Tips On How To Care For Antique Armoires

Incredibly, the monetary value of many antique armoires is being ruined by its well-meaning owners. Some people have taken it upon themselves to clean their furniture pieces using anything they can find – from soapy water, to linseed oil, and even bleach. Others simply wanted their pieces to have that “fresher” look and would paint their antique armoires with a new color or varnish. Others decide that they can patch up certain problematical areas using duct tape, plaster or chips of wood. These intentions are unfortunately, the very thing that can destroy these ancient exemplars of fine cabinet craftsmanship. If you do have antique armoires in your home, here are some tips on how you should take care of them, without lessening its potential value in the open market.

1. The safest course of action is to always take your antique armoires to the experts - and not just any furniture repairperson too. You should take your pieces to an antiques expert, or a conservator or a furniture restorer. This is especially true if you find certain chips or cracks or holes in the wooden structure. The rule of thumb is: to leave things as they are until the experts come a-calling. However, if you find the rates of these experts to be a bit steep, or you find it impossible to hand over your pieces to someone else, you can at least ask the experts on how you can restore your antique armoires to their former glory. More often than not, the pros will tell you how you can clean your furniture properly. But performing the actual restoration work on chips, cracks and holes on your own is a big no-no. Let the experts handle the “bigger” jobs.

2. If you want to simply clean and restore the shine on your furniture pieces, try to know precisely the type of wood used and what kind of protective finish it has. There are different ways of cleaning and polishing oak armoires and some of them may not necessarily work well for, say, lacquered pieces. Keep bleach, soapy water, linseed oil, or any polish containing silicone away from your antique pieces at all times. Some of the modern cleaning agents you have under your kitchen sink can literally destroy the finish and the wood of the armoires. Never, ever paint over your armoires, or add a coat of varnish or even try to remove the varnish.

The best thing you can do is to dust the furniture with a soft dry cloth about once a week. Keep the vacuum cleaner away to avoid scratches. If you want that polished look, try beeswax or carnauba wax (but use these products sparingly.) However, this polishing process should only be done about once or twice a year. And be extra mindful when it comes to the intricate carvings or gilt designs. If some of these comes off during the polishing process, keep the detached part and call the experts for help.

3. Keep your antique armoire away from direct sunlight. Too much exposure to sunlight can cause the furniture finish to either turn darker or lighter (sun-bleached.) In many cases though, the sun makes the wood become more porous, making it more susceptible to cracks and chips. Just try to keep your antique pieces away from streaming light coming through the windows.