This is a collaborative post: Maintaining antique furniture or items is not always an easy task. Whether it is a piece of old furniture, or perhaps an old watch passed down through the generations, you must undertake its care thoroughly. There are people that can assist you with this. If you wish to service a timepiece for example, you can do so. However, sometimes, furniture items may be a little more cumbersome to take to local repair. Without having to spend a fortune on asking someone to come and assess your antique, you can in fact try to maintain it yourself. Here are some of tips for taking care of antique pieces in the home.
Ensure the right environment
In general, when setting up antique furniture in living rooms, it should be ensured that there is an appropriate indoor climate. Old furniture is not made for the climate in modern rooms, because it is often too dry. As a result, the wood warps, glue spots loosen and cracks appear in the material. It is therefore important first of all that you ensure suitable humidity. Ideally, this is 50-60% and can be ensured by using humidifiers. The location of your antique furniture is also important: avoid direct sunlight as the wood and polish can fade. The immediate vicinity of a heater or stove should also be avoided, as the dry heating air can in turn lead to stress cracks. If you ensure a good environment for your older pieces of furniture, then you will undoubtedly save yourself time trying to rectify the damages in the future. Don’t keep your antiques in extreme temperatures either- such as the garage.
Cleaning and polishing furniture
The types of cleaning agents we use to clean our antique pieces will determine how well they last. Sometimes, the composition of certain agents are too aggressive for the material. In most cases, this also applies to a high-quality furniture polish. Sometimes this contains, synthetic substances or unsuitable oils that can attack antiques in many ways. If you use these tools to clean the furniture, the damage is usually greater than the positive effect of furniture care. In some cases, the unsuitable furniture polish penetrates so deeply into the antique wood that it is no longer possible to iron out the fault with a restoration. In general, soft cloths are ideal for furniture care, which must not be made of microfiber materials. This material causes fine scratches, which can be clearly seen especially on shellac. Take time to research the type of materials you have and don’t use abrasive cleaning products that could damage your antiques.
Are my antiques valuable?
If you do have an item that you believe is valuable, you can value your items online. Many people may think that antiques have an aesthetic aspect above all else. However, their uniqueness and history can turn a piece of furniture into more than just a decorative object. You can look at certain online agencies that offer you some information on your pieces.