Occasional dusting is usually all that is required in the way of day-to-day maintenance. Any food splashes or dirt can be wiped off with a damp cloth and coasters should be used if something is wet or hot. Wax polishing, if necessary, is best done once a year during your spring clean, but you needn't be that zealous. The standard wax polish to use is simply beeswax softened by the addition of a little turpentine. The turpentine in the polish dissolves dirt on the furniture and tends to help smooth over previous applications of beeswax, while the wax leaves the surface shiny. You will see more sophisticated waxes for cleaning furniture, but I don't recommend these. Also, don't use furniture sprays because these are designed for modern plastic furniture finishes. If in doubt, treat my furniture as you would a high quality antique. Maintenance is an important part of owning good furniture and is fundamental to your furniture's survival in the long-term. Look after it!

Beeswax polish is straightforward to apply and in some ways is like using shoe polish. Wipe it on thinly with a soft cloth and buff it away immediately with another. You can also apply and buff off with a brush, again, like you would when cleaning shoes. The traditional beeswax and turpentine paste can be bought from most good antique shops or as a cream from Cambridge Traditional Products which is a little easier to use. I recommend the neutral polish.

Upholstery covers can often be successfully cleaned with a good proprietary upholstery cleaning product. Test an inconspicuous part of the cover fabric first if you are in any doubt or refer to the cover manufacturer's cleaning instructions. Ease of cleaning varies greatly with cover materials and can be an important factor when choosing. Leather and horsehair fabric give excellent service, while other fabrics are best treated with Scotchguard before use. Rush seats are also very low maintenance and only require a wipe with a damp cloth to remove any spilled food. But don't make them wet as they can go mouldy. Damage to the strands can often be mended, if deemed necessary, but I would recommend finding a skilled conservator if this is the case, either through the Basketweaver's Association or the British Antique Furniture Restorers' Association.

Extremes of relative humidity are bad for wooden furniture. Avoid damp, humid places where condensation easily forms, like bathrooms, and also outbuildings that are exposed to the cool, moist night-time air. Similarly, avoid rooms that are baked by the summer sun, such as a conservatory. But most of all, protect your furniture from a wildly varying atmosphere because it is sudden changes in relative humidity (often a function of room temperature) that cause great strain: tabletops can warp or crack and joints can become loose. However, having a similar climate in your home, night and day, all year-round is impractical and good furniture is designed to take a certain amount of strain. But it is extreme strain that you must avoid: turning the heating on maximum after a period away from your home, placing a piece of furniture right next to a hot radiator or blazing fire and even hanging damp washing over a chair are all bad ways to treat solid wood furniture, old or new. I recommend that you read "The Care of Antiques", by John Fitzmaurice Mills (£3.95 paperback, Arlington Books, 1980). See also the Resources section.

Light can also have an effect on furniture. Some timbers fade but very few darken. Oil-based finishes also react, often yellowing if left in the shadows. But our furniture must earn its keep and will have to put up with any amount of light and shade. The most important thing is to avoid placing a table or chair right beneath a south-facing window as this will have a bleaching effect over time on the more susceptible timbers and finishes. Delicate marquetry is best kept away from bright light too, but in time the subtle colours in the prettier woods will mellow to a plain brown. Consider that much antique furniture once looked bright and colourful; flowers don't last forever.

This furniture is constructed and finished to a high standard and is suitable for everyday use. With care and common sense it should give very many years of service. Initially the colour of the piece may change slightly as the freshly worked wood is exposed to sunlight. Subsequent changes will happen slowly as the years pass by and a subtle patina starts to develop.