Care Instructions

How to take care of your Fynbossie furniture

Please note that the below is only a guide on how to take care of your Fynbossie furniture. All products remain the responsibility of the client and therefor Hand Made by Fynbossie will not be held liable for any damages incurred as a result of not taking care of your furniture adequately.

If you use the furniture for its intended purpose, for private use and follow our care instructions, you can look forward to a long life for your new furniture.

Any natural wood needs to be treated, to prolong the lifespan of the wood.
Heat does change the shape of wood, especially when standing directly in sun.
With any wooden furniture it is recommended that an even room temperature be maintained with no sudden temperature fluctuations, up or down.
Make sure to keep furniture AWAY (we cannot stress enough) from sunlight. Do not place furniture next to a radiator, fireplace or heater. Wood is a natural product and will expand if subjected to damp and will shrink and may crack & warp if subjected to heat. Pine is a timber that is common for furniture, but susceptible to temperature changes. With pine furniture it is recommended that an even room temperature be maintained with no sudden temperature fluctuations, up or down.
It’s a good idea to keep a gap between the wall and the back of your furniture, about 25mm. This lets air flow through, keeping the temperature stable and prolonging the life of your furniture. And if you have wooden floors, place protective felt under your furniture’s feet – this protects both the furniture and floor.
Pine furniture can under no circumstances be placed outside, exposed to any direct sunlight or rain. Pine is a soft wood and cannot handle water or fluctuations in temperatures. This will damage the wood and the warranty will expire immediately.
When we apply varnish to natural wood (not supawood), a light varnish is used, for indoor use only. It is only to provide a light protection, but not against sun, weathering or harsh stains/spills.
The clear varnish we use is a low sheen varnish, meaning it doesn’t have a distinctive shine to it and keeps the natural colour of the wood. Often it appears there is no varnish on, when indeed there is a varnish on.
Coarse clothing fabric may in some cases leave marks.
For all units with push-to-open runners, please refer to this video and description for a guideline on how to operate your drawers: https://youtu.be/2OjKXU6sIEk
No table, chest of drawers etc. is to be carried/lifted by the top of the item. The top of some of our items have a small lip that goes over the rest of the unit. Often this seems like a good spot to grab onto when lifting furniture but it should not be done at all. The screws at the bottom will start to separate from the top when this is done and the warranty will be voided. Always grab onto the legs or bottom part of the unit to lift and move it around.
Never drag furniture across a floor or any surface. It will damage the item, legs can break and wood can chip off.

Caring for Pine furniture

First, some background on PINE WOOD. Pine is a naturally soft wood which continues to 'breathe', based upon changes in the local (home, office, store, etc.) humidity and temperature. On the individual furniture piece there may be slight defects, such as knots, and shakes (small cracks in the surface of the wood). Some minor shrinkage may sometimes occur. These natural irregularities in pine enhance its overall uniqueness.

For products with our medium oak stain, please use furniture oil every week/2 weeks to treat the wood and to enhance the colour. For drier regions, we recommend a weekly oil. Make sure to oil every piece you can see (including the end grains). Should this not be done, the wood might split or crack as it will dry out too quickly, and the warranty will be voided.
For general cleaning, use a duster or damp cloth (ALMOST DRY, NOT WET). Lightly moisten the cloth with mild non-alkaline soap and water. Note that your cloth should be damp, not wet! Do NOT soak the cloth in water and make sure it is properly dried out before wiping the furniture.
To clean a light stain, add a glass cleaner to a dry cloth and wipe the appropriate section.
For tougher stains, add a very small amount of Handy Andy to a dry cloth and wipe the appropriate section.
Do not use soap and water or detergents of any kind (other than a very small amount of Handy Andy, only for tough stains) on this product for general cleaning. To maintain the characteristic finish on this furniture, do not use aerosol sprays or any polish containing Silicon (like Mr Min).
Ensure that NO water is left in the grooves and edges after cleaning as this may result in the beginning of deterioration of the panel furniture, which ultimately results in swelling and weakening of the structure.
To prevent scratches on the surface, don't use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads, but rather use special napkins and a soft sponge instead.
It is recommended that you always first test detergent on a small piece and then clean the cabinets (when using detergent for the first time.
Use coaster/mats/tablecloth when keeping hot dishes on any bed sides/coffee table/dining table.
Clean spills immediately, preferably by blotting with a soft and dry cloth/sponge
It will, from time to time, require re-treating the surface in order to maintain its character.

