Caring For Your Furniture

Caring for your Furniture Investment

• Guardsman Protection Plan
• Microfiber Upholstery
• Leather Upholstery
• Acrylic and Laminates
• Sofa Sleepers
• Wicker and Rattan
• Wall Units, China Cabinets and Bedrooms
• Glass Tops
• Wood and Lacquer Furniture
• Brass
• Marble, Fossil Stone and Travertine
• Mattresses and Foundations

Guardsman Protection Plan  Back to Top

Consider the purchase of the recommended Guardsman Protection Plan for all upholstered furniture.  Ask your sales consultant for details and warranty or visit our Guardsman Warranty Page.  Guardsman Treatment may only be applied prior to delivery.

Vacuum or brush weekly to remove loose dust and dirt.  Pay special attention to cushion area and crevices where dry soil gets trapped.  Embedded dust and dirt tend to cut threads and wear fibers.  Always cut loose threads, never pull them.  If possible, reverse or rotate cushions to help maintain cushion shape.  Depressions in cushions are normal under ordinary use and are not considered a defect.

Manufacturers include zippers on cushions to ensure good closure only.  Always keep the zipper fully closed and do not remove the cover for any reason.  We recommend that only a professional cleaning service be employed to properly clean upholstered items, including cushions.  Removing the covers to dry clean or wash them may cause the covers to shrink or unravel.  For spot cleaning, insert a towel under the fabric to absorb moisture.

Avoid exposure to direct sunlight, as it will cause deterioration of the fabric.  No fabric is warranted against fading, shrinking, stretching or normal wear.

After your purchase of Guardsman Fabric Treatment, you can call Guardsman directly at 1-800-253-3957.  Your Guardsman Policy number is on the documentation given to you at the time of purchase.

Microfiber Upholstery  Back to Top

Spot clean with a damp cloth.  If process does not remove the stain, we recommend a professional cleaning service.

Leather Upholstery   Back to Top

At regular and frequent intervals, simply wipe your leather goods with a dry soft cloth.  Detergents, solvents, oils, saddle soaps, ammonia or abrasive cleaners should never be used.  Hurwitz-Mintz offers a comprehensive Leather Protection Plan for all your leather upholstery.  See your furniture consultant for more information.

Acrylic and Laminates Back to Top

Acrylic surfaces are very sensitve.  Use only very soft cloths, such as jewelers' cloth and warm water or cleaners specifically formulated for acrylic finishes.

While laminates are heat resistant, they should still be protected with trivets, table pads or place mats when very hot dishes or pots and pans are placed on them directly from the stove.  Clean only with warm water and mild detergent or soap.  Never use abrasives.  Dragging items across the top will scratch the surface.  Be careful.

Sofa Sleepers  Back to Top

Never force a sofa sleeper open.  Pull or push evenly...never jerk.  The bed mechanism operates on a balance and opens easily with the proper touch.  We recommend removing linens when the mattress is not in use.

Wicker and Rattan  Back to Top

Do not expose to direct sunlight or to hot dry air from heat vents.  Dust regularly and wipe occasionally with a clean, damp cloth, also wiping the underside of the item.  Never pull snags or frays.  Clip with fingernail clippers or wire cutters.

Cane or Rush seats and backs may vary slightly in color tone.  This is characteristic of this type of product.  Cane and Rush should be cared for the same way as Wicker and Rattan.

Wall Units, China Cabinets and Bedrooms  Back to Top

Casegoods should be leveled when set in place in your home to ensure an even fit on the doors and drawers.  As items are placed, or as they are moved, the redistribution of weight may cause the doors to bind or be uneven.  Re-level the case to ensure proper alignment.

