How to Protect Your Furniture from Damage?

All of our furniture is made from super strong wood and painted multiple timed to give it a super strong finish, designed to protect the beds and furniture as much as possible from sticky fingers and bed-jumping children. However we know that over time all furniture begins to show wear and tear, so we’ve pulled together some generic principles you can apply to all the furniture around your home to get the most out of it.

When we buy furniture, we usually buy statement pieces. And besides the fact that they add sophistication and elegance to our homes, these objects are our friends. Our beds let us sleep and relax, our wardrobes allow us to store clothes and other belongings, while our sofas and coffee tables let us entertain our friends.

However, over time and particularly if you have children), your favourite piece of furniture – be it a dinner table or a children’s bed – can begin to show signs of wear and tear. In most homes, such objects typically get demoted and end up donated to charity shops.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. All you need is a bit of know-how and your favourite pieces of furniture will never suffer damage from scratches, heat, moisture, and other things. Here’s what you need to do:

How to Protect Furniture from Water Stains

All of us have seen water rings on wooden furniture – they are ugly and can easily ruin the look of any table or bedside table.

The easiest way to protect furniture from water stains is by using pads, coasters, and holders. You know the old saying – prevention is better than cure. These cheap and simple items will prevent water and other liquids from coming into contact with your wooden tables.

Using a polishing agent to clean and protect your wooden furniture is another way to ensure you won’t have to deal with water stains. Although it may not be as effective as commercial products, homemade furniture polish can save you some money – to make one, mix 3 parts olive oil and 1 part lemon oil.

How to Protect Furniture from Sun Damage and Heat

One of the best ways to protect furniture from sun damage is by applying a thin layer of film to your windows. These window films can block UV rays and are a cost-effective option that doesn’t require any maintenance. As such, they’re a perfect solution for homeowners on a budget.
When it comes to hot pans and pots, however, pads are your best friends – just like in the case of water rings. In addition, make sure to keep your wooden furniture away from sources of intense heat, such as boilers, ovens, radiators, and fireplaces.

Those who really want to commit to protecting their furniture from heat damage should pay attention to room temperature – keep it at around 70°F.

How to Protect Furniture from Scratches

Once again, prevention is better than cure. To protect your furniture from scratches, pay attention to what you put on your wooden furniture and how you’re putting it.

In other words, you should always avoid tossing sharp or hard objects onto your furniture. The best way to prevent this is to get trays and bowls that you’ll use for your belongings such as keys, watches, and similar items. Also, avoid dragging glasses, vases, and dishes across your tables – get used to picking them up by using mats, pads, and coasters.

When it comes to protecting your sofas from pet scratches, keep your dog’s or cat’s nails trimmed and always have pet toys next to your furniture. Installing a pet door or cat flap so that your four-legged friends can play outside is also a good idea.

How to Protect Furniture from Moisture and Mould

Mould is among the biggest threats to wooden furniture. High levels of humidity in the air cause the wood to swell, which is typically accompanied by the appearance of mould.

To prevent this from occurring, pay special attention to humidity levels inside your home. During wet and rainy days, avoid opening the windows as much as possible – you don’t want excessive humidity to damage your furniture. You can also reduce humidity by placing moisture-absorbing plants such as Boston Fern or Peace Lily around your house.

How to Protect Furniture While Moving

Smaller items are one thing, but moving bulky furniture pieces to a new home can be a daunting task. Without proper precautions, your beds and cabinets could sustain serious damage along the way.

To prevent this from happening, disassemble what you can. Some pieces of furniture, such as modular sofas, can (and should) be taken apart for the move. For everything else, you will have to use special heavy-duty moving blankets, foam padding, plastic sheeting, and bubble wrap.
Having the right equipment for moving large furniture is just as essential. These include tools such as hand trucks, skid boards, moving straps, and dollies. Trying to move large closets and tables by hand can easily result in the furniture falling and breaking, or worse you may become injured.

Hopefully, the tips and tricks listed above will help you with protecting your chairs, tables, beds, and cabinets from stains, dents, and scratches. After all, we all have our favourite pieces of furniture and want to keep them in prime condition for the years to come.

This is a guest post from Rebecca, “I’m Rebecca, a translator and avid traveller, a book worm and horror flick enthusiast. My job has given me the amazing opportunity to travel to dozens of countries around the world, and writing on Rough Draft gives me a chance to try to showcase some of them.”