Caring for Your Precious Antique Furnishings
Valuable antiques need cleaning every so often, as they often end up with a layer of dirt on the surface from years of exposure to grime and fumes. You must be careful with antique furnishing, so be sure to follow the steps below to care for your antiques properly.
Use a mild cleaner – harsh chemicals might do damage to the antique, so use something like mild dish soap diluted in water. Any soap designed for cleaning dishes by hand will be fine. If you then find that it is not getting rid of the grime, try something stronger.
Rub the surface down with a very soft cloth and your chosen cleaning solution. Be gentle and avoid scrubbing as this can damage the finish! Try to move in the same direction as the grain of the wood.
Get into hard to reach places and tight edges with an old toothbrush. You can use the same cleaning solution and follow the direction of the grain to scrub away dirt.