Furniture Care

Listed below are some general care tips for your furniture. Please call or visit the website of the manufacturer of your furniture for more precise cleaning and care instructions as it relates to your specific furniture.

Preventative Care for Wood Furniture  

• Keep furniture away from heating and air conditioning sources to prevent loss of moisture in the wood.
• Use a felt backing on lamps, ashtrays, and other accessories to prevent scratching and gouging.
• Use place mats under plates and hot pads under serving dishes when serving hot food.
• Put houseplants in drip-proof pots and keep foliage from touching furniture surfaces to prevent moisture damage to wood.
• Always use a protective pad when using your furniture as a writing surface.
• Use coasters under both hot and cold drinks.
• Blot up spills promptly. Water left over a prolonged period of time will cause white spots in the finish. Alcohol, perfume, after-shaves lotions and medicines can cause severe furniture damage.
• Do not place synthetic rubber or plastic items directly on wood to avoid a chemical change to furniture finish.
• Do not leave newspapers or magazines lying on wood furniture due to possible ink "bleeding" into the furniture finish and wood.
• Avoid using nail polish remover or other harsh household products near wood furniture to avoid possible damage from spills or splashes.
• Rotate the placement of accessories on wood furniture surfaces from time to time to redistribute wear patterns.
• Dust in the direction of the grain with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth. If desired, lightly polish your furniture in the direction of the grain with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth.

Caring for veneer

• Wipe the surfaces once per week using a clean, slightly, water-dampened soft cloth. Always wipe in the direction of the grain.
• Make sure the wood is not exposed to harsh solvents. We do not recommend commercial products containing high amount of wax or silicon as they can leave a residue and may alter the appearance of the wood over time.
• Clean up spills right away.
• Use a desk pad to eliminate damage from writing instruments.
• Use felt or cork pads on the bottom of contact points of accessory items to avoid scratching the finish.
• Avoid placing water glasses or hot coffee cups on the surface.

Caring for laminate

Color changes

Color change is a natural phenomenon of wood. Woods change color with prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light coming from windows and fluorescent lighting. Cherry wood veneer color changes are most rapid, taking on a darker, "golden" tone with age. Walnut will lighten with "golden" hues. Oak will darken and yellow slightly. As a rule, lighter colored finishes (i.e. Henna Cherry and Red Cherry) are more apt to show these color changes compared to darker finishes (i.e. Mahogany and Walnut). Darker colors act as a "sun block" and reduce the aging effect. We recommend that for the first year, you occasionally move the items kept on your desk, such as desk pads, telephones and in/out baskets, to a different location on the surface to allow uniform amounts of light to reach all surface areas. This will help prevent light or dark spots from occurring. All wood manufacturers have the same issues, so the same care can be applied to any veneer product. 

For Smooth Drawer Operation

To maintain proper operation of the drawer suspension, lubricate the area housing the ball bearings every three to six months with a high quality petroleum jelly type lubricant.

To ensure correct drawer alignment, your desk or credenza must be leveled. Check the level and adjust the glides if necessary.

To Keep Pulls and Hardware Looking New

We recommend using a window-type cleaner for all decorative hardware. 

Fabric Care

Many furniture fabrics now carry the furniture industry's cleanability code adopted in 1969. It gives the consumer information about the proper methods to clean specific fabrics. There are four letters in the code, immediately followed by care instructions. The code letters are W, S, W-S, and X.

Permanent care labels will normally be found under the seat cushion. When spot cleaning, it is always a good idea for consumers to first pretest fabric for discoloration and shrinkage on an inconspicuous part of the furniture. When overall cleaning is required, professional cleaning will often achieve the most satisfactory results. Never remove cushion covers or arm caps for separate cleaning. This may destroy the backing, cause shrinking and color changes.

Weekly vacuuming or light brushing helps to remove soil and prevent the embedding of dirt or grime between fibers which can increase abrasion and wear. The life of upholstered cushions can be increased through periodic turning. The weekly reversal of loose cushions will allow even distribution of wear over a long periods of time. Spills should be gently blotted up as quickly as possible.

Please call or visit the website of the manufacturer of your furniture for more precise cleaning and care instructions as it relates to your specific furniture.