Quite often we tie up a lot of money in the furniture that we put in our homes. When we buy quality pieces we expect them to last a lifetime, and now quality furniture is more costly than ever. With proper care it can last us our lifetime and quite often we may hand it down to our children. That is how we get many antiques because they will have been passed down to us, that and some really great estate and garage sale finds.



A lot of times the surfaces of aging furniture will be worn down from usage over the years and can be more prone to damage. They can be scratched more easily and it can be more noticeable. Informed people today know that refinishing antique pieces of furniture can depreciate their value when and if they are sold. Antique marketers recommend that you keep the furniture thoroughly dusted and apply only a great paste furniture wax or beeswax. This is suggested to use on new furniture pieces as well.

Even if we make sure we give the furniture the best of care, mishaps will inevitably happen to it regardless. The evidence of time and everyday wear are sure to come into play sometime, especially if you have kids. Spots from water rings are one of the most noticeable problems that can mess up the surfaces of our furniture. Many times these are white marks where someone has put down a glass that either spilled or had dampness built up on the outside of the glass. One procedure used to clean these white water rings is to use a little toothpaste on a soft cotton cloth. Rub the spot gently going along the grain of the wood and then get it off with a clean cotton cloth.

Dark brown water damage rings are seen on furniture for the same reason as the white rings, just when the place has blackened, it will imply that the water has eaten down into the core surface on the wood and mold has developed in it. Darker rings are more difficult to repair than the less complicated white rings. To resolve these rings you should take off the finish and clean with bleach. This should kill the mold and then the furniture piece can be refinished. When the furniture is definitely a costly antique, you will probably want to think about using a professional furniture restorer to keep from possibly marring the piece any more.