How to Care for Your New Furniture

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.

You can clean your Formica with just about any kind of liquid cleaner you want. However, do NOT use abrasive cleaners of any kind. They will leave fine scratches in your table top. Cleaning products with bleach should be used sparingly, as they can lighten the color of your table over time.

Harsh stains like permanent marker can be removed using lacquer-thinning products like Goof Off ®. Be sure to thoroughly wipe the Formica clean immediately after using such a product, as prolonged exposure could discolor the surface. Note: such products are HIGHLY TOXIC and should only be used in a well-ventilated room. Extreme care should be taken to avoid getting such products on your skin, clothing or any of your other furniture or flooring. Read the label before use!

If you have a leaf in your Formica Table, care should be taken to keep the seams dry. If moisture falls into the seams, it can cause the laminate to lift off the substrate. Always dry the seams after cleaning and after spills. When not in use, the leaf 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.

Everyday cleaning should be done with a lightly damp, soft, lint-free cloth. Finish cleaning by wiping up all remaining moisture with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth. If necessary, use a mild dish detergent diluted with water for thorough cleaning. Avoid leaving soap residue on the metal, as it will leave a greasy build-up that attracts dirt and grime.

Powder-coated metal finishes are among the most durable coatings used in the furniture industry, however, NOTHING IS INDESTRUCTIBLE. Extreme blows or scratching from acts including, but not limited to, knocking over the furniture, dragging a ring or a set of keys across the surface, banging a backrest into a table or countertop edge, and resting sharp heels on a footrest can cause the paint to chip or scratch. Treat the furniture with respect and the finish should last for years and years.

Hand-applied metal finishes (those that resemble brushed steel or antique/weathered metal) are often more prone to scratches and chips than powder-coated finishes, so more care should be taken with these types of finishes.

You can clean your glass with a soft, lint-free cloth and just about any kind of liquid cleaner you want, but products like Windex ®, of course, are the best at removing streaks and fingerprints. Do NOT use abrasive cleaners or creams of any kind. They will leave fine scratches in your table top.

Avoid dragging rough and/or sharp objects (like plates, silverware, keys, etc.) across your glass. They can scratch your table top. Use of a table cloth or placemats will protect your glass table top from most of the hazards of everyday life.

If your glass table top gets scratched, often the most economical way to repair it is to simply replace it. Glass table tops in stock sizes & shapes are surprisingly inexpensive. In most cases, you can simply order a new table top from us and keep the rest of your dining set as is. Call us for a no obligation quote. Damaged plate glass windows in hutches can be replaced very inexpensively by a local glass fabricator. Consult the yellowpages or the Internet for one in your area

Each fabric type has it’s own recommended method of cleaning, identified by a “cleaning code.� Determine your fabric’s cleaning code prior to cleaning. Call Creative Dinettes & Mattresses if you need assistance. Here is the list of the codes and their corresponding methods of cleaning:

Code – W (water-based cleaners are recommended)
To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommended. Spot clean using the foam only from a water-based cleaning agent such as a mild detergent or non-solvent upholstery shampoo. Apply foam with a soft rag or brush in a circular motion. Vacuum when dry. Always pretest a small area before proceeding.

Code – S (solvent-based cleaners are recommended)
To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommended. Spot clean using a mild water-free solvent or dry cleaning product. Clean only in a well ventilated room and avoid any product containing carbon tetrachloride which is highly toxic. Always pretest a small area before proceeding.

Code – WS (either water-based or solvent-based cleaners are recommended)
To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommended. Spot clean with a mild solvent , an upholstery shampoo or the foam from a mild detergent. When using a solvent or dry cleaning product, follow instructions carefully and clean only in a well ventilated room. With either method, pretest a small area before proceeding.

Everyday cleaning should be done with a lightly damp cloth. Use room temperature water and a soft, lint-free cloth. If necessary, use a mild dish detergent diluted with water for thorough cleaning. Avoid leaving soap residue on the vinyl, as it will leave a greasy residue, and it can cause the vinyl to dry out and crack over time. Finish cleaning by wiping up all remaining moisture with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth.

Avoid exposing your vinyl to rich organic substances like tomato sauce and red wine, as the acid can cause staining to occur. Pen ink, clothing dyes, and permanent marker will also stain vinyl. Such stains are often not removable.

Leather should only be cleaned using a specially formulated leather cleaner, such as Guardsman® Leather Cleaner – available at Creative Dinettes & Mattresses and most hardware stores. (Normal household cleaners and plain water can cause the leather to dry out and crack over time.) After applying cleaner, polish the leather with a soft, dry, lint-free towel to remove any excess cleanser. When completely dry, apply a specially formulated leather conditioner, such as Guardsman® Leather Conditioner – available at Creative Dinettes & Mattresses and most hardware stores – to moisturize the leather.

Stains, scratches and tears should only be cleaned/repaired by a leather repair specialist. Consult the yellow pages or the Internet for one in your area.

If you have a problem with your furniture that you can’t fix on your own, we may be able to help you. If your upholstery needs replacement, our expert staff has more than 35 years of experience recovering ALL types of furniture. From single seats to entire restaurants, we have the most reasonable rates in the area. We also specialize in replacement foam, seat boards, and elastic webbing. We have hundreds of fabric, vinyl, and leather choices available. If you have a broken chair, our repair specialists have over 15 years of experience, and we can bring some of the most damaged furniture back to life.

Sorry, we do NOT offer furniture refinishing or cleaning services. Consult your local yellowpages or do an internet search for cleaners and/or refinishers in your area.