Many of us are drawn to solid wood furniture because it exhibits timelessness and fits almost any home designs. A dining table, whether it was made of different types of solid wood such as mahogany, oak, walnut, or maple, is undoubtedly eye-catching and a popular choice for many households because of its durability, sustainability, versatility, and ease of maintenance

Related: 6 Practical Benefits Of Buying Solid Wood Furniture For Your Home

However, just like any other furniture (regardless of what materials they were made of or how easy they can be maintained), a solid wood dining table can easily wear out or incur visible damages when it is not properly cared for and maintained. That’s why in this guide, we have listed down some simple tips that you can follow to maintain your solid wood dining table. 

1. Make It a Habit to Dust Your Wood Dining Table

Dusting your furniture is a simple chore, but it often gets neglected. For one, some may not feel the need to do it since there is not that much visible dust or some may just feel lazy to do it. No matter what the reason is, it is important to make it a habit to dust your wood dining table or any wood furniture items to remove dust on the surface and preserve the finish. 

It doesn’t seem like it, but dust can actually damage your wood furniture in the long run. These tiny particles can create tiny scratches, which through time, can multiply and make your wood furniture appear shabby. 

Tip: Regularly wipe down your solid wood dining table with a microfiber cloth that’s not too damp to remove dust on the surface. 

2. Use Coasters or Placemats When Placing Something Hot or Cold on the Table

If you have the habit of placing hot or cold drinks or even hot food directly onto the wood table, this is your sign to stop doing it. Instead of placing them directly on the table, use coasters every time you place a hot or cold drink. Every time you eat, use placemats as it protects the wood table from heat, spills, and moisture. You can also use a trivet or a potholder for serving dish bowls that contain something hot to keep the table from heat damage. 

Remember that these preventive measures are way simpler and cheaper than spending a lot of money on damage repairs that could’ve been prevented with proper care and maintenance. 

Tip: Wipe off any spills before it completely seeps into the wood finish. Doing so will help prevent white marks or water rings on the table. 

3. Wipe the Table After Every Meal

Food and liquid spills can’t be avoided, so to protect your wood table, it’s a must to wipe it every after meal to ensure that no food particles, residue, or spills are left that can cause unsightly white marks on the table top. This helps your solid wood table last longer and look good as if it were new. 

4. Keep It Out of Direct Sunlight

As much as placing furniture where the sunlight hits can look nice, it’s not the best way to take care of or maintain your furniture, especially if it’s wood furniture. This is because the UV rays of the sun can damage your furniture by causing fading and discoloration. That’s why it is advisable to consider the arrangement and placement of your furniture, and see to it that you keep it away from direct sunlight. 

Related: The Do’s And Don’ts Of Furniture Care And Maintenance

5. Opt to Use a Tablecloth During Gatherings at Home

Aside from coasters, potholders, trivets, and placemats, you can also opt to use a tablecloth to protect your wood dining table from moisture and heat brought by spills and placing hot and cold drinks. You may not want to consider this option, especially if you like looking at the bare wood table top, but it’s a protective measure you can apply when you have guests over. Having a tablecloth during gatherings will come in handy since it is in occasions like this that more accidental spills happen, and often get unnoticed. 

The good thing about tablecloths is that they come in various elegant and beautiful designs, so you won’t have a hard time finding one that will suit the style of your home or the occasion you are going to use it for. However, do keep in mind that once food or liquid spills on your tablecloth, you have to remove it immediately as it does not completely offer protection for your solid wood table, and may only cause more damage if the wet tablecloth continues to stay on top of the wood table.

6. Apply Wax for Maintenance

Waxing your solid wood dining table or any wood furniture can be done every 3 to 6 months, depending on how often you use the table. It does not take a lot of work since waxing is not really a regular thing and is done only to ensure that the wood table finish is well-maintained and will last longer. Be careful not to overdo the waxing process as well. 

Don’t just go for any other wax, and make sure to go for waxes with natural ingredients such as carnauba wax and beeswax as they are safe for your wood furniture and can help preserve its appearance. Avoid waxes that contain silicone as it can damage your wood table or any wood furniture. 

Tip: Use microfiber cloth to polish and buff wax on the wood furniture since it does not leave any cloth residue. 

We hope that this article has been helpful in giving you tips on how to care for your solid wood dining table. 

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