At Martinica Collection we put at your disposal a wide representation of furniture of oriental origin. Its adventurous style makes you fall in love and allows every home to enjoy the beauty of Asian wood. However, if you have already enjoyed our decorative furniture or are thinking of doing so, it is very possible that you are wondering what is the best way to take care of them and extend their useful life.
Many internet forums promise that buying the most expensive wood will give you the best result. The thickness and shine of our pieces denotes its quality, but from our blog we would love to tell you the best ways to preserve it with your own hands.
Dust, insects and circular debris after placing a glass of water are just some of the common problems. Here we leave you solutions for everyone, from the simplest to those that make us suppose that we will have to reinvest in our furniture. The important thing is that your wood maintains or recovers its shine and aesthetics, just as when it first came home.
Daily care
We use tables, stools, benches and baskets for everything. We do not notice that, day by day, we wear out our furniture by placing things on them or exposing them to the inclemency of the environment. If you don’t have time to go over them every day, make it a goal to clean them at least once a week.
If you mix warm water, equal parts lemon or ashes with olive oil and then spread the result on your furniture, you will help restore the natural shine of the wood. On the other hand, to remove dirt, try rubbing the surface gently with a cloth and preferably neutral soap. To dry or remove excess substances, do so with kitchen paper or a dry cloth.
Care of unvarnished furniture
If you are one of those who love unvarnished furniture because you think they give your home a different aesthetic, this section is for you. The roughest and most natural wood also needs your care. For this, waxes and lasures are produced, products that do not completely close the pores of the wood, but help to protect them.
- The wax helps create a thin layer of separation between the exterior wood and the environment where you place your furniture. It should be placed after a good cleaning to your furniture and polished so that it is not noticeable. The furniture will recover its original shine with it, it will be protected and you will extend its useful life.
- Lasures work as decorative paints and finishing products, however, without penetrating the wood. They consist of mixtures of natural oils and resins that nourish and protect the wood. They exist in neutral or pigmented wood tones, but they always highlight the original furniture and create a layer to isolate water and dust.
Protect wood from water
Our beautiful furniture can be placed both indoors and outdoors. However, in both places they are exposed to water and other liquids. If you have purchased benches or baskets and have them in your yard, you may be worried about the rain. If your wooden mazes, sideboards, and tables are indoors, they are also exposed to natural moisture.
We have thought that you should know the simplest way to prevent white rings or swelling from appearing on your wood after being in contact with water. It is very simple. Apply the mixture of olive oil and ash that we mentioned at the beginning and of course, avoid placing wet objects on your wooden furniture.
Keep your furniture out of the sun
Wood suffers when exposed to direct sunlight. You ask yourself, haven’t they been in trees the whole time? Of course, but the wood has lost its natural connection to the earth and has been reworked. In this way, the ultraviolet rays of the sun and other hot surfaces can end up damaging your decoration.
In addition, wood can change color when in direct contact with the sun’s rays. To do this, the most effective solution is to re-sand your furniture and varnish the damaged surface, but the furniture will not completely return to its original state. On the other hand, hot objects such as plates or cups of coffee and tea also cause the wood to swell, discolor or soften.
Our best recommendation? Place your wooden furniture inside the home and use curtains, tablecloths and insulating surfaces to prevent them from coming into direct contact with sources of light and heat.
Outdoor furniture
If you prefer your outdoor furniture, we also have some tips for you. For example, there are special wood varnishes for exteriors, preventing it from losing its original color and protecting it from cracks and the sun. These special varnishes not only reinforce the outside, but also penetrate your wood and reinforce it inside. Also, the next varnish will not need a place until next year.
Oils, such as teak, help remove impurities from wood and protect it from inclement weather. This type of oil also nourishes and hydrates it, making it more durable and resistant. For use, the wood must be well cleaned and applied at least once a year.
Other elements to consider
- The dust is always around our home and the wooden decoration will accumulate it. Therefore, you should clean this furniture every two or three days. It seems like a difficult task, but not impossible. A napkin or kitchen paper will help remove the dust. For our happiness, you can also buy special wet wipes to clean wood. And if we then put a few drops of protective spray, we will have the brightest furniture in the area.
- Bugs like termites, moths, bed bugs, and ants, for some strange reason, are over attracted to wood. It is common to find them around our decorative objects and, therefore, we must keep them away from it. A coat of varnish will help repel moisture and therefore keep animals away. Fungicides also help, but you should make sure that they project a uniform color and match your wood.
- Scratches are common and accidental. Of course, we do not want our furniture to be marked forever. That is why we have these tips for you. Top the scratch with some wood-colored wax or bitumen to make it less visible. Some also suggest using hard wax patches when the scratches are very deep.
- Stains on wood can be avoided and fixed. All kinds of liquids, food, ink and much more are placed on our wooden furniture daily.
Summarizing…
Finally, we would like to ask you not to use substances with a high content of chemicals or ammonia. The maintenance and long life of your furniture is part of your responsibility and that of all with the environment. Decántate by natural solutions to clean your furniture, objects and wooden floors.
Your oriental wood furniture may continue to fill your home with life and an adventurous spirit. Visit our online store to learn much more about our products and read more posts on our blog to keep you up to date on home decor.
