Let's face it; there are some pieces of your bedroom furniture that take more of a beating than others and your chest of drawers rank at the top of the list. The reason why your chest of drawers are often at more of a risk for rough treatment is that they are used on a regular basis each and every day and are generally neglected when it comes to care. The good news is that you can lengthen the life of your chest of drawers by knowing how to take proper care of this fine piece of furniture.
If your chest of drawers is constructed of wood; as most are, keep in mind that you will need to avoid extreme humidity levels in your home. Wood furniture doesn't handle dry air or extremely high humidity well at all. To lower the humidity in your bedroom and provide a better environment for your chest of drawers as well as other wood furniture, place a humidifier in the room.
When deciding where to place your chest of drawers in your bedroom, keep in mind that you shouldn't place it in direct sunlight. This can damage the wood. Also, keep away from areas where heat from a radiator or wood burning stove or fireplace would directly impact your chest of drawers.
If you like to move your bedroom furniture around, perhaps with each season as many people do, protect your chest of drawers by avoiding dragging it across the floor. Close and remove the drawers gently. Use furniture pads to transport your chest of drawers to a new location. If your chest of drawers must be stored for any length of time, be sure to protect it by storing it in location that is warm rather than damp. Try to store all of the pieces together if possible.
Make sure that you dust your chest of drawers often, cleaning with the grain of the wood. Use a good quality wood cleaner that is intended for fine wood furniture. Do not use other substances, such as glass cleaner or all purpose cleaner. This can cause the wood to dry out and will create a buildup on your furniture. While you should dust often, avoid polishing the wood more than once per season as this can also cause a build up. Select a wood polish that you like and stick to it.