Furniture Care Tips

Congratulations on your new leather furniture! Leather is a time-tested material, is aesthetically pleasing and will greatly outlast a fabric sofa if properly cared for. Leather is neither self-cleaning nor self-maintaining. To ensure longevity of your furniture please follow these guidelines:

• Try to maintain at least three feet between your furniture and heating sources. Prolonged exposure to heat vents, radiators or wood stoves will cause your leather to dry out.
• Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight. All materials will fade over time when placed in direct sunlight. Do not place leathers near windows or under skylights. If you have multiple windows in your room use blinds during hot months.
• Like all items in your home, leather can accumulate dust. Dust weekly (Swiffer dusters work great) or you may also use the soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner.
• Use distilled water to remove body oils and other buildups. To do this get a clean cotton cloth and wet with distilled water. Wring out and wipe down your leather, concentrate on the head/neck and arm areas as these areas tend to accumulate the most oils. Some leathers may darken when you wipe it down but will dry clear. For heavy use clean once every other month. If rarely used clean once or twice a year. If you do not clean your leather the oils will end up discoloring the leather over time and cracking.
• The proper order to care for your leather is:
  • First- remove dust and other buildups.
  • Second- Use distilled water and rag method to remove oils.
  • Third – use a leather cleaner
  • Fourth- use a leather conditioner
• The top layer protects the leather and simplifies cleaning, but is nonetheless vulnerable to soiling and wear. If the top layer/top color is destroyed, the leather may deteriorate faster. Penetrating spills/damage/scratches are normally irreparable and may result in the top color changing character, cracking or peeling off.
• Never use harsh chemicals or cleaning agents on your leather furniture. Avoid all products containing solvents or oils because they may negatively affect the surface of the leather. Avoid using your leather furniture with wet hair or with freshly applied hair care products or cosmetics. Only use approved leather cleaners and conditioners when maintaining your leather furniture. Never use car or saddle leather cleaners, as these leathers are treated differently than furniture upholstery leather. 
• Never leave newspapers directly on the leather for an extended period of time. Dye transfer will happen, especially during the warmer months. Same goes for blue jeans.
• Leather is not resistant to animals. Do not allow pets on your leather furniture. Their claws may scratch the leather which can lead to an expensive repair. Their saliva is acidic and may also attack the leather finish.

Congratulations on your new mattress! To ensure longevity of your mattress please follow these guidelines:

• Comfort preferences are not covered under warranty
• Be aware that body indentations (not depressions) are a normal occurrence in new mattresses and simply indicate the upholstery layers (top layers of material) are conforming to your body’s contours.
• To equalize these body indentations you should turn your new mattress end-to-end (mattresses no longer require flipping) ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS for the first THREE MONTHS and ONCE every THREE MONTHS thereafter. This will greatly prolong your new set and allow proper break-in (especially in a pillow-top mattress). 
• Normal body indentations or sagging of less than 1.5” for latex or innerspring mattresses or less than ¾” for memory foam mattresses, IS NOT COVERED under warranty.
• The LAW TAG (which is sewed onto the head of the mattress) MUST be retained for Warranty coverage. Without this tag your mattress cannot be covered, should you ever have to file a claim.
• Your Sleep set is open-flame resistant, not fireproof, so it is important to keep open flames or any incendiary or high heat generating devices away from your sleep set.
• It is highly recommended that you use a mattress protector for your new mattress, for any stains or excessive soiling will void your warranty.

No two trees are exactly alike so the natural color and grain variations in wood products are normal. Wood texture and grain do affect the finish, so it is impossible to guarantee an exact match in finish between two pieces of furniture even though the identical finishing processes are applied. These natural characteristics give solid wood furniture its own unique quality.

Solid wood furniture will breathe – expand and contract – with normal temperature and humidity.

Proper cleaning of your wood ensures its beauty and longevity. We recommend simply using a damp cloth to clean your furniture. Never use a silicone based polish. We recommend Guardsman Furniture Polish (available for purchase at our front counter) which is recommended for fine wood finishes.

Every effort should be made to keep your wood furniture out of direct sunlight and heat sources such as radiators, hot air outlets or wood stoves (two to three feet should be enough room). These conditions will cause the wood to dry out and subsequently split.

