Wooden furniture looks fabulous and if you've bought some for your home then you've made a great investment. But how do you keep your wood looking so good, especially if your house is home to children, pets and other furniture hazards?

The good news is that you should be able to keep your furniture in excellent condition for years, even decades, with a little bit of care and some periodic attention. This short article gives you some tips on how you can keep your wood furniture in great shape so that you and your family can enjoy it for many years to come.

Cleaning your wooden furniture

While wood is naturally a very resilient material, most wood furniture has been finished with oil or wax and you need to make sure that your cleaning products don't damage this finish. Don't use harsh sprays or chemicals which will take off this protective layer and cause it to dull and fade. Simply dusting the wood down with a clean and dry duster should do the trick. If there are tougher sticky marks to be dealt with then spray a small amount of natural furniture polish onto a duster and gently rub the mark in a circular motion until it lifts.

Avoid getting water on the wood

If spillages are cleaned up straight away then water should not penetrate the finish and leave a mark. Other liquids may be more harmful however. Blot spills rather than wiping as wiping only increases the surface area damaged. Put glasses and cups on coasters to avoid getting circular water marks when the bottom rests on the wood for a prolonged period.

Keep wood furniture out of direct heat and sunlight

Don't place your furniture near to radiators, fires or other heat sources as this can warp the wood and ensure that cups are always placed on coasters to avoid heat marks. Sunlight can cause wood to fade and lose its natural vibrant appearance, so avoid placing your furniture in these situations. If this is unavoidable then remember that fading will occur unevenly if you keep items on top of the surface (blocking the sun) for prolonged periods. You may wish to move these items around from time to time so that the surface colour remains consistent at least.

Waxing or oiling your wooden furniture

Natural wood furniture has a beautifully rustic appearance, each wood type with its own unique characteristics. Oil and wax finishing not only enhances that lovely grain but it also preserves and protects the wood itself, stopping water from getting in and scratches from showing up. To maintain wooden furniture in tip top condition, you really need to re-treat your wood every 12-18 months. Use wax or oil (whichever it was originally finished with) and rub it in with a clean, dry and soft cloth, following the direction of the grain. This will actually cover up small scratches, scuffs and stains and give your wood furniture that just-bought appearance once again.

Read the instructions!

If you've bought furniture from an online retailer like Furniture Shop UK or even from a store, most manufacturers and retailers will provide you with aftercare instructions. Check out the web (as you are doing now) and read the care manual for your individual furniture item.

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