This is a bit daggy but I thought it was worth a mention...
well life is about the ordinary sometimes and it can't all be holidays and pretty things...
Our dining setting is almost puritan it's so functional and there are no soft seat cushions, just good old solid timber. The table is over hundred years old and the chairs at least seventy so they have served well many generations. It's easy to overlook basic maintenance on such forgiving timber colour but every now and then I give them a good going over with the enjo cloth and wipe down thoroughly, especially where hands have been pulling them out and pulling them in. It's amazing how much grime accumulates right under our nose. A couple need a hammer punch on some nails and check that the leg rails are in good order as these help to brace the chair making them strong. A chair that has come apart and been repaired is often a shadow of it's former self so keep them maintained before they get to that stage. Check the bottoms of the legs too, do the felt pads/discs on the bottom need replacing? If you have hardwood floors, these inexpensive pads protect the flooring and make moving the chairs quieter and easier.
Next you'll probably notice some cobwebs and a few daddy-long-legs running for cover. Wipe the underside clean from debris and give a mist with the clove oil and water and wipe over. Just a mist will do and will deter the spiders for a while. You can read more about clove oil here.
Now if you have upholstered seats I don't envy you, you have an extra cleaning step and will need to follow whatever procedure is recommended for your fabric and stain appropriate. Remember a good rule of thumb for an unidentifiable stain is to start with cold water so as not to set any proteins and then go from there. Good luck.
Now excuse me, the chairs are up and I have floors to wash.
Thanks Tanya, i too have a wooden table and chairs though no where near as old as yours. You've included a few steps a might have missed out on so thanks for the reminder. I like the clove oil idea. This might sound strange but i would love to be able to wash my floors while the chairs are up. We have cream coloured carpet that is 20 years old and it looks it. I dream of wooden floors.
ReplyDeleteI have an oak table and chairs that is comfortable and aging well. It is not as old as yours, but will be some day, as it is well made. I need to give mine a good cleaning.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up on the clove oil. We have a outdoor bathroom at present with not very good ventilation hence mildew is a problem especially in the winter months, summertime we can leave the door open frequently. I will give the clove oil a try, and also the hanging chalk sticks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the very welcome tips Tania... Love your setting beautiful wood, what stories it could tell :)) hugs pat ..
ReplyDeleteI had to look up the definition of 'daggy.' What a cool word that I thoroughly intend to incorporate into my daily language.
ReplyDeleteToday's vocab practice: "I'm a bit of a daggy lass, preferring the company of my chooks and goats to the whinging populace outside my pasture."
How'd I do?
You are awesome!....and a dag....x
Delete