General Care Instructions

Recommended Care for all Furniture

  • Avoid exposure to direct sunlight to prevent fading and cracking. 
  • Keep your furniture placement away from any heating or cooling sources to prevent cracking.
  • Use coasters and placemats for all hot or cold dishes and cups.
  • Use felt tabs for décor items.
  • Be aware that heavily dyed fabrics such as denim jeans can transfer on to your lighter furniture and cause discoloration. 
  • Avoid possible discoloration by spot testing in an unnoticeable surface before
    application.
  • Wipe up any spills immediately with a dry clean cloth or, when necessary, a warm damp
    cloth and mild soap.  
  • Avoid the use of household cleaners. Even 'natural' cleaners can cause damage.

Wood

We recommend dusting wood furniture regularly with a microfiber cloth (or a lint-free cloth). This helps remove abrasive buildup that can damage a finish over time. Every few months, or once a year, we recommend using a high-quality wood furniture polish to enhance the finish and keep your furniture looking new. A light application can go a long way.

Here are a few other tips:

  • Do not use chemical or "natural" cleaners of any kind. Instead use warm water and a small amount mild soap if needed.
  • Avoid placing your wood furniture in direct sunlight, near heating or cooling sources, or in extremely dry or damp areas. Long exposure to light can cause finishes to fade and extreme temperature or humidity changes can cause the wood to crack or split.
  • Use placemats and coasters for hot objects such as pots and cups. 

Frequently Asked Questions

I've noticed slight movement on my wood table top, is this normal?

Wood is a natural material and although all of our wood products are kiln-dried the variation of climate in someone's home can cause normal movement in wood planks. Keep an eye on this movement between seasons as we often see that wooden planks can shift in colder months and re-contract as the temperature gets warmer. The use of a touch up pen where movement has occurred is often all that is needed while you wait for re-contraction of your unique and natural table top. 

If, however, your table is near a cooling or heating source, you should change its location to avoid further movement. 

How do I clean stains and/or grease spots?

To remove grease spots, use a mild non-acidic water-based detergent or liquid soap and wipe the surface with a soft damp cloth. To avoid any possible discoloration, we recommend spot testing in an unnoticeable surface before application. It is important to know that applications and results will vary.

Marble

Marble is a natural stone which is known to be porous. Each piece of marble will vary in veining, tone and texture. The best way to protect your furniture investment is to use placemats and coasters. In addition, wipe up any spillage immediately to avoid staining. Marble, being a softer stone, is susceptible to stains from acidic liquids such as red wine, tomato juice or lemon juice if left on too long.

Frequently Asked Question

Do you recommend sealing the marble? 

We recommend the use of placemats and coasters. If you are considering sealant, we do recommend speaking to a paint or stone professional. Applications and results will vary. The use of improper sealant may void any manufacturer warranty.

Marble sealers are often assumed to "prevent" stains, but more accurately they help to clog the porous surface which slows down the absorption rate.

Leather

Leather needs to breathe. Avoid placing leather in direct sunlight, near heat sources, or in extremely dry or damp areas. Storing leather in really humid places for a long period of time increases the possibility of mold build-up. Reversely, when placed in extremely dry areas or under direct sunlight, can dry the leather and potentially cause cracking.

For regular maintenance, dust the leather with a dry soft cloth and vacuum. Consider using a quality leather conditioner to keep your leather looking new.

If stains become apparent, blot stains immediately and wipe the surface with a lightly damped cloth and mild detergent. Do not spot clean. Instead, wipe the entire surface area and then dry with a clean cloth. If the stain persists, please consult with a professional leather cleaner or specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of leather conditioner should I consider using? 

Here are a few conditioners that we use:

  • Zep Leather Cleaner and Conditioner
  • Leather Honey Leather Conditioner Since 1968

How often should I condition my leather sofa or chair? 

Depending on how often you use or clean the item, we generally suggest conditioning your leather sofa or chair once to twice a year. 

Upholstery

Dust and dirt cause fabric to wear faster. For general maintenance, vacuum your upholstered furniture regularly with an upholstery attachment.

Here are a few other tips:

  • Pilling can occur occasionally as a result of normal daily wear and is not be considered a defect. Fiber pills can be removed with a pilling tool.
  • Do not pull loose threads, instead trim them with scissors.
  • Minimize fading by avoiding placement in direct sunlight.
  • Do not dry-clean or machine wash cushion casings.

Frequently Asked Question

How do I care for a spill or stain on my upholstered furniture? 

