Habits that will damage your dining room table
When your dining room table gets upgraded from a Craigslist score to a polished wood beauty, it’s time for a lesson in the care and feeding of fine furniture. A good-quality dining table, whether new, vintage or antique, can be a major investment, and its surface should be protected.
Heat, moisture, silicone, candle wax and pets can damage or ding your table. Direct sunlight should be avoided. And forget doing your nails here; the acetone in nail polish remover can melt your fabulous finish right off.
When you buy any wood table, ask questions about caring for it.
Christophe Pourny, president and co-founder of a Brooklyn furniture restoration business, and Keith Fritz, who makes custom dining tables, offer a list of basic mistakes to avoid:
Putting hot things directly on the table. A casserole dish right out of the oven or a stew pot right off the stove should not be placed on your table without heat protection. Pourny has a simple solution: natural cork trivets. When used under serving pieces, these can protect your table from scorching and scratches.
Passing on place mats or tablecloths. Fritz prefers cloth over synthetic. “Plastic place mats can trap water, and some have off-gassing chemicals that might cause a chemical reaction to the finish on a new table,” he says.
Forgetting about condensation. Cold or warm drinks, flower vases and bottles of chilled wine can transfer water and humidity onto a table, leaving white rings if moisture gets trapped under them. Always use coasters, trivets or other pads. If you get a water ring, Fritz says, be patient. “Three things get rid of water rings: time, heat and oil,” he says. First, see whether the ring will evaporate on its own. Second, put your hair dryer on low and lightly blow air over the ring. Third, rub with an oil-based product that can remove water spots.
Taking a knife to wax spills. Avoid using anything metal, whether scissors or a knife, as you’ll probably damage the wood. Pourny’s trick: Use a credit card to scrape off wax clumps. If there is still residue left, Pourny suggests covering the wax with a cloth and running a slightly warm iron over it. Any leftover wax should cling to the cloth.
Using commercial dusting sprays and silicone polishes. Consumers get hooked on dusting sprays, something fine-furniture experts are not too keen on. Experts’ advice on the best way to clean: Use a fresh, slightly damp (not wet) cotton cloth to wipe daily spills off your table after a meal. Then buff with a dry cloth.
Wearing chunky jewelry or oversize watches. If you’re having a fancy dinner party where guests might get blinged out, it might be best to use a tablecloth (with a felt liner or table pad underneath) to protect the wood.