Protect wood furniture from excessive sunlight; too much can dry and even bleach the wood.
Keep the furniture in a place that is neither too humid nor too dry. Use a humidifier or dehumidifier, if necessary, to make a neutral condition. Too-humid environments can cause the wood to warp, while too-dry environments can dry out the wood.
Don’t place your wood furniture near air vents.
If you’re going to put decorative items on top of the wood, cover the bottoms with felt to prevent scratching.
Always use coasters under glasses, and protective plates under your plants.
Clean up spills immediately, especially if they’re alcoholic or acidic. Wipe them with a clean cloth that’s either dry or only slightly damp. If you use a dampened cloth, be sure to swipe over the area with a dry cloth once you’re done cleaning.
Dust your wood furniture regularly using a soft rag. Cloth diapers – clean ones, of course! – are actually ideal for this purpose, as are old cloth napkins and terry towels.
For an extra shine, forgo the cotton dusting rags for a commercial polishing cloth. These are soft and have a flannel-like nap. They’re usually yellow and can be found with the cleaning supplies in most stores.
When cleaning and polishing, always wipe with the grain of the wood.
It’s important to know the finish of your wood furniture in order to determine how to clean and care for it properly; it’s the finish you’re actually cleaning, and not the wood itself. If you aren’t sure what kind of finish your furniture has, try the following tests on a hidden piece of the wood:
Rub a few drops of boiled linseed oil (available at hardware stores) into the wood. If it beads up, the wood has a hard finish, and if it absorbs, the wood has an oil finish.
If you determine that your wood furniture has a hard finish, identify which hard finish it has by rubbing acetone on a small area in a circular motion. If it’s lacquered, the lacquer will dissolve within thirty seconds. If it’s a shellacked or varnished finish, it will turn sticky within a minute or so. If it’s a polyester or polyurethane finish, it will shed the acetone like water and remain unaffected.