Care

Last updated: 12 May 2026

Our pieces are made to age, not to stay new. A patina that develops over years of use is part of how handcrafted brass, copper, and cedar tell their story. The notes below are about helping that aging happen well — not preventing it.

Brass and copper

• Dust weekly with a soft dry microfibre cloth. Avoid feather dusters; they catch on pierce-work edges.
• If a fingerprint or smudge needs removing, use a barely-damp cotton cloth, then dry immediately. Avoid wet cleaning of pierce-work.
• Patina is intentional. If you want to slow it, a thin coat of museum-grade microcrystalline wax (Renaissance Wax) every 12 months will hold the finish where it is.
• If you want to brighten it: a small amount of Brasso or Wright's Brass Polish on a soft cloth, gentle circular motion, rinse residue with dry cloth. Do this at most once a year.
• Never: dishwasher, scouring pad, abrasive paste, ammonia, vinegar in any quantity.

Cedar and carved wood

• Dust weekly with a soft cloth.
• Avoid direct sunlight on flat surfaces — it darkens cedar unevenly over years.
• Avoid heaters and radiators directly under furniture; the wood will dry and crack.
• Twice a year, apply a thin coat of beeswax-and-linseed-oil furniture polish (we recommend Briwax Original or any traditional museum-grade wax). Buff with a soft cloth.
• Never: silicone sprays (Pledge, Endust), water in any quantity, or commercial wood "feeding" sprays.

Mother-of-pearl inlay

• Dust with a soft brush — a clean watercolour brush works well.
• Keep out of direct sunlight; UV slowly fades the iridescence over decades.
• Wipe rare spills with a barely-damp cloth, then dry. The cedar substrate around the inlay absorbs water; keep it minimal.
• Never: ammonia-based glass cleaners, isopropyl alcohol, or anything containing acetone.

Leather (poufs, throne upholstery)

• Dust weekly with a soft dry cloth.
• Twice a year, apply a small amount of saddle soap or pure neatsfoot oil to keep the leather supple. A circular motion, a small area at a time.
• For poufs that are sat on regularly: fluff and reshape every few weeks. The natural-fibre filling settles; rotation prevents one side from compressing.
• Spot cleaning: a barely-damp cloth with a tiny drop of pH-neutral soap, dry immediately. Never soak the leather.
• Never: standard furniture polishes, baby wipes, or anything labelled "leather cleaner" containing solvents.

Sabra silk (cactus-silk poufs)

• Vacuum gently on a low setting through the soft brush attachment — once a month.
• Sabra is naturally water-resistant; small spills bead up and can be lifted off with a dry cloth.
• For deeper cleaning, professional dry-cleaning only.
• Never: wet washing, bleach, harsh chemicals, or tumble drying.

Hanbel wool

• Vacuum gently in the direction of the weave.
• Air outside in indirect sunlight twice a year — wool refreshes well from a few hours outdoors.
• Spot-clean small stains with cold water and a tiny amount of mild wool detergent; pat dry. Larger stains: professional rug cleaning.

Hand-pierced brass lighting

• Use bulbs at the recommended wattage (we send a card with the piece). Over-wattage will heat the brass and discolour it locally.
• LED bulbs (E27, 7–9W warm white) give the warmest light and produce the least heat.
• Dust pendants every 2–3 months with a long-handled microfibre duster from above.
• If a pendant collects fingerprints during installation: clean with a barely-damp cotton cloth, dry immediately.

When in doubt

Write to atelier@maisonizem.com with a photograph and we will tell you what to do. Most things can be repaired; almost nothing is ruined by patient handwork. We send replacement parts (pierce-work panels, leather seats, MOP tesserae) at cost.