Taking Care Of Your Mexican Rustic Furniture

Having a house with Mexican rustic furniture may be delightful and pleasant to the eye, but how do you take care of your prized furniture? With all those heavy furniture pieces made of wood, how do you ensure that they last for a long time? Here are some guidelines that will prolong the life of your beautiful Mexican rustic furniture.

1. Dust your furniture using a moistened polish cloth. The cloth is cushioned by the polish and this eliminates scratching of the furniture if you dry dust. If not completely removed, the surface of your furniture will get scratches from dust.

2. The surface won't get scratches if you use soft and clean cloth. Do not use fabrics or materials that are coarse and scratchy. Furniture should not be cleaned with water and soap, as water could penetrate in the finish. This would raise the grain on the wood that causes damage.

3. Many elements cause the furniture to be damaged. For example, the harmful ultraviolet rays (or UV rays) of the sun can partly damage wood finishes. As much as possible, try to arrange furniture away from direct sunlight. During intense sunlight time, which is between 9 am to 3 pm, use screening drapes to shed the sunlight away from the furniture. It could also help that you rearrange your furniture from time to time.

Spills of water, juices, liquor, and other types of liquid also damage the furniture if these are not removed quickly and properly. Put coasters under beverage glasses. Place saucers under flower pots and cups. Use place mats when using plates on the table.  If a spill happens, quickly and gently remove it without intensely rubbing onto the surface.

Similar to the effects of direct sunlight, heat can also cause chemical changes in the furniture. Among these changes is the existence of white spots on the surface. Use protective clothing if you are putting hot utensils and dishes on the table. Cooking pots and other hot appliances should be placed on a cloth or pad.

Wood swells because of high humidity. At the same time, low humidity in the room can also cause wood to lose moisture, shrinking the piece. In extreme cases, low or high humidity can bring various changes to the furniture, such as cracking, splitting, or warping.

As much as possible, try to keep humidity in the room balanced.

4. Choose the right cleaning polish. Use a good quality polish to enhance and maintain the natural elegance of the wood because polish complements the luster and enriches the grain. Polish also protects the furniture finish as it becomes a barrier, however temporary, to liquid spillovers. The cleaning elements in the polish can also effectively remove dust, smudges, and soil if properly used.

5. Use the same type of polish. As much as possible, use the same kind of polish consistently. If you interchange polishes, especially between oil-based and wax-based, your furniture will tend to be streaky or cloudy. Shop for a polish that is quite prominent and almost available all the time, so you would not have a hard time looking for another when the previous polish has been used up already.

6. When dusting, remember that you should only use a polish for fine furniture. Never ever dry dust, as this could cause scratches on the furniture surface. Even if you don't see it initially, dry dusting causes microscopic scratches on the surface of your furniture. Change dusting cloths from time to time. Cleaning cloths that are dirty and not replaced can also scratch and damage your furniture piece.

7. Try to evenly spray the furniture. As much as possible, spraying the surface should be done in an even manner. But this does not mean that you should spray it too generously. Using a soft and clean dusting cloth, wipe the surface in a circular motion to clean and at the same time loosen the previous polish you made.

Continue cleaning until the surface has been completely dry. You know that the furniture is dry when it shows a beautiful shimmer. The furniture shines and is smudge-resistant.

While all these cleaning tips may show that having Mexican rustic furniture in your home is not easy, the look and shine from your furniture are more than enough to cover for all the efforts you made in cleaning them.