Cabinet Furniture Care Guide
Choosing new furniture is a big decision, so it makes sense that you'd want to protect your investment. Following the simple guidelines below will help keep your furniture in great condition for years to come.
Please note that while fair wear and tear in domestic use is not covered, we do offer a 5-year structural guarantee on everything we sell. For full details, please refer to the guarantee document included in your customer information pack.
Quick Furniture Care Guide:
- Routine Maintenance: Blot spills immediately with a soft cloth, lift items to move them, and use heat mats and coasters to protect finishes.
- Placement & Safety: Position furniture away from direct heat and sunlight, ensure units are level, and anchor tall cabinets using supplied wall safety brackets.
- Cleaning Practices: Dust surfaces with a dry microfiber cloth, avoid harsh chemicals or silicone sprays, and re-oil natural timber every 3 to 6 months.
- Upholstery & Glass Care: Regularly vacuum fabric seats, plump cushions, condition leather yearly, and wipe glass or high-gloss surfaces with soft, non-abrasive cloths.
- Protection & Warranties: Fairway Furniture includes a 5-year structural guarantee, with optional care plans available to cover accidental spills, stains, and scratches
Download our Cabinet Furniture Care Guide by clicking here
We would recommend that if you have not already chosen to, you also consider our excellent value Fairway Furniture 5 Year Cabinet Care Plan, which protects your furniture from any accidental damage, including spills, stains and scratches.
This protection can be added to your order right up until you take delivery. Full details are available from your sales consultant, or for online orders by calling 01752 408941.
Golden Rules for Prolonging the Life of Your Furniture
Whether you’ve chosen a solid oak dining suite, a contemporary glass table, or a plush fabric sofa, practising basic routine maintenance safeguards your furniture against daily wear and tear.
- Blot Spills Immediately: Accidental spillages happen. Never rub liquid into a surface. Always dab quickly using a clean, soft, dry cloth to draw moisture out. Follow up with a damp cloth if necessary, and dry thoroughly right away.
- Lift, Never Drag: When moving freestanding cabinets, dining tables, or armchairs, always lift from the sturdy base or main frame. Dragging furniture places severe strain on legs, joints, and castors, and can damage indoor flooring.
- Protect Against Light & Heat: Avoid positioning furniture directly beside active radiators, open fires, or in direct, unfiltered sunlight. Direct heat and UV rays dry out natural materials, alter wood tones, and cause fabrics to fade over time.
- Use Surface Protection: Always place insulated heat mats and absorbent coasters under hot cookware, coffee mugs, and chilled glassware. Moisture rings and heat scorching can permanently affect protective timber lacquers and polishes.
Positioning & Setting Up Your New Furniture
Proper placement and initial assembly are critical to keeping doors aligned, drawers running smoothly, and structures stable.
Transit Strips & Castors
Your cabinet furniture may arrive fitted with castors or plastic transit strips. These are used exclusively to safeguard items during delivery and transportation.
Follow the included manufacturer instructions to remove transit protection before use to maximise product stability and aesthetic appeal.
Flooring, Levelling & Wall Attachments
- Hardwood & Laminate Floors: If placing cabinet items directly onto wooden or tiled floors, we strongly recommend applying protective felt pads to the underside of the feet to prevent floor scratching.
- Uneven Floors & Door Alignment: Older homes frequently feature subtle floor unevenness. If cabinet doors or drawers appear misaligned after assembly, check whether the unit is level. Small adjustments using shims or door hinge screws will restore alignment.
- Pre-Loading Wardrobes: Before making final door-alignment adjustments on large wardrobes or sideboards, fill the interior with the items you intend to store inside. Weight shifts can subtly flex timber frames.
- Safety Fixings & Airflow: For freestanding wardrobes and high-level wall units, always utilise supplied safety brackets or straps to anchor the unit securely to the wall. Maintain a 2–3 cm gap behind freestanding units to permit natural air circulation and prevent trapped moisture.
How to Clean & Maintain Wooden Cabinet Furniture
Real timber is a dynamic, living material. Each piece showcases natural variations in grain, tone, and character. Protecting these organic features requires simple, non-chemical cleaning routines.
Everyday Dusting & Cleaning
Most modern cabinet pieces are finished with protective lacquers that require minimal effort to keep clean:
- Dust routinely with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
- To remove fingerprints and sticky smudges, wipe gently with a microfiber cloth dampened with clean, warm water. Dry the surface immediately afterwards with a clean, dry towel.
