Product Care

Maintenance and Care Instructions for Wooden Furniture

In order to prolong the life of wooden furniture, we recommend the following maintenance and care:

• Wooden furniture is not waterproof, heat resistant or immune to chemicals. Do not put hot dishes or cups on any surface, always use an insulated mat for protection. Don't use a protective cover containing rubber derivatives - it could react with the finish.
• Wooden furniture should not be placed directly in front of a heat source, such as a radiator that will cause the humidity in the wood to drop and result some cracking.
• Wooden products change colour with exposure to both natural and electric light. Rotate any ornaments to avoid patches of colour where an object has stood.
• Sharp objects such as cutlery and pans can score the surface of your furniture, as can crockery being dragged across the top.
• Leaning backwards on two legs of a chair will weaken joints.
• If your item has drawer runners it is advisable to occasionally wax them to ensure a smooth operation

Cleaning Instructions

• Spills should be removed immediately using a clean damp cloth.
• We recommend cleaning with a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth. Never use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids, scouring powders or cream cleaners, which may contain abrasives. 
• If your furniture becomes stained, scratched or chipped, or suffers other damage we recommend professional help is sought to restore it
• Caution those wearing clothing with transferable dyes, such as blue jeans, that the dye could transfer onto light furniture

Maintenance and Care Instructions for Upholstery

• We recommend the following maintenance and care for your upholstered furniture. Please note however, that because of the variety of fabrics and fibre combinations used, there is no guarantee that these methods will be completely successful. If in doubt, we recommend professional upholstery cleaning
• Vacuum your furniture using the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner, to remove dust and grit that may cause abrasion and premature wear
• Velvet furniture is susceptible to the nap can becoming flattened, we recommend using a specific velvet upholstery brush to gently brush the velvet in the direction of the nap. Do not try to brush against the nap as this will damage the velvet.
• Alternatively you can steam the velvet fabric with a handheld steaming wand, hold the wand carefully near your velvet. Touching the wand directly to the fabric will damage it, so be sure to hold it close enough to gently steam the surface without leaving any condensation on the material. Dry the fabric completely. Then finally groom the velvet in the direction of the nap with a velvet brush. In other words, brush it down. Do not try to brush against the nap as this will damage the velvet
• Professional cleaning is the best way to make a slightly soiled armchair look new again, but weekly vacuuming will make professional cleaning a less frequent event
• Never brush any fabric with a stiff fibre or metal brush, which may damage the fibres
• Caution those wearing clothing with transferable dyes, such as blue jeans, that the dye could transfer onto light coloured furniture
• Avoid sitting on the arms, back or very edge of your furniture as this may cause distortion and/or damage

Cleaning Instructions

• It is advisable to avoid liquids near upholstered fabrics to avoid the risk of spills. If spills occur it is important to clean the fabric immediately to avoid the stain becoming permanent. Ideally use a clean, dry, absorbent cotton cloth to blot up the spill (if you use paper towels make sure that they are white to avoid any colour transferring on to the fabric). If blotting doesn't quite finish the job and the stain is still visible, professional cleaning is advised
• Never apply cleaning solutions to visible areas of your upholstery fabric without first testing on hidden areas. It is important to pre-test for colourfastness and fabric compatibility. If your furniture becomes stained, scratched or chipped or suffers other damage we recommend professional help is sought to restore it

Misaligned Doors

During transportation doors can sometimes become misaligned, however, as we use fully adjustable hinges they are easily adjusted to ensure alignment. Please follow the below steps:

• Make sure your furniture is in the room and standing on a level surface.
• Each hinge has a horizontal adjustment screw. To move the door in, turn the screw clockwise. To move the door out, turn the screw anti-clockwise. To level wonky doors, adjust both the top and bottom screws differently to achieve the correct position.
• If the door needs to be adjusted forwards or backwards, carefully loosen the back hinge retaining screw, adjust as required and then tighten.
• It can take a few attempts to get this right

Atkin and Thyme cannot be held responsible for defects caused by the misuse of your product.