Care and maintenance instructions for soap treated surfaces
Wood is the preferred materials for furniture construction. Because wood is an organic material, every tree has it own individual structure, grain petterns, and character marks. Therefore virtually no two pieces of furniture are identical. The natural occurrence of knots in wood is no indication of a flaw.
IMPORTANT: Changes in air humidity may negatively affect your furniture. Try to maintain a consistens temperature within your home (a relative humidity of 50% is preferable). When relative air humidity exceeds 60%, or drops below 40% the wood may begin to expand or decrease. This causes a risk of cracking, which is not covered by the warranty.
Expansions or contractions of the wood caused by humidity changes are reversible. The wood will return to its original dimensions once the optimal humidity level is reestablished.
Do not place solid wood furniture too close to radiator, a fireplace or a direct heat source as this will increase the risk of cracking.
For best result, follow these directions before use
For optimal protection, give your furniture a soap treatment before use. During the first couple of months, itis a good idea to give regular soap treatments (every 2-3 weeks) until the surface is satiated. After this, only occasional soap treatment is necessary.
Use the accompanyed ready to use soap or make your own soap mixture by mixing about ½ cup pure soap flakes to a 1 liter of boiling water. Be sure to use pure soap flakes, as other types of soap can darken the wood. Let the solution cool to lukewarm before use. Apply an even layer of soap all over the furniture, using a cloth or sponge. Always work along the grain of the wood. If, after treatment, soap residues are found on the wood, they should be removed with a moist cloth. End-grain areas absorb more moisture than other surfaces and should only be treated once in order to minimize the risk of cracking. If you are using your own soap mixture, use as much soap and as little water as possible.
If the surface of the furniture becomes rough from wood fibres "rising" after soap treatment, sand the surface lightly. Remember to work along the grain of the wood. When treating table tops, both sides of the table top should be treated to avoid uneven moisture content. The result of uneven moisture content can be warping.
Daily maintenance
Wipe the tabletop with a moist cloth and finish with a clean dry cloth.
Periodically Cleaning
If the wood is dirty/soiled, it should be cleaned with Ansager Wood Soap or the above mentioned soap solution. Remove soap residues with a clean moist cloth. Finish by applying an even layer of soap, to secure optimal protection.
