02/03/2022
Wooden coasters are rustic, visually beautiful, and, with proper care, may last a long time. They're an excellent addition to homes, offices, restaurants, and more. But if kept unclean for an extended period, these coasters can get stained, damaged, or discolored. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝟴 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀!
1. Absorbent wooden coasters are prone to crumbs and other droppings from food, packaging, and other sources. Microfiber cloths are handy since they prevent fuzzies from accumulating wooden coasters. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧, 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙪𝙥 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮. Spills can rapidly become stains that are considerably more difficult to clean. However, the actual damage occurs when they seep into the coaster and deform the wood. It can alter the shape, crack, and discolor, among other things.
2. According to A Little Bit Shady, 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙤𝙞𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙞𝙡 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. These oils keep the wood hydrated, preventing drying out and breaking. They also save water and other liquids from entering the coaster's surface, leading to mold, mildew, and rot if left unattended. Simply use a cotton swab to rub the oil into the wooden coaster in circular motions. Rather than dumping oil on the coaster, dip the swab in the oil. Too much oil will cause your drinks to slip off the wooden surface, causing a mess and a problem.
3. 𝘽𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. Too much debris can embed itself in the coaster, making it difficult to remove without the use of an abrasive cleaning product. Please note that if you're going to use this method, make sure you scrub along the wood grain. Back and forth motions are often frowned upon because you don't want to scratch the surface. Work in circular motions to match the rings instead (if your wood coasters have rings, of course).
4. After scrubbing the wood coasters with a baking soda paste, 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙮𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙙𝙚. Unlike baking soda paste, hydrogen peroxide should not be diluted with water. It mixes with the baking soda to create a bubble, eliminating particles from the coaster's interior. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are also effective antibacterial agents. Your wooden coasters may have bacteria, mildew, or mold in and on them if they are starting to look or smell funky. Using this combination is a certain approach to solve this problem. Because natural wood coasters are absorbent, spills and crumbs will quickly develop grounds for these three undesirable pollutants. If you want to preserve your wooden coasters in good shape, you must clean them regularly.
5. 𝘼 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙐𝙑 𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙐𝙑 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚. To keep your wood coasters from growing mold or mildew, spray a light layer on them. It also prevents discoloration and various other undesirable effects caused by water and other liquids penetrating the topcoat of your coasters. It is highly recommended that you figure out a way to seal your coasters, regardless of the wood sealant you use. Nothing is more dangerous to them than being harmed by water or changing temperatures. Like the one stated above, many coatings shift due to natural heat warping. They won't break; therefore, the wood won't be damaged. Some coasters have been coated with a wood sealer before being used. If you use too much baking soda, the sealant will be stripped. The good news is that you can use a spray to replace it. If the baking soda has taken the sealant from your wooden coasters, you must replace it immediately to keep them in good condition.
6. Water sealants are a great method to protect your wooden coasters, but they're not the only thing to be concerned about. A temperature fluctuation solution is not included in some treatments. You can use a spray or brush to apply the sealant to the wood, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. These professionals will utilize the best products to keep your wooden coasters looking as good as new. They won't readily lose their shine or become dirty, and they won't warp in temperature extremes.
7. Spills, crumbs, and humidity may appear harmless, but they can permanently damage your wood coasters. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢, just like you would a dirty mousepad. It's a good idea to get into the habit of wiping them down after each usage using a soft cloth.
8. To remove deep-set particles in your coasters, several websites recommend soaking your coasters overnight. Soaking wood coasters invites bacteria, mold, mildew, and warping, yet this method works well for many materials. It also has the potential to discolor them and remove the sealant. To summarize, 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙖𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙.
Yes, it's a lot, but if we want our coasters to last for a long time, these solutions on the list above will help keep them. 🤎
source: DIY By Hand
