You have just spent a fortune on getting that exclusive dining set you had set your heart on. And suddenly during your house warming party, you find your best friend spilling her hot soup on the table. You can do little at the moment except smile and say "Never Mind", but your heart's already racing at ten times its speed. After all, the hot soup is likely to cause permanent damage to the shiny wooden surface of your exquisite piece. Worried? Don't be. There's a way out to avoid such a situation from hitting you unexpectedly.

While spots from minor spills like water may be easily cleaned, tougher ones would not be so easy to get rid of. Stubborn spots of vegetable curries, hot tea, other gravies etc may end up damaging your dining furniture permanently. In fact, hot spills may result in more than just spots - you may well end up with ungainly looking boils on your precious table. The way out is quite simple and inexpensive really. Invest in a good dining table pad.

Table pads are made to withstand all the spills, moisture, heat and minor vices like dents your children may manage to put on the table in their youthful exuberance. A table pad would cover your table completely to protect the underlying surface while taking away none of the glory of the original exquisite piece.

Table pads are made of a variety of materials, mostly heavy-duty stuff to take on the varied items your household may throw at it. They are washable to allow you to get rid of the stains that will invariably make their presence felt. Choices of finish are generally available between leatherette wood-grain, leather tone, soft velvet bottom and some varieties of durable plastic. You can choose one to go with your furniture from the variety of colors available in each type of finish.

The pad need not be present on your exclusive table all the time. For times when you wan to display your furniture, a good dining table pad would be foldable for easy handling and storage. The core of the pad is solid, lightweight fiberboard that is chosen for its resistance to humidity and strength that allows it to stand upright without warping. Storing it upright will save on storage space. The smart looking piece can always come on just before dinner is laid out.

The pad is about a half inch thick and can withstand high temperatures due to the choice of materials. Thus, it can protect your table from the hot tea and boiling water spills that may inadvertently occur in any household.

Some advanced pads use a locking system that locks the pad to the surface of the table so children cannot rip it off in jest. The locks are generally cleverly designed to be hidden from view by either integrating them into the basic design, or by covering them with a cloth cover.

No need to worry any more about your children dropping a morsel or two while learning the nuances of eating well. Moreover, you no longer need have a heavy heart or miss a beat even if your friend drops all of her soup. Say "Never Mind" with a smile, and mean it as well!



The author is an expert in interior design and home improvement techniques. More important than buying good dining furniture is maintaining it well. You can easily maintain your exquisitely crafted dining room table with very little effort. Visit www.amishtables.com.