If your table sits beside a sunny window or close to a heater, its position is part of caring for it. Before choosing a polish, check both the room around the piece and the finish on its surface.
For furniture from my Emyvale studio, contact me with a photo of the piece if you're unsure what finish it has. Identifying that first is more useful than guessing which bottle of cleaner to buy.
Keep cleaning advice with the piece
When you get a new piece of wood furniture, save the finish information and its care instructions somewhere you can find them again. Include any guidance about how soon it can be cleaned or put into full use.
If several people clean the room, make sure they have the same instructions. A product that's already in the cupboard may belong to a different surface, so check its intended use before applying it to the furniture.
Osmo's TopOil guidance calls for compatible cleaning products and avoiding standing water. Rubio Monocoat's Oil Plus 2C guidance specifies its own cleaners and maintenance approach. Check the directions for your piece's finish before choosing a product; these examples do not identify which finish you have.
Protect the surface during everyday use
Use coasters beneath drinks and protection suited to hot serving dishes, and clear spills promptly. Keep plant pots from leaking onto the furniture, and avoid leaving a wet cloth or damp placemat on the surface.
Use a clean, soft cloth for dusting, then follow the finish instructions for anything beyond that, including whether the cloth should be dampened and which cleaner is compatible. Avoid trying a home remedy for a mark until you know what surface you're treating.
Watch the indoor conditions as seasons change
Wood exchanges moisture with the air, swelling as it takes in moisture and shrinking as it dries. Large changes can contribute to cracks or damage to the finish. Surface oil cannot compensate for unsuitable indoor humidity.
Check the piece's position when heating comes on or sunlight starts reaching a different part of the room. Avoid direct heat from a fireplace or baseboard heater, and limit prolonged direct sun with blinds or curtains. The Canadian Conservation Institute's wood-care guidance explains these environmental effects, although its advice for antiques should not replace the instructions for a new piece's finish.
If you have care instructions that specify indoor humidity, follow them and use a room humidity meter to check the conditions. Record a reading when you notice a change, along with where the furniture is sitting. Those details are useful when asking about the piece.
Ask before treating a damaged area
If a mark appears, take both a close photo and a view of the whole piece before applying a new product. Note what caused it, if you know, and what has already been used on the surface.
For a piece I've made, send those details through my contact page. Keep the finish information with the message if you have it, so the question can be considered for that particular piece.