Humidity between 35 to 45 percent guards against shrinking and cracking or expansion. Basements with high humidity should be avoided. It is strongly recommended that you use a dehumidifier or humidifier depending on your environment. Extreme temperature and humidity will ruin wood.

Follow these care and cleaning tips if you have a solid wood dining table

• Any table made from wood can be scratched, burned or dented. When in use we recommend using placemats or tablecloths to protect the top from plates, hot pans, dishes, etc.
• Darker finishes will show scratches more readily.
• Clean the table by using a slightly damp sponge or cloth – use a mild dish soap or detergent if desired – then dry with a soft towel or cloth. Try to wipe up spills quickly so cleaning is easy. Never use abrasive cleaners or sponges.
• Never let candle wax drip on the table – it will discolor the finish.
• Be aware that humidity and climate will affect your wood furniture. Wood exchanges moisture with the air, expanding and contracting as humidity levels fluctuate. This movement can sometimes cause periodic gapping at the rule joints {the areas where leafs are inserted into the table top}. Such temporary gapping is a natural characteristic of solid wood and is not considered a manufacturing defect.
• Placing your table near heating vents, fireplaces, or wood stoves can damage your furniture because of the extreme changes in temperature and moisture.
• Wood does have a tendency to darken and age over time – this will be especially noticeable on lighter finishes.
• Avoid direct sunlight – ultraviolet rays will change the color of the wood over time. If your table is in a sunny area, never leave an object on your table for an extended period of time – you could very well find that the area underneath the object is a different color than the rest of the table! We also recommend periodically putting your leaves into the table allowing them to age naturally to match the color of the rest of the table.

Congratulations on your new dining room set! To ensure proper care and longevity of your furniture please follow these guidelines:

• Always use placemats or table clothes when using your dining room table. This will help protect against scratches, heat and steam working into your table. Hot items such as pizza boxes, paper plates and hot bowls will cause damage to your table. The varnish on your table is there to protect against liquid spills NOT heat.
• No two trees are exactly alike so the natural color and grain variations in wood products are normal. Wood texture and grain do affect the finish, so it is impossible to guarantee an exact match in finish between two pieces of furniture even though the identical finishing processes are applied. These natural characteristics give solid wood furniture its own unique quality.
• Wood moves, especially solid wood, with changes in humidity. Always make sure to have a Humidifier. Humidity in homes should be between 35-45%. Montana goes through extreme temperature changes, especially in the winter months. These temperature changes affect humidity and that is when we see the most wood movement. If proper levels are not reached wrapping and splitting may occur.
• The “Rule-Joint” is where the two halves of the table meet. It is normal for there to be a temporary gap during different times throughout the year. This is because solid wood absorbs the surrounding moisture in the air (or lack there off) causing expansion and contraction. This is normal and not considered a defect.
• Never place wood furniture over heat ducts or near radiators, wood stoves, etc.… 3 feet is a good rule of thumb. 
• Avoid direct sunlight – ultraviolet rays will change the color of the wood over time. If your table is in a sunny area, never leave objects (candles, accessories, vases…) on your table for an extended period of time- you could very well find out that the area underneath the object is a different color than the rest of the table.
• Periodically put your table leaves in thus allowing them to age naturally to match the color of the rest of your table. If your leaves do not self-store in the table, store them horizontally under a bed or closet. Standing them up can cause them to wrap over time.
• Dust table weekly (Swiffer dusters work great). If used often, polish every few months. If rarely used, polish one or twice a year. Wipe off your table after each use with a warm washcloth (and mild detergent if needed) and buff dry. To polish, you can use any wood cleaner but we recommend “Guardsman Wood Cleaner” avail. In store. Also, a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water will remove fingerprints and greasy smears. Polishes should not contain silicones. Always dust and polish with the grain-never against the grain.
• The varnish will protect against many liquids, however, the following items should never come in contact with your table top: fingernail polish or remover, magic markers, candle wax, liquids for scented oil canisters and any other harsh chemicals.
• Always use hot pads when serving casserole dishes or any other hot pans coming out of the oven or off the stove.
• We offer table pads for your new dining set. Many color options available.