Everyday cleaning should be done with a lightly damp cloth. Use room temperature water and the softest, lint-free cloth available. (Rough towels can leave fine scratches on the surface of your wood.) Try to always wipe in the direction of the grain of the wood. Finish cleaning by wiping up all remaining moisture with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth.
You should NOT use soaps or cleansers on your wood every day. Occasionally, if thorough cleaning is required, you can use a wax-free product such as Murphy’s Oil Soap (DILUTED HEAVILY – about 2 drops in a large bowl of room temperature water) or some other wax-free & silicone-free wood cleaner. Read the labels of such products before use!
If you wish to polish your wood surface, do so sparingly (once every 3 to 6 months, at most, depending on use). Do NOT use wax-based polishes like Pledge. (They WILL leave a waxy buildup over time.) We only recommend Guardsman® furniture polish – available at Creative Dinettes and most hardware stores. Always apply polish by wiping in the direction of the grain of the wood. Follow the directions on the container for detailed application instructions.
Regardless of the price or quality of your furniture, wood is still a porous substance. Remember, it exists in nature to transport moisture up trees – not to become furniture! It CAN be dented, scratched and stained. Wood is also affected by heat, cold, humidity, moisture and direct sunlight.
Avoid exposing your wood to direct contact with extremely cold things (like ice cold drink glasses), extremely hot things (like hot bowls of soup), and direct exposure to heat & air conditioning vents and extremely strong sunlight. Also, do not leave liquid spills sit on your wood for extended periods of time. Failure to follow these recommendations can, among other things, result in discoloration, swelling, and/or cracking of the wood.
Also avoid dragging rough and/or sharp objects (like plates and silverware) across your wood surfaces, and use a pad under your paper when writing at your table.
Even if your wood furniture is finished with a superior catalyzed varnish, care should still be taken to protect your surfaces from damage. No furniture is indestructible!
Ideally, the use of a table pad and/or a table cloth will protect your wood table top from most of the hazards of everyday life. If you don’t care to use these types of products, placemats and/or coasters are highly recommended. Another alternative is to have a custom glass cut for your table top. (We can recommend local companies that make protective glass tops.)
If your table has a removable leaf, it should be stored FLAT in a cool, dry place, such as under a bed. NEVER store your leaf standing up and NEVER store it in a place where extreme temperatures and humidity are a problem. Doing so can cause your leaf to warp.