PROTECTING OUR WORLD

~- NIKITA KALLOL PURKAYASTHA

Congratulations! You’ve invested in your home décor. Now that you’re sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying your new surroundings, we know you’ll want to keep things looking this new for a long time. Simply wipe down your furniture with the dampened cloth. Then wipe away any remaining moisture with a dry cloth. Use cotton, as synthetic fibres can cause surface scratches. Most finishes today are designed to be low sheen with no “lustre.” So, to maintain the beautiful finish on your wood furniture, we recommend avoiding wax-based polishes and polishes containing silicone. These products will accumulate in crevasses of the wood grain, contaminate your finish, and detract from the overall look of your furniture. As with anything you buy, misuse or abuse can create damage over time. So, here are a few dos and don’ts that will help prevent damage to your beautiful wood furniture. • Always use a coaster under glasses, mugs, plates, etc. Use a pad under hot plates and pizza boxes. • Hot, cold, or moist items will react with the wood surface and create discoloured white rings or other marks. • Use felt pads under lamps, vases, some coasters. and other decorative accessories that may scratch the surface when moved. • Avoid allowing plastic, nylon, or rubber materials to remain in contact with your wood surface. This includes the feet on computers, alarm clocks, and other electronics. These items can cause an adverse reaction to your wood finish over time. • Avoid resting your feet on the furniture. Embellishments and rough or sharp edges on shoes can scratch your wood furniture. • Don’t let pets walk across or scratch your wood furniture. As much as we love our furballs, they can cause inadvertent damage too. Besides, the carpet or your lap is probably a lot more comfortable! • When writing, place something thicker underneath your paper, such as a book or magazine. Wood is soft, so your handwriting can travel through the paper and onto your tabletop. • Keep your furniture away from a fireplace and heating and cooling vents; away from moisture sources, such as humidifiers; and out of direct sunlight. As much as we love the sun, it can be brutal. Just look at what it can do to your skin in a few hours or to a newspaper in a day. Daily exposure to heat or sunlight - even indirect sunlight – may fade your wood finishes and dry the wood, which can create cracks over time. • Control your climate. Wood can swell or contract, depending on the surrounding atmosphere. If you live in a dry area, you may need to use a humidifier in your home. And if you live in a humid environment, you may need to control the moisture in your home. SO DON'T PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT U LIVE IN, PROTECT YOUR WORLD IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE ENVIRONMENT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANYONE TO PROTECT IT.