When your dining room table gets upgraded from a Craigslist score to a polished wood beauty, it’s time for a lesson in the care and feeding of fine furniture. A good-quality dining table, whether new, vintage or antique, can be a major investment, and its surface should be protected.
When you buy any wood table, whether it’s a dining table, coffee table or end table, ask questions about caring for it. Here is a list of basic mistakes to avoid to keep your table looking good:
Putting hot things directly on the table. A casserole dish right out of the oven or a stew pot right off the stove should not be placed on your table without heat protection. Pourny has a simple and modern solution: natural cork trivets. (Bed Bath & Beyond has a set of three round ones for $10.) When used under serving pieces, these can protect your table from scorching and scratches.
Passing on place mats or tablecloths. When having a meal, it’s best to use something to protect your table from spills. Place mats are great for daily dining, but a tablecloth will be your best choice for a large group. Fritz prefers cloth over synthetic. “Plastic place mats can trap water, and some have off-gassing chemicals that might cause a chemical reaction to the finish on a new table,” he said. Fritz advises clients not to make place mats or cloths a permanent fixture. “When you’re not using your table, you should enjoy the beautiful wood,” Fritz said.
Forgetting about condensation. Cold or warm drinks, flower vases and bottles of chilled wine can transfer water and humidity onto a table, leaving white rings if moisture gets trapped under them. Always use coasters, trivets or other pads. If you get a water ring, Fritz said, be patient. “Three things get rid of water rings: time, heat and oil,” he says. First, wait a day or two and see whether the ring will evaporate on its own. Second, put your hair dryer on low (blow it on your hand first; if it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, it should be okay), then lightly blow air over the ring and hope it will disappear. Third, rub with an oil-based product that can remove water spots. Fritz has had luck with Howard Feed-N-Wax, a blend of beeswax, carnauba wax and orange oil.
Taking a knife to wax spills. If at the end of a dreamy candlelit evening you find some wax drippings on your table, don’t grab a paring knife and go at it. Avoid using anything metal, whether scissors or a knife, as you’ll probably damage the wood. Pourny’s trick: Use a credit card to scrape off wax clumps. If there is still residue left, Pourny suggests covering the wax with a cloth and running a slightly warm iron over it. Any leftover wax should cling to the cloth.