DISCLAIMER

Please be aware of safety hazards in the home. For your safety and to ensure the durability of your furniture, we recommend that you read and follow the instructions and/or recommendations contained in this product care manual.

Always exercise caution and discretion around furniture. Aero Leaf Pte Ltd and its related brands (ASK TEAK) will not be liable for any damage to your furniture and/or home fixtures and/or any other direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential injury, loss or damage whatsoever arising from use of furniture in any manner that is inconsistent with the instructions contained in this product care manual.

A. BURMESE TEAK WOOD

• Mature Burmese Teak wood is 50 year+ natural timber, and every piece of Teak is distinct from the other. Each piece of wood has its own grain patterns, similar to how fingerprints are unique to human beings. As such, it is impossible to find or match exact and/or similar grains.

• Depending on how you maintain your teak wood furniture, Burmese Teak has natural age progression. Through time, small surface cracks (known as checks) may appear. This is a common occurrence among all timbers and does not affect the strength and durability of your furniture. This is mainly due to the expansion and contraction of wood in response to atmospheric humidity and changes in temperature. Checks occur occasionally and are not considered as defects.

• Avoid exposing your furniture to sudden, extreme changes in temperature or external climatic conditions. This may cause the joints to weaken due to expansion and contraction under drastic changes in temperature. Natural materials like wood may split or splinter when exposed to drastic temperature changes.

• Always keep wooden furniture dry to avoid stains or even mildew. In extremely humid environments, dehumidifiers may be used as well.

• Avoid placing hot objects directly onto a wooden surface. This usually results in burn marks (otherwise known as white heat rings), which are irreversible. If you get heat rings on your furniture, a carpenter's assistance will be required.

• Avoid allowing thinner/alcohol-based, liquid solvents and plastic protectors that may come into direct contact with the furniture. Prolonged exposure to chemicals may cause a reaction that dissolves the furniture’s finishing.

• Avoid using glass/plastic tops on Solid Teak tables as condensation may occur on the underside of the glass/plastic, leading to the formation of mildew and sometimes, mould.

• Certain materials such as painted rattan or painted PVC mats may melt due to extreme temperatures or hot weather. This might stick to your table surfaces after prolonged exposure. Please ensure that all such protective mats are cleared away after use.

• Burmese Teak wood is naturally rich in oil, and teak furniture can continue to produce oil. This oil can stain fabrics over prolonged periods of time/exposure. It is recommended that such fabrics should be washed occasionally, and that furniture should be wiped down as and when required.

• Burmese teak, due to its natural oils, is resistant to insects such as termites. However, this quality does not make it impervious. If you have wooden furniture and/or flooring in the home, it is recommended to contact a pest exterminator for regular checks.

• For general maintenance (applicable to varnished furniture only):
• Wipe the furniture with a damp cloth and ensure that the wood is completely dry before proceeding to oil it.
• Pour a small amount of teak oil onto a dry cloth (never directly onto the furniture) and gently coat the furniture. 2 or 3 coats will suffice.
• These steps may only be required once or twice a year, but long-term use of teak oil will help your furniture to eventually achieve that rich, deep, brown and shine that is a signature of authentic Burmese teak wood.
  
  

• Avoid rocking chairs or balancing a chair on less than 4 of its legs, as the joints may be prematurely loosened die to the strain of uneven weight distribution.

• Avoid self-installation or drilling of holes on your furniture, especially if you are unfamiliar with the product’s structure or if you do not possess the correct tools. If wrongly installed, a product may be unstable, posing a safety threat to its users.

• There is a threshold for the amount of weight each piece of furniture can hold. Avoid standing or jumping on furniture as the repeated/prolonged application of too much pressure on a specific spot may cause possible damage to the item, making it unsafe for use.

• As much as possible, avoid exposing indoor furniture to direct sunlight and rain. Direct sunlight may also affect the colour of the furniture.

• Always lift up furniture when moving it. Dragging may not only leave scratches on flooring, the uneven weight distribution may also affect the structure and joints, compromising the integrity of your furniture piece.

• Affix adhesive felt to the bottom of your furniture to prevent scratches to your flooring. You can also ask our sales staff to include these in your order, to be delivered with your purchase.

• Clean up spills as quickly as possible, to avoid stains.

C. CABINETS, DRAWERS, SIDEBOARDS, BOOKSHELVES

• Avoid opening all drawers and/or doors at once, as it may tilt the center of gravity, hence toppling the item.

• Exercise caution when opening drawers as some drawers may be fully dislodged.

• Avoid slamming doors or drawers. This will also prevent damage caused to hinges or drawer tracks.

• Avoid climbing on any form of storage furniture as it may lead to severe injury.

• The supported weight of certain items are available on their individual product pages. This refers to the total distributed weight the product is able to support. Please exercise discretion when placing heavy items on your furniture. For safety, we do not recommend exceeding the specified weight limit. We also recommend leaving some allowance, especially if other items are to be placed within drawers and cupboards. 

• Always attempt to distribute weight of the drawers evenly, with the heaviest items placed in the lowest drawers. For shelves, also always attempt to distribute the weight of items evenly across the length of each shelf.

• Do perform general maintenance regularly (oiling of hinges) for maintained performance.

