Timber Care & Maintenance
Timber care and maintenance
Timber products have a multi coat finish applied to the timber furniture. Timber is a natural product and there will be natural variations in texture and grain such as knots, mineral streaks and sap veins that may affect the finish.
These differences in character are not defects, but natural distinctions that make each piece of furniture unique.
Follow this steps for basic care and maintenance should help to protect your product for years to come.
Dust frequently with a damp lint free cloth to remove any duct or frit, which can damage the finish over time.
Occasionally use a light application of high quality furniture polish to enhance the finish. Avoid using oil polishes or wax.
Do not place hot items directly on any furniture surfaces. Always use a coaster when placing hot items on furniture. Finished surfaces on table tops provide scratch and heat resistance, but they can still be damaged without proper care.
Avoid exposing your furniture to direct sunlight, heat sources, open windows or dampness. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can fade the finish of your furniture, while extreme temperature and humidity changes can cause cracking, swelling or splitting.
Do not expose your furniture to any liquids. Never allow water to sit on your furniture as this can cause swelling and splitting.
Chemicals and / or solvents like alcohol, nail polish and perfumes are also dangerous because they dissolve the furniture finish on contact and may require professional repair.
Do not allow plastic to come in direct contact with you furniture. Chemicals in the plastic can soften and damage the finish if left in contact with the furniture for a long period of time.
Fabric Care and Maintenance
Regular Care
Protect from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Rotate reversible cushions regularly.
Vacuum regularly, using low suction and soft brush accessory.
Avoid heavy soiling caused by perspiration, hair oil, footwear and pets.
Cleaning
Do not remove any parts for separate cleaning
Professional cleaning recommended.
Do not use dishwashing or laundry detergents.
Use only Upholstery fabric cleaning products.
Pay careful attention to armrests, headrest and cushions.
Do not wet filling. Dry in Shade away from direct heat and sunlight. Allow to dry thoroughly before re-use.
Alternatively seek professional cleaning only. Upholstery cleaner is most effective for cleaning
general soiling, protein or water based stains.
Do not scrub fabric upholstery with stiff brushes.
Spot Cleaning
Treat spills and stains as soon as possible.
Gently scrape any soil or blot any liquid from the surface of the fabric.
Do not scrub.
Apply cleaning agents strictly according to instructions.
Always test cleaners on an inconspicuous area before use.
Do not saturate the fabric or filling with water or other cleaning fluids.
Pilling
Pilling can occur occasionally as a result of normal daily wear and should not be considered a fault.
Pilling can be removed using a pill shaver, available from most haberdashery stores.
Leather Care and Maintenance
Regular and proper care and maintenance must be undertaken in order for the leather to perform to its intended level.
Vacuum regularly with soft brush attachment and wipe over with soft colourfast clean cloth to remove dust and grit. Recommended every 2-3 weeks.
Clean the leather with a recognized appropriate leather cleaner (different types of leather have different cleaners) followed by an application of leather conditioner / protector. Always follow directions on packs. Recommended, every 3 months.
Perspiration (salts), body oils which occur naturally in human skin as well as things like hair products etc.., can, if left to build up on the leather surface (headrest, arm pads etc.) damage the leather. These areas may require more frequent cleaning particularly if the leather has become damp with perspiration or soiling is visible on the surface of the leather.
Blot any liquid spills immediately and avoid excessive hard rubbing.
Do not - Dry clean or machine wash , expose to direct sunlight or weather, place near heat sources.
Do not use - Saddle soap, detergents, solvents, abrasives, unidentified leather cleaners, suede cleaners or any products containing silicon or solvents.
Medications affecting leather, fabric & vinyl
Please note: This list covers a number of medical conditions and medication categories. Variations as to the combination of medications, the dosages taken and individual chemistry will and can impact on the level of effect.
The following list contains medications that, when perspired through sweat and body oils, may have damaging effects to leather, vinyl and fabric. It is recommended that more frequent care and maintenance be undertaken if applicable.
This list is by no means comprehensive and is a limited guide only.
HEART
- Blood Thinners – (Anticoagulants)
- Rate Control
- Vasodilators
BLOOD AND BLOOD PRESSURE
Blood Pressure
- ACE Inhibitors
- Alpha Agonists
- Alpha Blockers
- Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers
- Diuretics
- Renin Blockers
Antiarrhythmics
- Sodium Channel Blockers (Rhythm Control)
- Beta Blockers (Rate Control)
- Potassium Channel Blockers
- Calcium Channel Blockers
Cholesterol Lowering
- Statins
- Non-Statins
CHEMOTHERAPY
ARTHRITIS
- Analgesics
- Biological Response Modifiers (BRMs)
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS)
- Fibromyalgia
- Glucocorticoids
- Gout
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Osteoporosis
Information on Pilling
What is Pilling?
A pill is a small ball of fibers that form on the surface of a piece of fabric.
What causes Pilling?
Loose fibers have a natural tendency to move to the surface of a piece of fabric, where they are subject to friction as a result of normal use, this causes the fibers to twist together into small balls. Fibers that are still secured to the fabric are also twisted into the ball, so that the pill is secured to the surface of the fabric. Pilling is more noticeable on man-made fibers. This is mainly because natural fabrics shed loose fibers easily and less noticeably, while man-made fibers are notoriously strong, so the pills are anchored strongly to the fabric. There are many variables which can trigger and contribute to pilling occurring, including climatic conditions and user environment. Even specific clothing types (fleecy tracksuits etc.) can transfer fibers from clothing to the furniture fabric. Often the catalyst that starts this process is a foreign fiber or speck of dirt.
Is Pilling a fabric fault?
It is important to note that pilling is not a fabric defect or fault and as such is not considered as warranty issue. Pilling is a normal occurrence caused by wear and tear and does not affect the durability or functionality of the fabric.
How to remove Pilling?
The most effective method is to use pill shaver. These appliances are economical, portable and available in most sewing retail stores. Another alternative is a pill comb which is also effective and performs the same task manually. If pilling reoccurs, it can simply be shaved off again. This may occur several times, but the pilling will diminish and eventually cease once the excess fibers are removed. “De-pilling” does not affect fabric performance.
Pilling and fabric testing
Fabrics are tested to specific standards in order to achieve a classification according to the level of performance and the application of classification to the end use of the fabric.
Level of Performance Classification / End Use Application
1 Delicate
2 Domestic light duty
3 Domestic medium duty/ Commercial light duty
4 Domestic heavy duty/ Commercial medium duty
5 Commercial heavy duty
One of these test relates to pilling;
ISO-12945-2-2000 Martindale method with a loading mass and various number of cycles depending on the type of fabric.
As a result of this testing a mean rating is achieved which correlates to a classification and intern end use application.
Results relating to the mean average are
Pilling rating
5 No Change
4 Slight surface fuzzing and / or partially formed pills
3 Moderate surface fuzzing and / or moderate pilling. Pills of varying size and density partially covering the specimen
2 Distinct fuzzing and / or distinct pilling. Pills of varying size and density covering a large portion of the specimen surface
1 Dense surface and or severe pilling. Pills of varying size and density covering the whole of the specimen surface.
It is not an unrealistic expectation that some form of pilling may occur on fabrics if the testing rating of a fabric is between 1-4.