We all know that the way you care for any type of furniture can dramatically change its lifespan within your home. Take care of a nice piece of solid wood furniture and you can expect it to last you a lifetime of beauty and quality. Here are some tips, tricks and overall advice for care and cleaning of your new solid wood piece, we adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, to ensure that it keeps looking brand new as long as possible.

Dusting
Dusting can remove airborne deposits that have the potential to scratch the surface of your furniture.  Make sure to dust frequently with a clean, soft cloth or feather duster. If you don’t want to scatter the dust into your airspace, dampen the cloth slightly.

Cleaning
Avoid using all-purpose cleaning sprays on wood furniture, as well as water.  If you need to treat a sticky spot, dip a cloth in mild soap and water, then wring out most of the moisture. Wipe the area down, rinse it, then dry immediately with a clean, soft cloth.

Oil polishes and furniture oils protect your wood by making it more slippery, however they do not add a hard protective layer, so be careful. Read the label on your product, a high level of oil can smear the surface and show fingerprints as well as attract dust. Silicone oil, however, provides some protection but may leave residue that will need special attention if you decide to refinish the piece.

Wax
Applying wax can give you a hard finish and provide lasting protection to your furniture without smearing. Always use paste wax or liquid wax made specifically for wood furniture.  Check out Astonish Restoration for a step by step paste wax application tutorial.

Deep Cleaning
Hopefully you never have to deep clean any serious accidents off of your solid wood furniture, but this could come in handy for older hand-me-downs or antique finds. Use oil soap and water on a cloth and wipe the furniture’s surface well, then rinse and dry.

If you need to remove more grime, you can use #0000 steel wool dipped in a wood cleaning product. If you need to air out any bad smells, you can leave the entire piece outside in warm, dry weather in the shade or pour talcum or baking powder all over it to absorb the smell.

So long as you follow these tips and maintain your furniture on a daily basis, you can have solid wood furniture last your family an exceptionally long time.