Caring for Your Antique Wooden Furniture: Seven Rules and Seven Tips

1. Never use spray furniture-cleaning products (e.g., Pledge), even those with lemon oil.
2. Dust with a soft cloth or a vacuum with an extremely soft-bristle nozzle attachment.
3. Wax gently about once a year with beeswax-based clear paste wax applied with the grain, not in a circular motion, using a very soft cloth; later (15 min.–24 hrs.) buff gently with another clean, soft cloth.
4. Keep room humidity and temperature constant (i.e. use humidifiers or de-humidifiers as necessary)
   • Winter: 70 degrees F; relative humidity 35%–45%
   • Summer: 70–75 degrees F; relative humidity 55%–65%
5. Place away from sources of high heat and out of direct sunlight.
6. Don't place rough-textured or plastic objects directly on the antique.
7. Illuminate as evenly and dimly as possible since light fades wood, veneers, etc.

A "soft clean cloth" could be a cheese cloth, soft cotton cloth, diaper, or—for cleaning or buffing but not waxing—clean, very soft shoe-polishing brush.

 

Wet cleaning: If wet cleaning is necessary, use a solution of water with 1% detergent (e.g. Orvus, Triton X-100) applied with a soft cloth (use Q-tips for crevices) then dry immediately with another clean soft cloth.

 

Antique furniture's patina matters, not its shine whether you value an object's historicity or potential monetary worth.

 

Re: #1, all spray furniture-cleaning products leave an oily residue and many have ingredients that can harm wood; oil or silicone in such products can darken or become opaque with age, resulting in a dark, dull and often irreparable finish.

 

Re: #2, avoid feather dusters, broken feathers of which can cause little scratches, and be careful of using dust rags as loose threads can catch on pieces of veneer or marquetry and pull them off.

 

Re: #3, spread the wax on in a thin, even coat and rub evenly and gently to bring up a high polish. The goal is to seal not thickly coat the wood.

 

Re: #4, inexpensive humidity sensors can be purchased from conservation suppliers.

 

Re: #5, excessive light can accelerate a finish's aging and degradation causing a cracked, brittle or "alligatored" appearance, and the heat generated from high light-levels can cause damage to finishes by softening them.

 

Re: #6, plastics can over time adhere to some finishes or cause discoloration.

 

Re: #7, move lighting sources, objects' locations on or relative to the antique, or the antique itself to avoid areas of discoloration forming on the antique from uneven illumination.

 

Tip: If the finish becomes dull between applications of wax it can be buffed to restore the luster of the finish.

Tip: If you are moving antiques, do not wear belts, buckles, jewelry or other items could scratch the surface.

Tip: Grasp antique furniture at its sturdiest area. E.g., Lift chairs by the seat, not arms; the latter are built to resist only downward pressure. Also, don't drag antique furniture as it stresses the wood, especially the legs and feet or tables, chairs, sideboards, etc.

Tip: Remove mold or mildew with a soft cloth moistened with a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach.

Tip: Rely on professional assessment and repair--not home remedies--of serious spills, stains, or scratches.

Tip: A stripped and refinished or heavily restored antique is considered of lesser monetary value than one of close or equal quality but that retains its original finish.

Tip: Unfinished antique wood should never be wet cleaned.

 

A note about Bakelite repair: If your have a broken piece of Bakelite, slow-setting Araldite® is often recommended. It's important to first remove any glue that's present from previous repair attempts if any. Do not use ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate (the ingredient in Super Glue and similar products) as it dries brittle and cracks easily.The edges to be adhered must be clear and rough. Use a bit of sandpaper to rough the edges slightly if necessary. Mix the Araldite® glue, apply a generous amount on both surfaces, press together firmly--squeezing out any excess glue--and then secure the pieces together (e.g., strips of tape) so they absolutely cannot move. Let it set at room temperature or more for at least 72 hours (some online sources recommend "several days.")

 

A note about repairing chipped veneer: If you need to glue back on a bit of broken-off veneer, remove all old glue first using fine sandpaper. Don't trim the edges of the veneer chip. Use carpenter glue so you can reposition the chip a bit if necessary to ensure the gains aligns. Make sure all excess glue is removed and then clamp or weigh down the chip. First cover it with a wax paper; also, if clamping, set a buffer block of scrap wood over the newly-glued area and use another block or a soft cloth to protect the other side. Leave it clamped for 2 to 3 dayes. Note: some online sources recommend hot or liquid hide glue for repairing bits of veneer instead of modern commercial products.

 

Photo by Deidre Woollard.

 

Sources:

1. "The Care and Preservation of Furniture and Wooden Objects," by Clara Deck, Senior Conservator, The Henry Ford.
2. The Antiques Almanac, "Caring for your Antique Furniture," by Bob Brooke.
3. Antiques Roadshow Tips of the Trade (PBS.ord), "Leave the Finish Alone," by Dennis Gaffney.