Furniture Care: Polyurethane & Synthetic Care Tips

High Gloss Polyurethane Finishes

These finishes can be easy to maintain using commonly available household cleaning products.

• Wipe spills away with a damp cloth immediately.
• Remove streak marks using a common glass cleaner and a cloth.
• Darker colours may show up scratches more. These can be removed using a car polish or similar product suitable for polyurethane finishes. Check the information on the care product to make sure it’s suitable. Don’t apply too much polish as it gets harder to remove the excess.
• Use table runners, place mats and coasters to reduce the chances of marking and damaging the high gloss finish.
• Don’t put high-gloss finishes in direct sunlight as this will increase fading.
• Periodically check and re-tighten any fasteners.
• Dust the surface weekly using a soft cloth. 

Synthetic Finishes

These include finishes like melamine and vinyl.

• Dust the surfaces once a week with a damp cloth.
• Remove stubborn stains using warm, soapy water and a clean cloth. Make sure the surface is completely dry afterwards.
• Remove any liquid spills quickly to avoid damaging the composite material underneath.
• Minor scratches can be repaired with touch-up pens.
• If vinyl gets cut or torn, you can smooth the surface and re-attach it with PVA glue.
• On vinyl surfaces, use coasters or heat mats underneath hot food or drink containers. Vinyl can be damaged by heat.
• Don’t use timber polishes or waxes.
• Avoid abrasive cleaners and cloths.
• Melamine can chip at the edges so don’t put it in high traffic areas where it can be knocked.

Polyurethane (PU) Upholstery

• Protect from direct and indirect sunlight.
• Wipe down using a clean cloth weekly.
• Wash in a mild solution of warm, soapy water. Do not saturate. Dry thoroughly using a towel. Do not dry clean.
• Spot cleaning: Treat spills and stains as soon as they occur. Gentle scrape away or map away any liquid from the surface of the fabric. Do not scrub with a stiff brush. Apply proprietary cleaning agents strictly according to instructions. Test on an inconspicuous area before applying to the entire products. Do not saturate the surface.