Furniture Care Guidelines for Stanley Furniture
At Stanley Furniture, we believe that proper care and maintenance can help your furnishings last for years while maintaining their beauty. Below are our care guidelines for various furniture types:
1. Wood Furniture Care
- Avoid Extreme Conditions: Keep wood furniture away from direct heat sources, like radiators, and avoid exposure to direct sunlight to prevent fading.
- Prevent Damage: Do not place plastic, rubber, or hot items directly on the wood surface to avoid discoloration. Use coasters or felt pads under accessories.
- Cleaning: Dust regularly with a soft, clean cloth. For deeper cleaning, use a mild soap solution and a damp cloth, following the grain of the wood. Avoid products that leave an oily residue.
- Polishing: Use a non-silicone furniture polish every six months to maintain the finish, but avoid greasy polishes.
2. Upholstery Care
- Placement: Avoid placing upholstered furniture in direct sunlight and near heat sources. Fabric colors, especially deep blues, greens and reds, can fade with prolonged sun exposure.
- Regular Maintenance: Vacuum your upholstery weekly using a soft brush attachment to lift dust and pet hair before it settles into the weave.
- Spills: Act quickly. Blot with a clean, white, absorbent cloth working from the outside of the spill inward. Never rub, and never use colored cloths or paper towels with printing, which can transfer dye.
- Cleaning Codes: Every fabric carries a cleaning code. W means water-based cleaners or a mild soap and water solution only. S means solvent-based cleaners or professional dry cleaning only; do not apply water. You will find the code on your swatch card and on each fabric's detail page. Always test on a hidden area first.
- Comfort Wrinkles: Light creasing and softening of the fabric is a normal part of upholstery settling in and is not a defect. Rotate and flip loose cushions regularly to keep them in shape and spread wear evenly.
3. Made-to-Order Seating and Fabric Care
Your seating is built to order and upholstered in the fabric you chose. A little routine care keeps it looking the way it did on delivery day.
- First Weeks: New cushions are firm and will relax with use. Sit across the whole piece rather than in one spot, and fluff and rotate seat and back cushions every couple of weeks during the first few months, then monthly after that.
- Performance Fabrics: Our Tier 1 Performance fabrics are PFAS-free and stain resistant. For most spills, blot promptly, then clean with a mild soap and water solution on a white cloth and blot dry. Test on a hidden area first. Avoid bleach and solvent cleaners, which can break down the stain-resistant finish.
- Standard Fabrics: Follow the cleaning code for your fabric (see Upholstery Care above). Most of our chenilles, textured weaves and velvets are code W; our linen blends are code S and should never be wet cleaned.
- Chenille: A soft, plush yarn that may show light pilling or shading where it is sat on most. This is normal. Remove pills gently with a fabric shaver and vacuum with a soft brush, not a beater bar.
- Velvet: Pile will show pressure marks and light direction changes with use; this is part of its character. Vacuum or brush lightly in the direction of the pile. Blot spills immediately and never rub, which can crush the pile.
- Textured Weaves: Vacuum regularly to keep the loops and slubs clear of dust. Keep pet claws trimmed; a pulled thread can be worked back into the weave with a blunt needle, never cut.
- Pets and Kids: Choose a fabric tagged Dog-friendly, Cat-friendly or Kid-friendly if your seating will see heavy use. Performance fabrics are the easiest to keep clean. A washable throw on favorite spots goes a long way.
- Sun and Heat: Keep seating out of direct sunlight and at least a few feet from radiators, fireplaces and heating vents to prevent fading and drying of the fabric.
- Frames and Legs: Wipe wood legs with a soft, dry cloth. Lift the piece rather than dragging it when you move it, and use felt pads on hard floors.
- Keep Your Swatch: Hold on to your fabric swatch card. It carries the fabric name, composition and cleaning code, and it is the quickest way for our team to help if you ever need advice or a repair.
- Professional Cleaning: For a deep clean or a set-in stain, use an upholstery cleaning professional and give them your fabric's cleaning code. Do not rent steam extraction machines for code S fabrics.
4. Leather Care
- Routine Cleaning: Dust regularly with a soft, damp cloth. Avoid furniture polish and oils.
- Spot Cleaning: For stains, use a damp cloth with a mild soap solution. Avoid harsh chemicals.
- Avoid Direct Sunlight: Prolonged exposure can lead to fading; be cautious with inks from newspapers or magazines that may transfer to leather.
5. Outdoor Furniture Care
- Cushion Maintenance: Regularly reshape and rotate cushions to maintain their structure and even wear.
- Cleaning: For light stains, use a mild soap solution and let air dry. For stubborn stains, refer to specific fabric cleaning instructions.
- Storage: When not in use, store cushions and furniture under covers to protect against moisture and debris.
6. Stone, Metal, and Other Materials
- Stone Tops: Wipe spills immediately to prevent staining. Use a mild soap solution for regular cleaning.
- Metal Surfaces: Clean with a mild soap and water solution; avoid abrasive cleaners.
- Glass Components: Use a glass cleaner with a soft cloth to avoid scratching.
General Maintenance Tips
- Avoid Harsh Chemicals: Always test any cleaning product on an inconspicuous area before applying it to the entire piece.
- Preventive Measures: Use coasters, trivets, and felt pads to protect surfaces from scratches and heat damage.
- Professional Help: For extensive cleaning or repairs, consider seeking the assistance of a professional cleaning service.
- Questions: Not sure which cleaning method applies to your piece? Contact our team with your fabric name and we will point you in the right direction.