Taking Care of Your Furniture

Each Casapitti furniture piece is destined to last for generations and become more beautiful over time. We use high quality wood when we manufacture each one of our beautiful pieces, all made in Italy, but still even the highest quality wood is vulnerable to scratches or marks if not properly cared for. There are a few factors that can prevent future damage when managing your furniture, since most of these problems are usually caused by misjudgment errors such as poorly controlled surrounding environment such as light, possible humidity and temperature conditions. Some other problems are caused by careless use, handling, maintenance or even inadequate packing for transport or shipping.

It is commonly known that an environment’s conditions contribute more or less to the deterioration or preservation of a furniture piece. To achieve its optimal preservation it is necessary that your furniture pieces are kept in an area free of humidity, given the fact that humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air it does have the capacity to ruin the wood’s composition and the furniture’s parts continually pushing and pulling against each other. This pressure often results in parts of the furniture no longer fitting together closely, becoming distorted or breaking from their own internal parts.
Wood is not the only furniture component to suffer from humidity swings. As they age and deteriorate, coatings become more inflexible. Since the wood continues to move with humidity changes, and the coating becomes increasingly brittle with time, humidity fluctuations eventually cause the coatings to begin fracturing or separating from the surface.

Other ways to protect your furniture pieces from damage is by using coasters or heat insulating bases when the surface requires it, some other surfaces such as porcelain are very resistant to heat and can handle temperature changes.
Hot items, such as irons, coffee mugs, and steaming tureens can literally melt some of the finish away. Water from spills and condensation from vases and cold drink glasses can damage and deface coatings, an effect that makes transparent coatings white or milky.

As simple and insignificant dusting might sound, it is actually one of the best ways to take care of your furniture pieces. Airborne particles can build a filmy layer on wood that scratches the surface and by dusting frequently you can avoid this buildup from happening. When dusting, it is important to use a soft cloth like cotton T-shirts or microfiber to avoid damage.

You might think that all-purpose cleaners are useful but not necessarily, they might cause more damage than being helpful. Heavy and harmful chemicals can cause damage to the finish. Also organic solvents, such as fingernail polish and remover, perfumes, and alcoholic drinks can behave as paint and varnish removers on many kinds of coatings.

If an area on your furniture is dirty or sticky, simply dip a cotton cloth in water with mild detergent (if really necessary) Squeeze out the excess water as much as possible and gently wipe the area. If you added mild detergent, make sure you rinse it out with a cloth dipped in just water, then immediately dry it out with a soft cloth.
While using specific wood cleaning products keep in mind that less is more, why? Because using too much product can cause buildup that combined with dirt and dust can create a sticky film over your furniture.

Another way to protect and extend the life of your furniture piece is by paying attention to packing or moving your furniture when needed. Before moving your piece, determine how it is mounted and if any of its parts are removable or detachable, this way you diminish the risk of hitting any angle or spot while moving it in a small space. Make sure you know where the furniture is its strongest, and try to carry it from these points.
When moving furniture take your time to understand the space and area you are moving it to. Scratches, dents, and gouges from bumps against doorways, moving trucks and other furniture are always more likely in haste. Each item needs to be approached individually, without haste, and with a sufficient capacity to carry it.

These guidelines for keeping your furniture out of damage are pretty simple. If you follow them carefully, you will be able to extend your furniture’s perfect condition and need very little in the way of routine maintenance.