General things to keep in mind:

Wood moves throughout its life with seasonal humidity. Most climate controlled homes are happy places for wood furniture, but some movement is expected. Your piece has been designed and built to account for against this, but placing a piece directly over a heat vent or in a damp area will cause damage.

Moisture and heat are tough on wood, regardless of the finish. Protect your furniture by using coasters and trivets. You’ll want to wipe away any moisture as quickly as possible

Wood and finishes can scratch. Sometimes, things you might not expect, like a hand thrown mug, can damage your furniture. Felt pads, in addition to coasters, etc., can help here.

Rubber bumpers and candles can have a chemical reaction with some finishes and leave stains.

Sunlight changes the color of wood over time. Some woods darken and some become lighter. This is expected and helps give your piece distinct character.

Cleaning/maintenance.

If you have commissioned a piece of furniture from me and have questions on how to care for it, your best bet is to contact me directly as how you care for your piece will depend on the type of finish chosen. Typically, furniture should be dusted with a dry rag/”swifter” cloth. Most often, I recommend using a little dish soap and a damp sponge for any stains/dirt. However, best to talk directly before you get too involved.

For the smaller items, such as coasters, cutting boards, etc. you can use the dish soap and sponge method of cleaning. Just a little scrubbing, quick rinse, and then towel dry. DO NOT ever place wood objects in a dishwasher! Generally, try to keep them as dry as possible, at least after use.

For coasters and cutting boards and such I generally use a mineral oil/beeswax blend called Walrus oil, which you can purchase on my site. It is FDA approved as food safe.

Why I chose this finish:

Finish decisions are often a compromise between a lot of factors. Unlike a film finish which seals the wood and forms a coating on the outside of it, oil finish penetrates into the wood. I think it looks and feels nice and it protects against moisture (water will bead up on oiled coasters for hours). If your product gets dirty or stained, most things will wash off. Over time, you'll want to reapply a mineral oil to it. Moreover, film finishes chip and scratch and oil finishes do not (the wood can, but it is easier to fix than fixing the finish).