Our latest how-to guide shows you the best way to care for your antique and period furniture pieces, to prolong their life and protect your investment.
By definition, antique and period furniture has successfully stood the test of time and, with general care including cleaning, polishing and carrying out minor repairs as they become necessary, will endure for many more years.
There is no reason why an antique bureau that was used to write correspondence at two hundred years ago, can’t continue to be used for today’s admin and paperwork. Similarly, your family can continue to enjoy celebration meals on antique chairs at your antique dining table just as another family did before they were antiques!
Where to position antique and period furniture
It’s important to understand how environmental factors in the home can affect your period furniture and the following steps should be followed whenever possible:
- Avoid placing pieces in direct sunlight – wooden furniture can be bleached by prolonged exposure to strong sunlight and textiles can become yellow over time. Direct sunlight can also crack or lift veneers. Avoid direct sunlight but if this is unavoidable, use curtains or blinds so that your furniture is shaded.
- Maintain a consistent temperature – furniture will not enjoy rooms where the temperature fluctuates from being very cold to being very warm/hot.
- If the furniture is in a dry atmosphere, for example where you have central heating, it will lose the natural moisture in the wood which can lead to cracking over time. Installing a dehumidifier in the room will help.
- Extreme temperatures and humidity will damage textiles. Avoid storing pieces that are not being used in an attic or a basement.
- Household pets can wreak havoc on antique furniture. Wherever possible, keep them away from wooden period furniture or antique textiles, using covers to protect fabrics. Provide alternative outlets for cats who like to scratch in the way of scratch posts too!
How you clean your period furniture will depend on the materials it is made from which are commonly wood, marble and textiles. However, it may also feature metal hardware which also needs to be cared for.
How to care for antique wooden furniture
Applying a wax finish to clean wood is the best way to preserve the original finish of your period furniture. Simply clean the surface with a damp cloth before applying antique furniture wax with a soft, lint-free cloth. Once the wax has dried, buff the surface of the wood in the direction of the grain.
How to care for antique marble
Furniture such as antique marble tables or washstands will have a protective seal to stop dirt and dust penetrating the porous marble. In these cases, your marble furniture will need nothing more than wiping with a clean, dry cloth. If the marble is discoloured, you should consult a professional restorer.
How to care for upholstered antique furniture
Upholstered antique and period furniture should be kept clean and dust-free. Dust is a common cause of fabric damage so vacuum textile surfaces regularly but gently, always looking for loose threads as you go. Stubborn dust, or hairs, can be gently lifted off using a pressure sensitive adhesive tape.
How to clean hardware on period furniture
It’s easy to overlook fittings such as handles, keyhole covers (escutcheons), hinges and castors. These are likely to be brass, copper or iron and can just be wiped clean with a dry cloth to remove dust and allow a natural patina to develop. If you do want to clean antique brass, remove fixings from the piece of furniture first before cleaning so that the wood is not damaged or compromised by anything you use.
Antique furniture should be loved and used, and can easily be incorporated into everyday life. With a little time and the correct care, it can continue to for many years and you can protect your investment. Our cleaning antiques blog has many more useful and helpful articles.
Period furniture from Hemswell Antique Centres
At Hemswell Antique Centres, we have many dealers who are BADA accredited (British Antique Dealers’ Association) and members of LAPADA (the Association of Art and Antiques Dealers). With over 1200 items of period furniture online, plus antique pine furniture, and thousands more to view in person at our centres, a visit to us will not disappoint. For commercial customers unable to visit in-person, why not book one of our Live Virtual Shopping Tours? You will be accompanied round our buildings and enjoy a one to one experience where we will showcase items of interest to you.