- Periodically check self-assembly pieces (such as dining table legs and chair frames) and gently retighten bolts or screws to prevent joint strain.
Cleaning Products to Avoid:
- Multi-purpose household sprays,
- baby wipes,
- facial wipes,
- cream cleaners
- polishes containing silicone*, spirits, solvents, or acidic agents.
*Silicone-based cleaners leave a tacky residue that damages protective finishes and makes future repairs impossible.
Care Guidelines by Finish Type
- Oiled Oak Finishes: Oiled timber requires periodic re-oiling (every 3–6 months) to nourish the wood fibres, prevent drying, and maintain its rich appearance. Use a suitable natural vegetable finishing oil. Apply along the direction of the grain and buff thoroughly.
- Waxed & Lacquered Wood: Dust weekly with a soft lint-free cloth. Lacquered surfaces seal the wood from moisture, so avoid wax pastes unless explicitly specified by the manufacturer.
- Rustic & Distressed Furniture: Ranges designed with natural distressing, hand-worked timber, or reclaimed character naturally feature wider manufacturing and finish tolerances. Knots, surface indentations, and subtle grain shifts celebrate the individual style of each piece.
Managing Humidity & Wood Movement
Because solid wood responds to atmospheric moisture, timber expands during humid summer months and contracts in dry, centrally heated winter environments.
Extreme climate variations may cause doors to stick temporarily or tiny, hairline movement cracks to appear. These are natural characteristics of real timber furniture rather than manufacturing defects. Maintain stable indoor humidity where possible to keep movement to a minimum.
Dining Room & Occasional Furniture Care
Dining room furniture gets a lot of use, from family dinners to homework sessions, and even arts and crafts, so knowing how to take care of the various furniture finishes is crucial to keeping your room looking nice.
Glass & Polished Metal
Glass tabletops and metal accents bring brightness and elegance to dining spaces. Maintain their clarity by wiping with a soft, damp cloth.
Avoid using harsh chemical glass cleaners directly near timber trim or upholstery, and never use abrasive scourers or kitchen sponges that could scratch the surface.
Wood-Effect & High-Gloss Finishes
Contemporary high-gloss and wood-look veneers are durable but susceptible to fine hairline scratches from dust dragging. Gently dust surfaces using a dry, ultra-soft microfibre cloth. Remove stubborn smudges with a damp, wrung-out cloth, drying the area immediately.
Upholstered Dining Chairs
Dining chair seat pads collect daily dust and crumbs. Vacuum padded seats regularly using a soft brush attachment on low suction.
If seat fabric or leather requires cleaning, wipe gently with a lightly dampened cloth, ensuring the cushion dries completely before anyone sits on it. Ensure all four chair legs remain flat on the floor during use to prevent frame distortion.
Living Room Upholstery Care (Fabric & Leather)
Sofas and armchairs are the heart of the home. A simple routine keeps upholstery looking plump, fresh, and supportive. Whether you prefer fabric or leather sofas, there are some easy ways to keep them looking fresh.
Fabric Sofas & Chairs
- Vacuum Regularly: Dust and grit act as minor abrasives on upholstery fibres. Vacuum your sofa weekly on low suction using a soft upholstery brush attachment.
- Plump & Rotate Cushions: Turn, flip, and plump removable seat and back cushions every week to distribute wear evenly and maintain cushion shape.
Read our full guide to maintaining fabric sofas.
Leather Furniture Care
- Routine Dusting: Wipe leather surfaces monthly with a soft, clean microfibre cloth to remove dust and skin oils.
- Conditioning: Apply a specialised leather conditioner once or twice a year to maintain suppleness and prevent cracking. Keep leather at least 50 cm away from direct heat sources like radiators.
Read our guide to leather sofa care.
Our 5-Year Structural Guarantee & Care Plan
At Fairway Furniture, our furniture comes backed by our standard 5-Year Structural Guarantee, covering your investment against material and manufacturing defects.
For complete protection against everyday life, including accidental spills, food stains, liquid marks, or scuffs, we offer the optional Fairway 5-Year Cabinet & Upholstery Care Protection Plan.
- Coverage against accidental stains (wine, coffee, food, ink).
- Protection against structural damage, rips, tears, or burns.
- Access to professional in-home repair and stain-removal specialists.