How to care for your vintage furniture

With the right care, your antique, vintage and Mid Century furniture should continue to be useful and beautiful for many years to come. Below are some of our top tips to help you maintain and, if necessary, restore your vintage items.

Daily Care

Furniture that we live with every day can become neglected, but a few simple steps can keep it looking its best.

Spills

Clean up any spills as soon as they occur by carefully removing any solid matter and blotting liquid with a clean, absorbent towel. Use a moistened, clean cloth to remove any marks and do not over-rub in one area to avoid colour changes. Do not put cups or plant pots directly onto furniture to avoid water marks - occasionally wax your furniture to add a water-resistant finish.

Sun

Avoid keeping furniture in direct sunlight where possible. If you keep ornaments, table cloths or other items on the top of furniture, move them regularly to avoid patchy sun fading.

Maintenance

Keep furniture dust free and clean by wiping gently with a moistened, clean cloth. Hydrate wood such as teak by applying a quality oil now and again, such as teak, linseed or Danish oil, removing any excess with a clean, lint free cloth. Protect wooden furniture by using a quality furniture wax or beeswax occasionally, letting it dry for a few moments before buffing to a shine. Avoid using furniture polish with silicone as this can create a residue over time.

Restoring

One of the delights of vintage furniture is the knowledge that it has a history, having been loved and used over many decades, and passing it on to the next generation is very rewarding. However, time and use can leave marks and scars, some of which we may want to remove or improve to fit into a contemporary home. We can use a variety of techniques to freshen up older furniture.

Wood

My first step with any item is to give it a good clean - it's amazing what a difference just a clean and an oil can make! I use a melamine foam sponge, often referred to as a 'magic eraser sponge', with water, which gets off most stubborn dirt and smells, followed by oil and wax. Surface-level marks, such as light water stains, can sometimes be removed with a light sand, using 1500 grit wet & dry sandpaper. But be careful! It's easy to go through the polish, and once this has happened it can spoil the overall finish.

If you decide to remove old polish or paint, many people will turn to a sander, but, again, be careful! Much Mid Century vintage furniture may look like solid wood but is actually a thin veneer of teak, rosewood or other decorative finish over another material. This could be another solid wood such as afromosia, or a composite material such as chipboard or plywood. It's very easy to accidentally go through the veneer, especially with electric sanders, and they can leave behind scratches which can be hard to remove. If you want to get back to bare wood, it may be safer to use a paint stripper, but follow the manufacturer's safety guidance and use appropriate protective equipment, such as a mask and gloves. Hand-sanding with wet and dry paper is gentler, if slower, than using an electric sander, but don't saturate the wood - veneer can bubble up and chipboard can swell if they get too wet.

If you have stubborn marks that remain after polish is removed, for example fruit or rust stains, you can try wood bleach. Oxalic acid comes in crystal form and is useful for stains; if you want to lighten wood more thoroughly then a two-part bleach solution of sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide, sold as a kit, can be effective.

Once you have prepared the bare wood, I use linseed oil followed by a glossy hard wax oil (Osmo polyx oil is popular) to give a hard-wearing, water-resistant finish.

Chrome

Chrome finishes can become dull and rusty over time, and in the worst case the finish can oxidise and delaminate. In this case the only real solution is to have the metal replated, but a lot of marks can be improved, particularly surface-level rust. Use WD40 with fine wire wool, or crumpled tin foil, to remove light marks.

Brass

Brass finishes were very popular from the 1950s onwards. Often solid brass was used, which cleans up beautifully with fine wire wool or fine wet and dry sandpaper. However, as with wood, looks can be deceptive! The brass effect is sometimes a thin finish over a dull silver metal, which easily comes off with over-vigorous cleaning. Lacquer was also often added over brass, for example on teak and brass lamps, and using abrasives can remove this layer, leaving a lighter, brighter finish underneath, which may remove the patina to some extent. If in doubt, stick with a brass polish such as Brasso for a gentler clean.

General guidance only. Always test products first and follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions; use these tips at your own risk