Caring for Oak, Ash & other hard wood furniture

It’s a hardwood that has been used to make furniture for hundreds of years, and as a hardwood, it will last for a lifetime if you take some simple steps to care for it. Here are some tips about how to keep oak in good condition, so you can enjoy the beauty of natural and rustic oak furniture at its best.

For all staining purposes, we use Rubio Monocoat and ProNature. Rubio Monocoat products ensure lasting protection and maintenance of your wood and offers a wide range of maintenance products that keep oiled surfaces in top condition. Refer to this page here.
For everyday cleaning, just wipe the surface down with a clean, damp cloth, or use cleaning products specifically designed for hardwood.
For concentrated spills that might stain, blot the liquid with a clean, soft and slightly damp cloth. If you discover a set in stain that you haven’t noticed before, it’s best to contact us to restore it.
Have a think about where your furniture is going to live in your home. Wood is a natural material, and it doesn’t like extreme heat or cold – it won’t thrive in extremely air conditioned rooms or conservatories. Direct sunlight may fade the finish, and heat from radiators or fireplaces will dry your furniture out, causing it to possibly split and crack.

Caring for MDF (medium density fibre board or supawood)

MDF (Medium Density Fibre board) is an engineered wood product composed of fine wood fibres (pulp) combined with a synthetic resin or other bonding system & joined together under heat & pressure to form panels. It’s less dense as compared to HDF (High Density Fibre board).

To clean supawood (MDF) sprayed products, first remove dust with a damp cloth (ALMOST DRY). A dry cloth might result in the product being scratched.
To clean a light stain, add glass cleaner to a dry cloth and wipe the appropriate section.
For tougher stains, add a small amount of Handy Andy to a dry cloth and wipe the appropriate section.
Next, clean the cabinet with a damp cloth (ALMOST DRY) to remove the detergent from the surface. Lightly moisten the cloth with water. Note that your cloth should be damp, not wet! Do NOT soak the cloth in water and make sure it is properly dried out before wiping the furniture.
Ensure that NO water is left in the grooves and edges after cleaning as this may result in the beginning of deterioration of the panel furniture, which ultimately results in swelling and weakening of the structure.
Do not use soap or detergents (other than a very small amount of Handy Andy, only for tough stains) of any kind on this product for general cleaning. To maintain the characteristic finish on this furniture, do not use aerosol sprays or any polish containing Silicon (like Mr Min).
To prevent scratches on the surface, don't use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads, but rather use special napkins and a soft sponge instead.
It is recommended that you always first test detergent on a small piece and then clean the cabinets (when using detergent for the first time)
Use coaster/mats/tablecloth when keeping any product or especially hot dishes on surfaces.
Clean spills immediately, preferably by blotting with a soft and dry cloth/sponge.

Outdoor furniture (Iroko wood)

If you want to use your furniture outside or even on a partly enclosed patio, please advise us beforehand and we will advise on the correct wood & oil/sealer to be used for this purpose. Outdoor suited fabric will also have to be quoted on.
If Hand Made by Fynbossie is not advised prior to and the wood is used/stored/positioned by the client outdoors or on a partly enclosed patio, the warranty will expire immediately and Hand Made by Fynbossie will not be held responsible for any damages.
Pine furniture can under no circumstances be placed outside or even on a partly enclosed patio, exposed to any direct sunlight or rain. Pine is a soft wood and cannot handle water or fluctuations in temperatures. This will damage the wood and the warranty will expire immediately. Hand Made by Fynbossie used to sell pine tables with an outdoor option which stated undercover only and not exposed to the elements. Unfortunately clients still placed their furniture in the open, exposed to rain and direct sunlight. As such, we decided to remove this option and ONLY sell pine furniture as INDOOR furniture which may no longer be placed outside.
Caring for Iroko wood (outdoor suitable wood)
- To prevent Iroko wood from staining, ageing or discolouring, teak oil can be used as a protective measure to repel water and shield the wood from sun and weather.
- We recommend the following routine is carried out every six months, preferably in spring and autumn, to help the Iroko reach its full-service life of around 30 years:
- Wash the surface with a wood cleaner to remove dirt and stains. If the wood was previously sealed, sand the surface with fine-grit sandpaper to remove the varnish, polyurethane or other wood sealants prior to washing.
- Rinse the surface thoroughly and allow it to dry completely. Drying times vary depending on temperatures and outside weather conditions.
- Dip a lint-free cloth, soft natural-bristle paintbrush or short-napped roller into the teak oil to saturate, and apply it to the surface following the wood grain.
- Allow the teak oil to sit on the wood surface according to the manufacturer’s directions, generally 15 minutes to one hour, depending on the brand.
- Rub the surface with a clean lint-free cloth to remove excess oil, following the wood grain.

