Cleaning
A routine that does not strip the finish
Dust with the grain, clean with a barely damp cloth, and skip all-purpose sprays. The order of steps matters more than any product.
Read the cleaning routineWooden furniture care & maintenance
Solid wood lasts decades when the room is kept steady.
River Basket is a plain-language reference for keeping solid wood tables, dressers, and chairs durable in Canadian homes. The guides below cover routine cleaning, when oiling actually helps, and how to manage the swing between dry winters and humid summers.
Three guides
Where most wood furniture problems start
Cracking, cloudy finishes, and sticky drawers usually trace back to one of three things: how a piece is cleaned, whether its finish is oil or film, and how stable the indoor humidity is.
Oiling
Oil helps only some finishes
An oil finish is reapplied when the surface looks dry. A lacquer or polyurethane finish should not be oiled at all. Knowing which you have comes first.
Read the oiling guideProtecting
Stable humidity across the seasons
Forced-air heating dries indoor air through Canadian winters. The single most effective habit is keeping relative humidity in a steady range year-round.
Read the protection guideQuick reference
A weekly and seasonal rhythm
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Dry dusting with a soft microfibre cloth, along the grain | Weekly |
| Damp wipe with a thoroughly wrung cloth, then dry immediately | As needed |
| Check oil-finished pieces and reapply if they look dull or dry | Every 6–12 months |
| Inspect joints and surfaces for new cracks or movement | Quarterly |
# indoor relative humidity — solid wood
target_range = 30%–50%
winter_note = "forced-air heat dries the air"
winter_aim = ~30%–40%
summer_aim = ~40%–50%
tool = digital hygrometer
keep_away_from = [ direct sun, radiators, heat vents, fireplaces ]
Why the room matters more than polish
The Canadian Conservation Institute notes that wood does not need to be “fed” with oils to stay healthy. No amount of oil keeps wood from drying out if indoor humidity is too low, so a stable environment is the foundation everything else sits on.
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