Furniture is expensive. That’s why it’s so important to take proper care of it and do your best to prevent damage, and handle it as soon as possible if any damage does happen to occur. If you get good quality furniture, look after it, and minimalize damage, your furniture could last you many years.
Of course, that can be easier said than done. No one wants their furniture to be damaged, especially if it’s something as cool as this abyss table, but it can be hard to do anything about furniture damage if you don’t know what’s causing it. And even if you do figure out the reason behind the damage, you might still not know how to prevent or fix it. In this post we will be going over the most common causes of furniture damage, as well as ways to fix it and stop it from happening again.
Pests
Rats, termites, ants, and all other kinds of pests can cause severe damage to your furniture. Sometimes, it’s pretty obvious, like if a rat has been gnawing at your dinner table. Other times, the insects might crawl into the furniture and start destroying it from the inside, which means that you might not even notice what’s happening until it’s top late.
As soon as you notice any signs of a pest infestation, look up specialists in your area, such as Phoenix pest control to get rid of pests. Depending on the damage that has been done, it might not even be necessary to replace the entire piece of furniture. You can just replace parts that have been severely damaged. If this is a recurring problem, consider getting some form of pest repellent to apply to your furniture.
Water damage
Water damage is one of the most common culprits when it comes to furniture damage, especially wooden furniture or outdoor furniture. Water that is left on furniture for extended periods of time can cause numerous problems, such as causing wood to rot or causing mold to grow on the inside of furniture.
Try to wipe off any liquid that lands on your furniture as soon as possible, before it gets the chance to seep in. If it’s a big amount of water, you can try to dry it quicker by using something like a hair dryer. Just be extremely cautious when doing this on wood, as it can cause it to warp.
Cleaning methods
Not cleaning your furniture regularly can cause it to weaken and therefore cause damage to its structure. However, cleaning your furniture too often can also cause damage. Be sure to do some research on how often to clean your furniture.
That’s not the only factor when it comes to cleaning furniture. The products or methods you use could also be doing your furniture more harm than good. You need to handle each piece of furniture individually, since wood would need to be cleaned in a different method than upholstered furniture.
If you notice your furniture gradually starting to become damaged, try switching over to new cleaning products, or changing how often you clean them.
Sun damage
We often only think outside furniture can be damaged by the sun, but that’s not true at all. Inside furniture is also at a high risk for being damaged by the sun, especially if it’s placed close to a window, or spends the majority of the day in direct sunlight.
Excessive sunlight can cause furniture to warp or change the color of it. This can be easily prevented by not placing your furniture in direct sunlight, or applying a protective product to the furniture in question.
Pets
It’s true – our pets can cause damage to furniture in various ways. They often scratch at furniture or bite it. They also bring in mud and water from outside, which can cause damage to your furniture if they jump on it.
If you have very big pets that jump on and off furniture, keep in mind that this could also be causing damage, as the impact of them constantly jumping on the same piece of furniture can weaken the furniture over time.
This can easily be fixed by getting some protective covers to place on your furniture to prevent it from superficial damage. If it goes deeper than that and you’re worried that your pets might be causing structural damage, it might be best to keep them off of your furniture.
Constantly sitting in the same spot
Excessive use over extended periods of time could lead to structural damage, such as weakening, sagging, or warping. If you always sit on the same spot of your couch, that part will start showing strain from being overused. Instead, try to mix it up by sitting on the opposite end of the couch every now and then to balance things out a bit.
It is possible to fix sagging furniture without replacing the whole thing, so if you do notice any sagging, don’t immediately jump to the worst conclusion. It could be possible to beat the warped part back into place, or replace the base panel or springs of the furniture.
Air
The air that surrounds us plays a much bigger part in our lives than we often think. So much so that it even has an effect on our furniture. Too much moisture in the air can cause damage to furniture, as can too little moisture. Salt in the air can also cause damage.
The first step is to determine what the problem with the air is. If you live close to the sea, it’s likely salt that is the problem. If the furniture seems brittle, it’s probably a lack of humidity, and if the furniture seems constantly damp, it’s probably too much moisture in the air.
Once you’ve narrowed down what the culprit is, you can get to work on rectifying the problem. Luckily, it’s not too complicated. There are special products you can apply to counteract the salt in the air. Too much or too little moisture can be solved by simply buying either a dehumidifier or a humidifier, depending on the problem.
