Caring for Your Furniture

Our furniture at Haiku Designs is built to last. Made of the highest quality hardwoods and bamboo, our exquisite pieces are masterfully finished to ensure long lasting beauty. Still, life's little hiccups can sometimes lead to slight imperfections on our once pristine surfaces. No matter! All your furniture may need is a little extra love and care. To help you out, we have some tips for caring for and cleaning your furniture, so that it can remain equally functional and beautiful for many, many years. 

Caring for your furniture starts with where you place it. It's important to avoid placing furniture in direct sunlight because the UV light can cause fabrics to fade. Instead, try keeping your furniture away from windows, or installing curtains blinds to protect from the sun. You should also keep your furniture away from extreme changes in temperature, because it can cause surface distortions or wood to contract and expand. This can be easily avoided by placing your furniture away from radiators and heat and air conditioning vents. 

It’s important to protect your furniture from the damage of everyday life. You should avoid placing plastic or rubber materials, like lamps, cups, or plates, on your furniture to protect the finish. Still, these things are often necessary for furniture to serve its purpose. After all, you probably bought your new wooden table with the thought of putting plates and drinks on it. Pads, cloths, and felt can be used to protect your furniture from damage and still enjoy it.  I also like to use tablecloths and mats to add a pop of color, because they can add a fun style to the dining room.

To clean your furniture, we recommend routinely dusting it with a soft cloth, not a feather duster. Sometimes, though, life can be messy, and it can get on your furniture. A lot of our pieces at Haiku Designs are made of natural wood, so you need to be a little more careful when cleaning to make sure you don’t damage it. Quickly wipe up any spills that may happen to prevent liquids from penetrating the wood. You can also use a hairdryer to ensure the spill is dried completely. If a deeper clean is necessary, be sure to read the ingredients of the products you’re using to make sure they’re safe and natural, avoiding products with ammonia or silicone. 

Common Furniture Problems and How to Solve them

Furniture Care - White Rings or Spots on Furniture

White rings or spots: One of the most frustrating things to happen to your furniture is the white ring or spot that forms from a hot drink or warm plate. Next time you forget a coaster: don’t panic! Luckily there are many ways to remove them. You can use non-gel toothpaste mixed with baking soda for a quick remedy with supplies already in your cupboard. You can also try rubbing the spot with Vaseline, leaving it overnight. Wipe away toothpaste or petroleum jelly with a damp cloth.

Furniture Care: Removing Ink Stains from Wood Furniture

Ink stains: If you were just writing on your table and lifted the paper to see that the writing has transferred to your table, don’t freak out yet. Ink stains are hard to remove, but it’s still possible. Right when you see the stain, mix baking soda with water and pour it over the stain, wiping with a damp cloth. You could also use a mixture of water and dishwashing liquid on treated wood surfaces, but you might want to test it on a small area before treating the whole thing. You wouldn’t want to accidentally damage your furniture in the process. 

Furniture Care: Removing Gum from Wood Furniture

Gum: Getting gum stuck on anything is terrible but it need not be a tragedy! If you accidentally get gum on your wood furniture, remove as much as you can then freeze what is left on the surface. Fill a bag with ice and place it on the gum. Let it sit a while until the gum freezes then scrape the frozen remnants with a butter knife or some other kind of flat tool. 

Furniture Care: Fixing Scratches on Hardwood Furniture

Scratches: Oops! Maybe while getting rid of that pesky gum you accidently scratched your wood surface. However that scratch came about, there are definitely ways to remedy it. Depending on the finish of the wood and/or the depth of the scratch, you can mask it with a marker, crayon, shoe polish, even coffee grounds! Whatever you choose, just make sure it matches the color of your furniture and remember to apply the color in the direction of the scratch.

Solving Problems with Other Natural Furniture Surfaces

Furniture Care: Cleaning Stains on Marble Furniture

Cleaning marble: Marble can be a bit tricky to clean and requires a mild detergent to remove stains. You can use soap and water or stain remover from a local home repair store.

Furniture Care: Removing Stains and Spills from Concrete Surfaces

Cleaning concrete: Concrete is naturally a porous stone. Most have a sealant to protect the surface but like all-natural surfaces, spills and stains can affect the color. Always clean up spills immediately, and like with wood, avoid harsh, abrasive cleaners that have ammonia or are bleach-based. Harsh chemicals could damage the sealant and make future spills even more harmful.

 Haiku Designs Staff