How to Care for, Clean and Prep Your Dining Room Furniture This Holiday Season

So, you’ve decided to host a holiday party or dinner this year. Hooray! The holiday season is a joyous time filled with family and friends, delicious food, and fun traditions. The added foot traffic in your home sometimes comes with added messes and stress. But don’t worry – keeping your dining room furniture clean doesn’t have to be difficult. We’re here with some useful tips to help you maintain your furniture (and your sanity) during the holiday season.

Lesson #1: Your Dining Room Table

The holiday season is a time to share stories and create memories around the table with the people you cherish most. Therefore, choosing a table that’s stylish, durable and the right size should be at the top of your list. A dining room table is a significant investment, so if you’re looking for a piece for your home that you’ll love and will last for years to come, these durable wood tables will be a perfect fit. Wood is a classic material that’s easy to clean, which is necessary to be able to keep up with the relative chaos known as the holiday season. Wood tables are perfect for dressing up a holiday meal. I mean, who doesn’t love designing a festive tablescape with elegant fall/winter details and dishware?

• Prep tips: Avoid damaging beautiful wood tables by using a festive tablecloth for your dining table, whether it’s a new one or one that’s been passed down through generations! If you decide to skip the tablecloth, make sure you protect your furniture from direct heat by using trivets (like these decorative marble ones from Bed Bath & Beyond).

• Care tips: Caring for your dining room table may vary depending on the material, so keep that in mind when purchasing care products. Wood furniture should be dusted carefully with a microfiber cloth and can be polished with a non-wax furniture polish. Make sure to do these tasks regularly to keep finishes looking their best. 
• Cleaning tips: A multi-surface cleaner is a must! If you’re looking to bring autumn right into your dining room, Meyer’s Apple Cider Everyday Cleaner is the way to go. It’s a natural way to keep dining room surfaces clean, all while enjoying a fresh apple scent!

Lesson #2: Your Dining Room Upholstery

Maintaining the appearance of your upholstery should definitely be on your holiday cleaning list. Cotton fabrics are resistant to fading or pulling but might wear and tear faster than other materials like leather or microfiber. Beautiful, durable fabrics like leather are an excellent choice for your dining area because leather pieces can withstand a lot of traffic and be cleaned easily.

• Prep tips: Be prepared to tackle stains and spills immediately by preparing a DIY cleaning caddy ahead of time. Put the caddy in a spot where you can access it easily and make sure it stays organized and stocked. 
• Care tips: To nourish and protect leather upholstery, use a leather protector. Special leather care products help maintain a “like new” appearance and should be used upon purchasing an item, and then two to four times per year after that.
• Cleaning tips: Vacuum leather furniture pieces, like dining room chairs, as needed with a lightweight, hand-held vacuum. The holidays are such a busy time of year, so it’s fantastic to be able to quickly and easily vacuum up small messes and pesky crumbs. When spills do occur, you’ll want to act quickly by cleaning them with a dry cloth, making sure to blot the stain. Don’t wipe the stain or it can cause it to spread.

Lesson #3: Your Dining Room Decor

We all love finding the perfect decorative item, however, keeping your dining area free of clutter is another story. Smartly reorganizing your dining room decor ahead of time can reduce stress when preparing for your next soiree. Sort items into the following categories: what to keep, what to donate, what to put away. Tackling clutter will create space for new holiday decorations and furniture items. Overall, decluttering will allow you to create a more mindful and cozier holiday environment in your dining space.

• Prep tips: The holidays can be an extremely stressful time, so try to be as proactive as possible when prepping your home for the holidays. A good start is removing clutter from common areas where guests will congregate to help decrease the odds of someone bumping into your table and knocking over that glass of red wine on your new carpet! Check out these helpful tips to rein in the clutter and make your cleaning routine (and your life) easier.
• Care tips: Metal holiday decorations, like this geo wreath or this candelabra centerpiece, are great for creating a simple-yet-modern atmosphere without blocking conversation. You can care for metal pieces by dusting regularly and repairing any chips or scratches with touch-up pens and paint.
• Cleaning tips: Cleaning metal decor and furniture items is a breeze – simply wash with water and a mild liquid soap as needed. For linen decor, like tablecloths, runners and napkins, wash by hand with a small amount of a gentle laundry detergent. If you want to save time (who doesn’t?), you can throw your linens in the washing machine on the delicate cycle. (Pro tip: Be sure to wash colors and whites separately to avoid colors bleeding and to minimize fading). 

With a little preparation and having the right clean and care items nearby, you can ensure that your furniture, flooring and overall room aesthetic isn’t ruined during the hustle and bustle of holiday gatherings.