Caring of fabric furniture (Headboards, cushions, couches, upholstered beds etc.)

As a rule, you should always have your product professionally cleaned and should never use chemical cleaning agents. There are specialist cleaners who clean furniture covers.
Coarse clothing fabric may in some cases leave marks.
Never place fabric items in the sun or in an area in the room where it will get exposed to direct sunlight as it will fade over time. It causes even the most colourfast material to fade. Hand Made by Fynbossie needs to be informed when the fabric will be exposed to direct sunlight as we will need to advise on different fabric, resistant to fading.
Never place fabric items in the sun or in an area in the room where it will get exposed to direct sunlight as it will fade over time. It causes even the most colourfast material to fade. Hand Made by Fynbossie needs to be informed when the fabric will be exposed to direct sunlight as we will need to advise on different fabric, resistant to fading.
To clean a light stain, take a damp micro fibre cloth (not wet) and rub the area in a circular motion until the stain is gone. This process may have to be repeated a couple of times if it is a stubborn stain. If necessary, add a little bit of Sunlight Liquid to the damp cloth (rubbing it into the cloth first before wiping the material) and rub again in a circular motion.
NO chemicals or other products may be used on the materials as it will damage it or even cause discolouring.
Regularly stroke the material with your hands, to smooth out any folds. Depending on the products build and model, folds in the cover will be a natural consequence of product use.

Please avoid the following when taking care of your Fynbossie furniture

Avoid contact of solvent, alcohol, nail polish and thinners with furniture surfaces.
Avoid sliding objects across the surface of any furniture as this will cause scratches and marks. Always lift and place objects.
Do not allow sharp objects to come in the contact with the furniture’s surfaces or any area of the furniture as it will damage the product.
Prevent contact with water and corrosive substances as they will damage the product.
Avoid placing furniture in direct sunlight, hot conditions (near fireplaces, heaters, radiators) and damp condition areas (like basements, attic, garages and areas prone to leakage, and seepage) to prevent deterioration of the furniture quality.
Avoid using abrasive cleaning agents like nitro based thinners, acetone or thinners as these will damage the furniture.
While mopping/sweeping the floor, avoid contact with headboard/footboard base, wardrobe base, side table base etc as prolonged contact may result in fading of the finish/colour and it will damage the furniture.
Dropping or other impact of pointed objects on the panels will damage/chip-off the panel surface.
Do not place HOT or CHILLED items directly onto the surface, use a place mat or wooden board instead. Otherwise, marking will occur.
In general, when placing ornaments, pot plants etc on any surface, always place a protective mat/pad underneath to protect the furniture from possible liquid or scratch damage.
Do not use soap and water or detergents of any kind on products for general cleaning (unless otherwise stated). To maintain the characteristic finish on furniture, do not use aerosol sprays or any polish containing Silicon (like Mr Min).
Do not over-clean your product and only use a damp cloth when really necessary.
We recommend opening and closing the doors, drawers and lids gently. When open, the angle of the door should not push beyond its body level i.e. 90 degrees for better functionality of hinges.
View our guide on how to open push to open drawers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OjKXU6sIEk
Do not place furniture onto a wet or damp floor as staining may occur to your floor, and the product will get water damage.
Avoid sitting on any furniture (wooden or upholstered) with coarse clothing fabric as it may damage the product.
The use of any cleaning materials other than those recommended above could damage the surface and will invalidate any claim

Lead time of 4-6 weeks on all website orders. Custom orders will take 1-2 weeks longer. Lead times do not include delivery and is only for manufacturing. Dismiss

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