Sheesham wood furniture is a pretty hardy hardwood and as such does not really need an awful lot of special care and attention, but assuming you want to keep your special piece of Sheesham wood furniture looking its very best there are some important things to keep in mind. First of all, let’s look at where you have chosen to position your piece of furniture. Ideally you should ensure your Sheesham wood furniture is not in direct sunlight as this can change the colour of the furniture and your furniture should be situated in a room with a fairly constant and stable temperature, not too hot and not too cold. It should not be very close to a source of heat, like a fire or radiator and neither should it be in a conservatory or bathroom, where humidity levels can lead to warping, splitting or cracking.

Looking after furniture is really rather simple and this remains the case with Sheesham wood. Water is the enemy of most wood furniture, so please encourage everyone to use coasters, should you be lucky enough to own a Sheesham wood table. Using heat proof mats for hot drinks and plates is advisable and if any spills occur, deal with them straight away with a soft sponge.

Sheesham wood benefits from a beautiful colouration – unique from piece to piece, but always beautiful. In order to keep it looking so, it is important that dust, dirt and grime is not given the opportunity to settle into the wood, giving it a dull, dirty patina over time. Dusting should be carried out every couple of weeks using just a few drops of water on a soft cotton or microfiber cloth. Never use any abrasive cleaners or cloths to clean your furniture. Any hard objects stored on top of your furniture should be placed on soft mats or other coverings in order to protect it from any scratches when moving to dust.

In terms of polishing Sheesham wood pieces, the recommendation in terms of frequency is every four months.  A good quality creamed beeswax is best for polishing purposes. Do not use any silicon or spray polishes as they have a tendency to leave a residue on the furniture’s surface. You simply need a light amount on a kind, gentle polishing cloth and a thorough wipe over your furniture. To leave a good lustrous sheen you can buff with a lint free cloth to finish.

As with most wooden furniture, one of the best ways to preserve your piece and leave it looking wonderful as well as giving it a degree of protection against water is to wax or oil the surface. Most pieces of Sheesham wood furniture will be protected pre-sale, but you can still add warmth and beauty with a pigmented wax. Adding such a wax on top of the existing finish will deposit some colouration into the pores and give the furniture a nice patina. There are plenty of great brands to choose from. If you have some, natural beeswax can do a perfectly good job, but do make sure to remove any excess with a clean cloth. If your furniture is hand lacquered, you should avoid any complex oils or oil based waxes and stick to the natural beeswax.

When handling your furniture avoid any dragging which can weaken any legs or joints and lifting of the furniture should always be done carefully from the strongest part of the piece. If this means it’s a two person job, then so be it – it’s not worth cutting corners and risking damage to the furniture or your back!