Use and Care Manual

TO PROTECT AND CARE FOR YOUR FURNITURE, WE SUGGEST THE
FOLLOWING:
1. Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight, as sunlight causes fading.
2. Avoid extreme changes in temperature by arranging furniture away from radiators,
heat and air vents and air conditioning units.
3. Avoid placing plastic or rubber materials (lamp bases, notebooks, placemats, etc.)
on your furniture, as certain plastics contain ingredients that may damage the finish.
4. Periodically rotate accessories on furniture so they do not sit in the same spot all the
time.
5. Use pads, cloth or felt to protect the furniture surface from plastic, rubber, hot
dishes, beverages, bookends, flowerpots and vases.
6. Clean up spills immediately. Use a blotting rather than a wiping action. Water left
over a long period of time will cause white spots in the finish. Alcohol, perfume,
after-shave and medications can cause severe finish damage.
7. Use a protective pad when writing with a ballpoint pen on the furniture surface.
8. Lift and place objects rather than dragging them across the furniture surface.
9. Avoid placing furniture directly under windows.
CLEANING AND POLISHING YOUR FURNITURE
We recommend dusting frequently with a clean, soft, dry, lint-free cloth. Clean the
surface by rubbing in the direction of the grain. We recommend polishing your furniture
approximately every six months, using a clean, soft, lint-free cloth and rubbing the
polish in the direction of the grain.
Some of our products feature a high-gloss finish. These items require extra care to
prevent dust and smudges from being overly apparent. Be especially careful to avoid
scratching high gloss finishes by using a feather duster or very soft, clean cloths and
wiping with minimal pressure.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN TYPES OF FURNITURE CARE PRODUCTS, AND WHICH
ONE DO YOU RECOMMEND?
There are three basic types of furniture care products: silicone cleaners, waxes and
polishes. We recommend avoiding silicone cleaners and waxes. While silicone cleaners
create a high degree of shine, silicone seeps into even the highest-quality finishes,
creating a barrier that will not accept stain or lacquer. This makes it virtually impossible
to re-finish or touch-up your furniture.
Waxes should be avoided because their regular use may result in a build-up of wax film
on the surface of the furniture. This build-up could actually attract dirt, smoke and other
pollutants in the air, resulting in smudges and streaks. Also, many waxes contain grit
that can permanently damage furniture surfaces if used improperly.
Polishes, which we recommend, contain detergents, emulsifiers and mineral oil. The
detergents clean dirt from the furniture, the emulsifiers give it body to clean and last
longer and the mineral oil is left behind as a barrier for dirt and moisture that could harm
finishes. There's no grit to harm the finish, no wax to build up and no silicone to raise
the sheen and act as a barrier for touch-up and refinishing.