Common furniture problems in Indian houses during monsoons & how to prevent them

The monsoons bring along not only pleasant weather, but also excessive amounts of moisture, which can be harmful for the interior of your house. With increasing humidity levels, your wooden furniture starts swelling, fabrics start holding moisture, metal furniture develops rust, and an unpleasant smell starts emanating from the furniture. However, all of these problems are avoidable. All it takes is some preventive measures taken prior to the onset of the rainy season.

Mistake 1: Inadequate protection of wooden furniture

Since the material is natural and has its own characteristics, wood tends to absorb water easily. Thus, chances are high that your wooden furniture might swell, get warped or even mould during the humid weather in the monsoon period. Such issues can be avoided by covering wooden furniture with wax or wood oil before the onset of the rainy season. It is applicable in all spaces, especially in inaccessible places.

Mistake 2: Arrangement of furniture near the walls

The arrangement of the sofa, wardrobe, or bed close to the walls outside the room will prevent moisture flow inside and lead to moisture and mould accumulation inside the room. But having two to three inches of additional space between the furniture and the floor is very effective.

Representative of the furniture in the house Photograph: (X)

Mistake 3: Ignoring upholstery materials

Moisture makes the sofa material a suitable area for growth of smell and fungus. Cleaning and drying up the furniture well before the rainy season is essential. One can also spray some form of protection on the sofas and chairs. The best way would be to use soft linen furniture covers.

‘’It is only those homes which have made adequate preparation before the monsoon that make sure that their furniture looks beautiful when the rains come through. Furniture cleaning, wood treatment, a fabric spray, taking out items from walls, all of them are not very difficult or costly, yet the difference it makes in the period of three months with high humidity becomes a lot significant. I always advise the homeowners to look at the process of preparing the furniture during pre-monsoon, just like they do with their skin care routines. The little effort before the harm happens will make sure that it lasts for many years to come. Monsoon is such a beautiful season. Why not your furniture?'' Raghunandan Saraf, Founder and CEO of Saraf Furniture.

Representative of the furniture in the house Photograph: (X)

Mistake 4: Ignoring your balcony furniture

The outdoor place, especially the balcony, is the place where furniture gets affected by rain first. Metal can rust, whereas cane and rattan can become weak due to the constant moisture exposure. Move all the movable outdoor furniture inside and use waterproof covers for the rest before the monsoon season starts.

The most common mistake that homeowners commit prior to the monsoon season is waiting for their furniture to show any signs of damage before doing anything about it. Prevention is always better than cure. Wood furniture must be either waxed or coated with a protective sealant prior to increased humidity levels, and upholstery furniture must be properly maintained through periodic vacuuming and proper ventilation to avoid excess moisture. Furniture must be positioned several inches away from the walls to promote ventilation and avoid moisture formation. Covering balcony furniture with water-resistant covers or bringing it inside is recommended as well.

The monsoon will be on time, just like always. Whether your furniture survives it or not will depend entirely on what you do in those two weeks.