How to Clean, polish and look after your dining table! Our Free up to date 2021 guide!
Now, we all know Dining tables are an integral part of our dining rooms.
With our incredibly busy modern lives, they have become the centre of the room, which now has become the centre of our homes.
And nowadays, unfortunate as it is, the only time we get to see each other is at mealtimes.
So whether you use your dining table regularly or once a week, if you want it to last, you need to know how to keep it in good knick!
Having some knowledge of maintaining it, primarily as you have invested in it, could save you money in the long term.
So this guide will give you all the tips and hints to look after your dining table so it lasts for many years to come!
So first things first – to maintain it, we need to know a bit more about the material used to make the dining table.
This will play a big part in how we look after the table.
Which material is your dining table made from?
Now, to maintain your dining table we need to know a bit more about what it’s made of.
A dining table can be crafted from a wide variety of materials.
The type of material used is specially designed to enhance the dining table’s unique characteristics and style.
As mentioned above, to maintain your dining table’s original appearance, the material is key.
It will lead you to how to take care of that particular table.
The most common dining table materials owned by most people are:
Looking after your Wooden Dining Table
Of these three, the most common and easy to maintain are the wooden dining tables.
They are quite simple and easy to clean too. Keep in mind, though, that things such as too much dust pile can scratch off the wood finish.
It’s also important to keep away anything with sharp or pointed edges because you could end up with ugly-looking scratch marks for some time.
To prevent this from happening, here’s how you can maintain your wooden dining table.
How to regularly clean your dining table:
To do this, you’ll need:
- Two microfiber cleaning cloths
- Liquid soap/regular soap
- A container to hold warm water
How to clean the wood dining table
- Gently wipe down the table.
Using a damp microfiber cloth, wipe it all around across the table to remove any dust, crumbs, and grime that may have built up.
- Apply a cleaning solution
This will help remove any sticky spots that could have stayed behind.
Simply add one or two drops of dish soap to your warm water. Dip into it with the damp microfiber cloth and gently rub off any sticky areas.
Note: Do this gently, as some wood finishes may not withstand even the gentlest soap.
- Dry the table. This step helps us to remove water sitting on your table. Use a clean, dry microfiber cloth to dry the water out, leaving you with a dry surface
- Dust it often
Dust patches may seem harmless at first until they build up and scratch the wood’s finish. Try to dust the dining table at least weekly with a soft lint-free cloth.
Also, be careful with certain specialised dust polishes because they contain silicon which soaks into the wood’s grain and damages it.
- Apply vinegar and oil to get water rings out of your wooden table
Water ring marks are formed from wet glasses placed on the table. Therefore using coasters is a good idea.
When applied to a soft cloth, a mixture of vinegar and olive oil can remove those rings.
- Keep your wooden table away from the radiator/heat register.
Temperature changes could damage your wood with warping or splitting.
- Watch humidity levels
It’s essential to keep humidity levels in the house between 40% and 45% when it comes to wood. Anything lower could crack the wood, and anything higher could cause swelling.
- Make your wooden dining table shine.
Polish your table with a carnauba wax rather than a silicon product. Use two soft lint-free cloths—one for applying wax and the other to polish.
This can be done twice a year.
Tips on how to use your wooden tables.
When purchasing one brand new, try and buy one with a protective lacquer; if not, then apply one yourself.
Use coasters for dinnerware and hot plates.
If you prepare food on the table, ensure to use equipment like chopping boards, etc., to avoid scratching and damaging the actual table surface.
You could also use a sideboard to help keep your dining ware organised.
How to look after Marble Dining Tables
Marble dining tables are more sophisticated compared to wooden ones.
Marble is a beautiful material that can easily be maintained.
Just like wood and glass, you’ll need to clean them from time to time to maintain their appearance.
Marble is, however, more delicate and requires a bit of caution.
How to Regularly clean the marble dining table
- Slightly different from wood, marble can be cleaned by mixing mild dishwater soap with lukewarm water in a spray bottle. Ensure that the mixture is evenly mixed.
- Spray the cleaning solution across the surface of your table and wipe straight away. Another way is to spray the solution on a cloth and then wipe the table.
- Do not use dish soap which contains acids, alkalis, and other abrasive chemicals, because they will damage your marble table.
- For marble tables, hot water should be used to rinse off soapy water from across the table.
- After that, a dry cotton cloth is used to dry off the excess liquid to give it a nice good shine.
- Avoid putting too much weight on your marble on one spot.
Tips on how to use your marble table
Unlike wood, marble does not bow. Even though it is a solid material, one that can last generations, if too much weight is put on one area, it will show cracking signs.
Use coasters and other protections before placing anything on the table.
These prevent objects like bottles, glass, and jars from creating circular watermarks on the table.
Also, use cutting boards when cutting citrus foods like lemons etc., on the table.
Another great accessory for your marble table is a high gloss sideboard.
Maintaining your Glass Dining Tables
Compared to wooden tables, glass dining tables are incredibly delicate and stand out more. The other thing about them is they retain marks such as fingerprints. It’s never a good look!
Get your glass dining table to look sparkly with these simple steps.
- Clean the glass regularly
For this, you’ll need a special glass cleaner because dust, fingerprints, and other stains can easily be noticed.
You can use a vinegar solution in case you don’t have a suitable glass cleaner.
- Position the glass table in a safe space
Always think twice before placing your dining table anywhere. Try and find the most suited place for it. With enough room around it and not in a tight place.
Even though our glass tables are manufactured with strengthened and tempered glass, Select a space where the table will be protected from being broken, shattered, or bumped into.
This will create a safe environment for you while also ensuring it lasts longer.
- Keep sharp objects away from the table.
Marble and wooden tables can be fixed. You can add lacquer to the wood and add polish to the marble’s scratches but glass tables; when scratched, there’s not much you can do about it.
The more reason to be extra cautious; otherwise, you’ll have to see the scratches forever unless you buy a new one.
One way around this is to use coasters for all your dinnerware.
Not only does this help in reducing signs of wear and tear, but it also makes your cleaning job much easier!
- Avoid putting heavy things on the glass.
Similar to Marble tables, glass tables can’t handle heavy loads on a particular area. And to be fair, they shouldn’t need to as they are dining tables, not workbenches!
Try and avoid having too many non-essential items piled up on each other to prevent undue pressure.
Tips on using your glass dining tables
Glass dining tables are perfect for a modern dining theme. They also go exceptionally well near areas with a lot of natural light.
Once again, using coasters and cutlery mats is a good way of protecting the surface.
Chairs with chrome legs marry in very well with glass designs.
Final words on maintaining your dining tables
Maintaining your dining room furniture can only be simple if you make the above steps a habit.
Always purchase dining tables that are suitable for your lifestyle. Also, always remember that some materials such as wood and marble may last longer than glass tables.
Always dust off your wooden table with a microfiber towel and refinish your tabletop if it’s looking washed out.
To prevent ugly scratches from forming, be careful with where you place your jewellery, sharp objects, and hotplates.
Keeping your glass surface clean is easier when a glass cleaner is used.
For more information on dining room tables, please click here.
