Amish furniture is an investment that can easily last a lifetime. Made with superior craftsmanship, caring for your furniture should be a priority once you bring it home. With the correct care, pieces of Amish furniture will become treasured heirlooms passed between generations. Here are six tips to help you maintain the beauty and personality of your handmade items.
1. Dust Frequently
Cleaning your Amish furniture does not require a lot of time, but regular maintenance is a good idea to protect and nourish the wood. You can easily dust your furniture with a soft, damp cloth, a simple process that can be integrated into your normal cleaning routine with ease. We also recommend the occasional use of Murphy’s oil soap to ad little cleaning power to your dusting routines.
2. Clean Up Spills Immediately
The varnish that is used as the topcoat for all of the furniture at the Amish Connection is very durable but it is still important to wipe away some types of spills quickly. In particular, liquids that are acetone or alcohol based, like nail polish remover and perfume, need to be wiped away with a soft cloth immediately after the spill because they can permanently ruin your furniture.
3. Keep Away from Sharp Objects
Place items and accessories on coasters, cloths, and placemats to protect the furniture during everyday use. Be sure to also keep your furniture away from any sharp objects, as these can scratch and gouge the surface.
4. Avoid Direct Sunlight and Heat
As with many items you hold dear, it is important not to place your solid wood Amish furniture in direct sunlight, as this can cause damage to the wood. Do not place your furniture near radiators, heaters, fireplaces or furnace vents either, as exposure to high temperatures can cause the wood to split.
Because real solid wood is a natural, organic material it expands or contracts when exposed to variations in temperature and humidity. We recommend that you do your best to control extreme variations in temperature and humidity in your home.
5. Use Silicone Free Products
If you want to use a polish, make sure it doesn’t contain silicone. Silicone will artificially raise the sheen on your furniture beyond the intended level, and will eventually gum up on the surface of the finish and give it a cloudy finish. It is also important to keep in mind that once the silicone is in the finish, it is more difficult to refinish and repair.
6. Things to Avoid When Storing Your Furniture
If you are not using your furniture, make sure you aren’t storing it in environments that are prone to high variations of humidity and temperature. A couple of locations that might not be appropriate for storage of your heirlooms are basements because of possibility of high humidity level or storage sheds that can be super heated by the sun. The temperatures and humidity levels in these locations can vary significantly and can cause damage to your furniture.
We hope you find these tips helpful for maintaining the look of your Amish furniture for years, maybe even decades to come! For more great tips on protecting your Amish furniture, or if you’re looking for unique, custom-built pieces created by quality craftsmen, contact or visit The Amish Connection in Albuquerque today!