Care instructions
How to take care of your new kitchen or furniture
When you receive your Nicolaj Bo™ furniture, it has received its final finish and is ready for use. We recommend some simple maintenance care for all our furniture, beginning with after 3 months of use and thereafter at least once every half a year. More regular upkeep is required on kitchen tabletops made of solid wood and surfaces that are regularly exposed to water or touch.
Avoid cutting on or scratching the surfaces with sharp objects in any way. We also recommend you to avoid the use of highly acidic substances, powerful solvents, or liquids that can cause coloration.
Furniture made in different materials and with differing surface finishes should be maintained according to their individual requirements.
Below you will find care instructions for use on respective materials. We recommend the use of Guardian Protection Products, as these care and maintenance products are specially developed for the furniture industry. They are both environmentally friendly and easy to use.
If you would like to book a service appointment – which includes an all-round check-up, surface treatment and adjustment of kitchen fittings – such can be ordered by writing us a mail at info@nicolajbo.dk
The recommended care and maintenance products can be bought through our web shop.
We really hope you enjoy your new kitchen!
Solid wood with oil finish
All wooden things are a piece of nature. Even after a tree has been felled and sawn up, the wood will preserve a unique character in terms of strength, structure and sensitivity. All wooden furniture responds to light, humidity and physical use and will therefore gradually change in hue over the years. Wood becomes thus naturally adorned with patina.
We treat wooden surfaces either with oil or matte lacquer. Solid wood tables, as well as edges on kitchen fronts, are oiled, while other parts of the kitchen are sealed with a matte lacquer which protects the wood without altering its visual character.
Daily Care:
Oiled wood is best wiped down with a dry, non-pilling cloth or, if moisture is required, make sure to wring out warm water from the cloth. Water even in small amounts should not be allowed to stand for long periods of time.
Some woods become discoloured by iron. Cast-iron pots, candleholders and other items made of cast-iron must not come into contact with oak or other types of wood containing tannins. These react chemically with iron, causing areas of contact to turn black. If this does occur despite measures to prevent it, such marks can often be removed by applying a solution of oxalic acid, which can be purchased in most building or painting supplies stores.
Maintenance:
When after some time the wood starts looking dry and matte, you can revitalize the look by applying a thin layer of Guardian Wood Oil using the soft side of a kitchen sponge (firm sponges work best). On kitchen tabletops, allow the oil to stand for 10-15 minutes before wiping all excess oil down with paper towel or cloth. Finally, make sure to polish thoroughly lengthwise along the wood grain.
We do recommend that tabletops receive treatment more frequently than other surfaces, especially when they are new.
Matte lacquer on solid wood or veneer
All wooden things are a piece of nature. Even after a tree has been felled and sawn, wood will preserve a unique character in terms of strength, structure and sensitivity. All wooden furniture responds to light, humidity and physical use and will therefore gradually change in hue over the years. Wood becomes naturally adorned with patina.
We treat wooden surfaces either with oil or matte lacquer. Solid wood tables, as well as edges on kitchen fronts, are oiled, while other parts of the kitchen are sealed with a matte lacquer which protects the wood without altering its visual character.
Daily Care:
Wipe down lacquered wood with a soft non-pilling cloth. You can also use warm water and a little detergent, but always make sure to wring it thoroughly.
Maintenance:
We recommend the use of Guardian Varnish Wash for maintenance of all matte lacquered wooden surfaces. Guardian Varnish Wash is water-based and contains no solvents. Apply using the soft side of a kitchen sponge or soft, non-pilling cloth and wipe excess product away with a damp cloth, where warm water has been thoroughly wrung out. Try to wipe lengthwise along the grain as much as possible.
Linoleum
Linoleum is a natural product made mainly of solidified linseed oil, resin and fine wooden fibres, which are all naturally occurring. Linoleum has an open surface, attains patina just as wood does and has in many ways similar characteristics. A small scratch in the surface can over time and with the proper maintenance repair itself.
Daily Care:
Keep your linoleum dry and avoid standing liquids over longer periods of time. Detergents have a dehydrating effect on linoleum and should not be used for cleaning. As part of your daily use wipe the linoleum down with a moist and well-wrung cloth. You can also add a teaspoon of Guardian Linoleum Soap to each litre of water for better effect.
Maintenance:
Either every 6 months or when visibly necessary, coat all surfaces with Guardian Linoleum Soap using the soft side of a kitchen sponge. Allow the soap to soak for 5 minutes and then wipe any excess product with absorbing paper towel or a non-pilling cloth where warm water has been wrung out. Use a warm, well-wrung cloth to remove any leftover marks of soap residue. In order to achieve a homogenous result, make sure to treat an entire surface in one go.
Laminate
Laminate has a surface made up of many layers of cellulose (paper) and special resins pressed together under immense pressure and high temperature. This creates a more sealed and much harder surface in comparison to wood or linoleum. Liquids don’t penetrate easily into laminate, which is why excess oil from treating wood is easily wiped off with a cloth or sponge with detergent. Scratches are rare, but permanent.
Daily Care:
Wipe down with a damp cloth (moistened with warm water, and thoroughly wrung) and some liquid detergent. Never use the rough side of a kitchen sponge or any coarse materials to wipe down laminate surfaces.
Maintenance:
Laminate is maintenance-free and will not attain patina. We do however recommend the use of Guardian Laminate Cleaner to cleanse laminate surfaces as well as to provide a protective film.
Steel Tabletops
Nicolaj Bo provides exclusively steel tabletops in stainless steel of the highest quality. At delivery there will be no scratches or visible marks. As a result of normal usage, small scratches and marks will appear that will be singular and very visible to begin with. As time goes on, these will become more numerous and thus blend in with each other, becoming testament to its use in daily life. This is in our view another form of patina.
Daily Care:
Wipe down with a well-wrung damp cloth, adding liquid detergent. Avoid ever using paper kitchen towels, the rough side of kitchen sponges or any other coarse materials.
Maintenance:
For upkeep of steel tabletops, we recommend the use of Guardian Steal Cleaner, which removes spots, fingerprints, etc. Spray a thin layer on the tabletop surface and let it soak for approx. one minute. Wipe up with a dry, soft and non-pilling cloth. Repeat process if surfaces are extraordinarily dirty. Always wipe/polish lengthwise along tabletop.
Aftør/polér altid i længderetningen af bordpladen.
Round Tables NB40 & NB41 - oak and linoleum
NB40 spisebordet består af to typer materialer – egetræ og linoleum. Bordets ben er mat lakeret, mens de massive egetræskanter på bordpladen er olieret. De forskellige materialer fordrer ens daglig pleje, men vedligeholdes med forskellige vedligeholdelsesprodukter.
Daily Care:
Kindly see the care instructions for the individual materials, i.e., lacquered oak, oiled solid wood, and linoleum respectively.
Maintenance:
Solid oak requires treatment with oil, while a soap solution is used on the linoleum. We therefore recommend that treatment of both materials takes place in succession of the other. Start with the oak and follow the instructions headlined “Solid wood with oil finish”. Try as much as possible to prevent oil from touching the linoleum. If this happens make sure to wipe the oil off immediately using a cloth damp with warm water. Once this step is complete, the linoleum surface should be treated using a soap solution as described in our instructions for linoleum. Whenever soap solution runs onto the oak make sure to wipe it off immediately with a damp cloth. This procedure should ideally be carried out 3 months after the furniture was first received, and thereafter twice a year depending on intensity of use.
