee of a Amish workshop and from furniturecaretips.com.
