Midcentury Modern Furniture Care Tips

One of the most frequently asked questions by people who purchase furniture from us is how to care for it. Beautifully patina'd MCM furniture can be an investment and the last thing you'd want to do is accidentally harm the finish with a product that shouldn't be used or let a piece deteriorate due to negligence. So here are my top 3 tips!

1.  Use coasters!  We've gotten very used to all of our furniture being coated in a quarter inch of plastic. Midcentury modern pieces were finished in oil-based lacquer. Though a very strong finish that could (and did) last for more than half a century, if you leave a sweaty drink for a long time there WILL be a water ring. So protect it with coasters like so many of us did when we were kids.

2. Use Oz Cream Polish! This is our #1 product recommendation. It doesn't contain silicone like many in-store products which makes refinishing more difficult. It's not cheap (a 32 oz. bottle is about $30 on amazon) but it will probably last you a lifetime. Simply buff on a generous amount, wait at least an hour then buff off. It will give a little bit of protection, but more importantly, will hydrate the piece and make a ton of the scratches and small marks disappear.  This is something you'd do about every 6 months.  

3.  DON'T use Howard's Restore-a-finish!  I've seen this product work well, and I've seen it nearly ruin pieces. This should not be considered a spot refinisher. The product is formulated to remove the very top layer of finish and blend but if the color of Howard's slightly off, it will be extremely obvious. It also contains silicone which will penetrate in to the wood, making refinishing very very difficult.  

Bonus tip - Wax your drawers!  If you have a dresser and the drawers don't slide in and out smooth - it's not broken. Just take out the drawers, run some bees wax or even soap over all contact points, and slide them back in. It's that simple!  

If you have a vintage piece that's beyond maintenance and needs repair or refinishing, give us a call at Vintage Source!