Care Guide for Antique Lovers

Care Guide for Antique Lovers

Do you love antiques? Do you have treasured pieces in your home? Taking care of those antique pieces requires a bit of knowledge as well as some common sense. You can keep them looking as good or better than the day you brought them home the first time.

First, remove dust from antique furniture regularly. A soft cloth will remove the dust and debris before it settles into deep grooves or cracks. Once or twice a year, at most, use good beeswax to give wooden pieces a protective coat. It also helps give the piece a nice matte sheen. Do not use spray on polishes as they cause build up on wood surfaces.

It is important to keep heat and humidity within limits. Humidity at high levels or low levels can damage wood and crack veneer. Heat, at the extremes, can also cause problems. Keep the house at comfortable temperatures. Use a humidifier if the air is very dry and a dehumidifier if it is too wet. When moving from one climate to another, keep your antiques in a regulated environment if possible.

Sunlight can damage antique furniture and fabrics. The UV rays can deteriorate and fade fabrics, and it dries out wood. If your furniture is in a sunny room, rearrange the furniture on occasion to make sure the fading is even around the piece.

Storing antiques is another challenge. The problems with heat and humidity are especially prevalent when storing them. If you place your antiques into a storage unit, only put them in a climate controlled unit. That is the best way to make sure they stay in the best condition possible. It is important to wrap them in padding and to secure loose pieces before storing them. That way, they will be in good shape coming out.

If your antique piece suffers damage at any point, get it fixed as soon as possible. A minor problem can become major if you do not handle it quickly. A minor repair can help keep the antique's original value. Have an expert do the work so your piece will be as beautiful as before.

If you are packing antiques away, use acid free paper. If you are putting them in storage you should look for a climate controlled storage unit according to Extra Space Storage – Gardena. For high value items, make sure your home owner's insurance has a rider to cover it if something happens. Minimizing antiques' contact with small children and pets can help keep accidental damage to a minimum.

Author Bio
Lyndsi is a freelance writer and antique collector and seller. She stores her antiques in self storage Brandon FL. Lyndsi is also a painter and part time elementary school art teacher.