Here are details on how to care for small spills or stains. For best results, treat stains immediately.

  1. Blot the spill with a clean, dry and white cloth. Start from the outer edge of the stain and move towards the center. Do not rub as that can further spread the stain. 
  2. If a cleaning solution is needed, we recommend using a mild upholstery cleaner or mild soap. Always spot test in a discrete area first. Avoid oversaturation by using only a small amount of cleaner. Gently rub the solution in with your fingertips.
  3. If your cleaning solution recommends a water rinse, apply distilled water instead of tap water which may stain or discolor the fabric due to its mineral content.  
  4. If necessary, once the stain is cleaned, use a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting to evenly dry the fabric and prevent moisture rings. 
  5. For stains that persist or cover a large portion of your furniture piece we suggest consulting a cleaning professional that specializes in upholstered furniture. 

Upholstery Care Codes

Code X: Vacuum only. Do not use any liquid cleaners, water-based or otherwise.

Code S: Clean upholstery with a water-free product such as a dry-cleaning solvent. Water based cleaning agents (most spot-clean fabric spray cleaners) may leave rings or stain the material, so avoid their use. Consult with a professional before proceeding.

Code W: Use a water-based fabric cleaner like Resolve to remove spills or stains. Test cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area before using. Follow cleaner instructions for best results.

Code W/S: A combination of water-based cleaners and dry cleaning may be used to clean the material. The fabric can be spot cleaned using foam from a mild detergent, mild dry-cleaning solvent, or upholstery shampoo. Test the cleaner in a small inconspicuous area before using.

Rug Care & Cleaning

The following are general care and cleaning instructions that apply to any type of rug.

Vacuuming

  • Canister vacuums without beater bars are the optimal type of vacuum to use on rugs.
  • Brooms and manual sweepers are also a gentle and effective way to clean rugs.
  • If you must use an upright vacuum, use the handheld attachment whenever possible.
  • If you are unable to use the handheld attachment on your upright vacuum, turn off the vacuum’s beater bar.
  • If the beater bar cannot be turned off, set it on the highest position possible before vacuuming.
  • Refrain from running the vacuum over the edges of the rug or the rugs. Instead, use the handheld attachment or carefully place the vacuum on the rug.
  • If a rug is reversible remember to vacuum both sides

Cleaning Spills

  • Clean spills immediately. Once a stain is set it becomes much more difficult to clean.
  • Scrape off any food or debris with a dull instrument.
  • Blot the spill with a dry cotton cloth or a clean paper towel.
  • Work from the outer edges of the spill towards the center to prevent spreading.
  • Never rub a spill as this forces the spill deeper into the rug.
  • To remove any residual staining, dampen a cotton cloth or clean paper towel with clean, cold/lukewarm water. Gently blot with the damp cloth and quickly absorb the moisture on the rug.
  • Please note that Viscose and Tencel rugs should never be cleaned with any water or liquid.

Professional Cleaning

  • Handmade rugs require a different cleaning process than wall-to-wall carpet, so be sure to choose a professional rug cleaning expert.
  • Inspect the rug with the cleaning expert prior to cleaning.
  • Get a signed receipt and guarantee of work before the work is performed.
  • Any damage resulting from the professional cleaning process is the responsibility of the cleaner.

Special Care Based on Construction

  • Hand Knotted Rugs: Use extra caution and care when leaning because of the high value of these rugs.
  • Hand Woven (Flat Weave): Regularly vacuum both sides of the rug to remove any grit that may cause premature wear.
  • Hand Woven (Shag/Texture): Use extra caution and care when vacuuming; alternatively, you can take the rug outside to shake it out.

Special Care Based on Material

  • Wool/NZ Wool: Mix a small amount of dish soap with cold water to help remove stains; regular vacuuming will help to curtail shedding sooner.
  • Polypropylene/Olefin/Polyolefin: Mix a small amount of dish soap with cold water to help remove stains.
  • Polyester/Acrylic/Poly Acrylic/Nylon: Mix a small amount of dish soap with cold water to help remove stains.
  • Jute/Seagrass/Sisal: Regular vacuuming will help to curtail shedding sooner.
  • Viscose/Tencel: Never clean these rugs with water or any other liquid.

What Our Customers Say

"This is a FoCo hidden gem. Great selection of modern, boho, contemporary, furniture. Certainly on the higher end $ but some great deals too! Wonderful service. Jen was super helpful and gave us an interior designer consultation basically while there and Aspen was really helpful and polite. Bought some items and will be coming back!"