Glass Tops  Back to Top

Each piece of glass is unique.  Occasionally, the glass may have a small, clear "seed" or wavy appearance.  This is not a defect, but rather a characteristic of that piece of glass.  Glass tops should be cleaned with a high quality glass cleaner to remove dust and fingerprints.  A mixture of dishwashing liquid and water can be used to remove grease spots.  Caution should be used when placing items on glass surfaces.  Objects should not be dragged across a glass top but lifted and replaced.  Felt pads are recommended for use on the parts of any item that will come in contact with the glass surface.

Wood and Lacquer Furniture  Back to Top

We strongly recommend the use of good quality table pads with any dining table.  Hurwitz-Mintz offers a complete line of table pads for your dining table.  See your furniture consultant for details.

Avoid exposure to strong sunlight because the surface will change color.  Rubber and plastic materials sometimes used under lamps, telephones, etc., may contain staining agents that could cause discoloration in a finish.  Always use felt or leather pads under such objects.

All liquid spills, should be promptly removed by blotting.

Even though a finish may be highly heat resistant, it can be burned through the finish.  Always use trivets or table pads to protect the top from hot dishes.  Never drag items across the surface; lift them.

One of the characteristics of natural wood furniture is that it will swell and shrink when subjected to climate and humidity changes.  Use only recommended polishes or oils on furniture and apply only small amounts.  Always remove excess polish or you may cause unsightly build-up and soften the finish.  Always work with the grain when dusting or polishing, using a clean lint-free cloth.  Hurwitz-Mintz offers a high quality Wood Care Kit for all your furniture needs.  See your Furniture Constultant for details.

Care must be taken with polyester lacquer surfaces so that the finish is not scratched or scuffed.  The beautiful lacquer appearance is easily preserved by the prudent use of ammonia free glass cleaners.  Never use paper towels or abrasive cleaners to clean any kind of furniture.

Brass  Back to Top

Do not use abrasive or glass cleaners on brass finishes.  They tend to break the protective lacquer seal and allows the brass to tarnish more rapidly.  Clean with a soft cloth, dampened in water, and then dry.  When cleaning glass surfaces next to a metal finish; avoid over spraying the glass cleaner.

Marble, Fossil Stone and Travertine  Back to Top

Marble is a porous material and applying a coat of paste wax will give the surface added protection.  However, it is recommended to always use coasters under glasses and protect the surface from hot objects.  Wipe any spill immediately; rinse and re-wax.

Remember there will always be variations in every piece of marble, fossil stone and travertine as they are natural materials and each piece is unique.  Many travertine tables have small openings in the surface.  These are normal and not considered defects.

Mattresses and Foundations  Back to Top

Your bedding set has been constructed with the finest resilient upholstery materials.  It is designed to conform to your individual contour, giving you the utmost in comfort and support.

To prolong the life of your bedding set and be more satisfied with the overall performance, please remember the following points:

1. At some point, your new bedding set may reveal body impressions up to 1 1/2".  This is normal and not a structural defect.  The upholstery materials are conforming to the weight and shape of your body.  We understand your concern and your concern is not unusual---but what we generally find is that body impressions are a normal characteristic in today's bedding.   Mattresses today have additional filling materials that provide a longer comfort life.  Let us emphasize that body impressions are normal and you will continue to see some.  It is the adjustment of the comfort layer that makes your mattress so comfortable.
2. Do not bend the mattress.  This could damage the innerspring unit.  It should only be carried flat or on its side.
3. Use a mattress pad.  This will protect your new set and help keep it clean.
4. Handles (when provided) are designed to aid in sliding or shifting the mattress on the foundation, not to carry it.
5. Most mattresses are designed for matching foundations.   Placing a new mattress on an old foundation may shorten the life of your new mattress and void the manufacturer's warranty.
6. Proper support of your new bedding, such as bed slats with rails and a center support frame for queen and king size bedding is very important.   Lack of a center support may void your bedding warranty.  We recommend a new bed frame when making your new bedding purchase.

You purchased a set of bedding from a quality manufacturer whose warranty covers manufacturing defects and who is dedicated to customer satisfaction.