D. RATTAN AND CANE

• Brush regularly with a dry medium-bristle brush to remove dirt build-up from between the reed strands.

• Rattan or cane furniture and accessories are fashioned from the steam-bent poles of the rattan palm, a spiny sub-tropical climbing palm that grows like a vine. 

• The outer skin of the rattan palm is peeled for use as binder cane, slab shave rattan is for weaving panels and caning chair seats. 

• The inner core is cut for use in wickerwork and basketry. It is known as reed and available in several widths, diameters and shapes including round, oval, flat-oval and flat. 

• To clean rattan furniture brush regularly with a dry medium bristle brush, such as a vegetable brush, to remove dirt build-up from between the reed strands. If very dirty, or to spot clean stains, use a mild detergent or a furniture cleaner. Take care however, as although rattan, wicker and cane can withstand moisture to a certain extent, they will become limp, loose and saggy with too much water. Wicker will resume its size and shape when it dries, but if too much water has been used in cleaning, the strands of reed may be disturbed and remain distorted after drying. 

• Some rattan and cane products are sun-bleached, distressed and/or stained. Sun-bleached or distressed cane is lighter in colour and generally a little harder than a natural or dark colour cane. Minor chipping or fading of stained or painted rattan and cane can be touched up with stain-pens. 

• Cane is sometimes recommended for outdoor use, however if left outdoors it will deteriorate after a few years depending on exposure to the elements.

E. LEATHER

•  GENERAL CARE
• Clean your leather sofa or chair regularly. Leather is a material that, if cared for, will only get a better patina over time. 
• With a soft cloth, go over your upholstery to brush off any dirt or dust that might have settled on the surface. To get into the nooks and crannies of your sofa, use a vacuum only if equipped with a soft brush attachment.
• Next, use a damp cloth to wipe the upholstery of your sofa. It is best to use distilled water, as hard water can damage the finish on leather over time. Take great care not to soak your sofa, as it may stain.
• Leave your sofa to dry naturally, and avoid sitting on it until it is finished.
• Keep sharp things away from the upholstery. Things like keys, scissors, and even clothing studs, buckles, and buttons can all cause damage that you might not notice.
• Smoke and fumes can stain leather permanently.
• To maintain the natural shine of leather and to reduce the appearance of scratches and scuff marks, leather can be regularly buffed using a microfiber or soft cloth, after it is cleaned and dried.
• Please be aware that dye from clothing and cushions that are no colour fast can transfer onto leather and is usually more noticeable on light leather .We also recommend to always check your labels on your clothing and garments for further information.

• SUNLIGHT AND HEAT
• Exposure to direct sunlight and other heat sources can cause the leather to crack and become dry. 
• Always position the furniture away from direct sunlight, such as large French windows, balconies etc.,
• Avoid placing hot surfaces including such as laptops, coffee cups, hot water bottles on leather. This may create marks on the leather causing uneven dark spots. 

• STAINS
• Leather is very sensitive to spills, especially liquids, so they should be removed from the surface as soon as possible to keep them from soaking in and forming a hard-to-remove stain.
• Unprotected leather: For spills and stains on pure aniline leather, blot the substance as quickly as possible with a clean, dry white cloth to absorb it. Check with the furniture maker, your retailer or a leather cleaning professional before doing anything else.
• Protected leather: Stains may be removed from protected leather. Water-based spills such as soda and juice can be wiped off with a clean white cloth lightly dampened in distilled water, and then left to air-dry. On stubborn stains, gently apply a soft cloth or sponge moistened with a mild nondetergent soap and lukewarm water, and then wipe it off with a clean damp cloth and blotting dry with another soft cloth. Never use an air dryer on leather.
• Oil-based stains, such as butter or body oil, should be blotted with a clean, dry white cloth. Do not use any water. The stain will dissipate into the leather over time.
• When in doubt and for any difficult and large stains, consult a leather cleaning professional.

• Clean your sofa regularly to avoid dust build-up over time.

• Vacuum your sofa’s upholstery to draw out all the loose dust and dirt from both under and above the surface. Use a soft brush attachment and gentle movements for this task to avoid scratching or marking the material. This is especially important for delicate fabrics like velvet.

• When you’re giving your sofa a quick clean, you should take care of any grime or light marks with a damp cloth.

• Leave your sofa to dry naturally before sitting on it again. 

• If the sofa has components which can be removed individually such as cushion covers, please do not tumble dry, and wash under 40°C. They can also be dry cleaned.

• In case of stains, remove as much liquid as possible before it has the chance to soak into the fibres of the fabric, which will minimise the chances of a stain forming. Use a kitchen towel or a soft dry cloth to blot up the surface liquid. Then, use a fresh, damp cloth to dab at any marks that have appeared. Do not wipe or rub at the stain, as this will cause it to spread.

• If your cushion is filled with feathers or fibres, the seat, arm and back cushioning must be regularly plumped so that it will retain its natural shape.

• All upholstery, especially the lighter fabrics are prone to stains from fabrics which are not colour fast, these could be garments or cushion covers. 

• Avoid sharp objects that can scratch or tear the surface.

• All upholstery fabrics are prone to bleaching in direct sunlight. Keep the furniture away from direct heat sources and sunlight to avoid discoloration.