Dining and Bedroom Furniture Care Guide

You have made an excellent investment in your new cabinet furniture. This simple care guide will help ensure you can enjoy it to the full for many years to come. Please also read, keep and follow any instructions sent by the manufacturer with your delivery.

• Unless you have bought a small item requiring some self assembly, please make sure that your room is ready and access clear for our delivery teams to manoeuvre your new furniture with ease. As part of our Premier Delivery Service, we will unpack and assemble your furniture for you.
• If you have wooden floors, please use a protective felt on the feet of your new furniture to prevent scratching.
• If you need to move anything after we have gone, find someone to help you lift and carry it. Please do not drag it across the floor. You could hurt yourself and damage your property.
• Once you have accepted the furniture and the packaging has been removed, take a few minutes to inspect it. Make sure you are completely satisfied before the delivery team leaves your premises.
• If your furniture appears out of line when it is assembled, check that the floor is level. You may need to contact a local French polisher to adjust legs, feet or hinges to compensate and make it look right. This is more common on uncarpeted floors where there is nothing to cushion against the effect.
• Leave at least a 1” (2.5 cm) gap behind free-standing wardrobes or wall units to allow air to circulate freely.

• Follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions and only use the products they recommend.
• Use a soft lint-free cloth to gently dust your furniture.
• Use a clean, very slightly damp cloth to remove finger marks. The use of detergents is not recommended.
• We do not recommend the use of silicon or spray polishes. They may leave a residue on the surface of your furniture that affects its appearance.
• If your wood furniture has a lacquered easy care finish, daily dusting and the occasional wipe over with a clean, damp cloth followed by a dry duster will keep it looking good.
• If your wood furniture has a waxed finish, use good quality natural beeswax and polish along the grain every 3 months. Use a clean duster to buff up and retain the natural beauty of your furniture. Never use abrasive cleaners - they will damage the lacquer.
• If your wood furniture has an oiled finish you will need to ‘feed’ it with linseed oil every 3-4 months. Do not let your furniture become too dry, but please avoid over treating the product. Always keep a cloth specially for your furniture, and ensure you do not touch it with soaps and detergents as these may damage the hand finished surface. Make sure you dispose of the cloths used safely.
• Caring for furniture made from stone or travertine is straight forward. Wipe any marks or spills with a slightly damp cloth and then polish with a soft dry cloth. You may use a few drops of a neutral cleaner, or stone soap (available from hardware stores) or a mild dishwashing detergent and warm water for cleaning. Be gentle with your furniture. Never use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids, scouring powders or cream cleaners which may contain abrasives.
• In the event of an accidental spill, blot up the excess immediately. If you have purchased Furnituregard, contact them for advice on how to deal with it. Do not try to remove the stain with excessive water or detergent. If the cover on your dining chairs is affected, rubbing at the stain will make it worse. Professional cleaning is usually the answer. The same applies to the finish on your furniture; a professional repair is your best solution. For Guardsman policy holders, this will be arranged for you.
• Wooden products change colour with exposure to both natural and electric light. Some like oak darken, others like cherry may lighten. Rotate any ornaments to avoid patches of colour where the object has stood. Leave dining tables fully extended if possible, or expose the leaves to light so there are no vast colour differences between them and the table top. This is especially important in the first year.
• When vacuuming your fabric or suede dining chairs use the soft furnishings attachment and low power. Alternatively use a soft brush to remove dust. If your chairs are covered in leather, give them a wipe over with a damp cotton cloth. If you need to use soap make sure it is very mild and does not contain any harsh detergents.
• If you need to replace a light bulb in a cabinet, please disconnect it from the mains first.
• Check the stability of tables and chairs regularly. You may, from time to time, need to tighten bolts and other fixings.
• If you have any doubts about how to care for your furniture and can’t find your instructions from the manufacturer, please phone your local store for help.

Don’t have your furniture too close to direct heat or an air conditioning unit and avoid changes in humidity. If the air is too damp as in steamy kitchen, solid wood will still absorb moisture. Sticking drawers is a common warning sign. If the atmosphere is too dry as in a conservatory, wooden furniture may start to warp, twist and split. Joints may open up into unsightly gaps. Plants in the room or a small humidifier can improve humidity and help your wooden furniture. Please avoid, however, placing solid wooden furniture, in particular oak products, in rooms with under floor heating. On some solid tables particularly oak, they may have a built in floating joint. This gap, generally around panels on table tops and doors, allows the wood to expand and contract with the changes in room temperature, and is a ‘working’ part of the table and part of its character.

• Don’t rock backwards or stand on dining chairs.
• When moving your furniture, lift it carefully. Dragging or pushing it will damage fixings and affect stability. You could scratch your floor, and strain yourself.
• When moving stone or travertine tables, always carry the tops on the vertical, never horizontally. Organise help before you start lifting.
• We recommend the use of good quality table mats with stone surfaces to protect the surface finish from hot plates and kitchenware.
• Wooden furniture is not water or chemical proof or heat resistant. Do not put hot dishes or cups on to any table top or cabinet. Always use an insulated mat for protection. Don’t use a protective cover containing rubber derivatives – it could react with the top coat finish.
• Sharp objects such as cutlery and pens can score the surface of your furniture, as can crockery being dragged across the top.
• Fit shelves and units according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not overload wooden or glass shelves.
• Do not place heavy items on drop down leaves or doors. The hinges are not designed for excessive weight.

If you have any further questions or worries, please contact your local store for help.