Furniture can be an expensive investment so why wouldn’t you want to care for it properly? Caring for your furniture will help it last for many years to come.
Here are some helpful tips to keep your furniture looking great. A little tender loving care goes a long way to keeping your furniture looking beautiful.
Always, always, always read the manufacturer’s care instructions. You could permanently damage your furniture using the wrong cleaning materials.
Wicker furniture can be cleaned using a hose or pressure washer, 1200 – 1350 psi, a low setting is best.
Simply remove the cushions and spray off dirt and spills. Dry furniture with a dry soft cloth, unsealed wicker absorbs moisture like a sponge. Vacuum, dust/dirt from wicker furniture with brush attachment going with the weave. If the wicker is especially dirty, use a sponge, mild soap and cold water to wash. Dry with dry soft cloth. For outdoor wicker furniture apply a paste wax to the frame to keep it shiny and water-resistant. Some types of wicker are weather-resistant, making care easier. Store cushions indoors and keep frames covered during the off-season. Try to keep wicker furniture away from direct sunlight, radiators, heating ducts, fireplaces, and wood burning stoves. As dry wicker has a tendency to split. Before using again allow wicker furniture to dry completely.
Upholstered Furniture should be cleaned according to the manufacturers instructions. If you do not have the instructions contact the service department of where you purchased your furniture.
Test cleaning product in a not easily seen area first. Preventive care is possibly the best way to care for upholstered furniture. Most fabrics have protection that will last for years but that does mean you shouldn’t not care for your furniture. Keeping upholstered furniture clean is important. Spills, dust, soil seep into the fabric and cushioning which will cause break down. Brush upholster furniture with upholstery brush or whisk broom. Remove cushions, if possible, vacuum frame of furniture using brush attachment. If considering shampooing or dry cleaning upholstered furniture, please refer to manufacturer’s instructions. Remember, it is important to know what kind of material your caring for before using or doing something that could cause permanent damage. Also, check your local directories for professional cleaning services. Apply stain guard after purchase or a professional cleaning will help protect your furniture fabric.
Leather furniture can easily be maintained; knowing the type of leather material will go a long way with cleaning maintenance. Always refer to manufacturer’s instructions when caring for furniture.
Clean, dust furniture with a soft cloth or vacuum with soft brush extention. Clean spills immediately. If leather furniture is unsealed, dust and clean then seal with water repellant protection. Unsure if sealed or not: test by placing a couple of drops of water in an inconspicuous location and watch to see if the water is absorbed. If it is absorbed quickly your leather furniture needs to be sealed. Sealed leather furniture can be wiped down with a soft damp cloth with mild soap. Tougher stains use leather furniture cleaner. Refer to manufacturer’s instructions for recommendations. To help keep furniture from fading or drying out keep leather furniture out of direct sun light and away from heating vents. Occasionally using professional cleaning products is recommended to maintain leather quality and softness. Again, refer to manufacturer’s instructions for recommendations. Check your local directories for professional cleaners and restorers.
Aluminum, wrought iron and steel frames require cleaning with water and mild soap. Many modern metal frames are rust-resistant or rust-free. If your metal furniture is not, paste wax or naval jelly can be used to protect from corroding or rusting.
Wood Furniture should be care for regularly especially if used every day.
o Dust and clean furniture with damp cloth and mild soap regularly. Lift objects from table, do not slide across surface.
o Avoid using abrasive cleaning materials when cleaning wood furniture. Use specialize wood furniture polish and/or oil occasionally for furniture treatment and care. Refer to manufacturer’s instructions for recommendations.
o Use coasters, table runners or clothes to help protect furniture from everyday use
o Minor damage to solid hardwood furniture can be repaired quickly and effectively with the right materials, a bit of elbow grease, and some careful attention to detail. More complex repair or refinishing jobs are best left to professionals. Refer to manufacturer’s instructions.
o Keep out of direct sun light and away from heaters, radiators and heat vents.
o Do not set extremely hot or cold items directly on wood furniture; use a pot holder.
o Check your local directories for furniture restorers, if needed.
Resources on Furniture Care:
http://www.furniturecaretips.com
http://www.hardwoodinfo.com/display_article.asp?subID=26
http://www.guardsman.com/guardsman/index.jsp
http://www.homefurnish.com/bedbathstorage/bedroomfurniture/woodcare.aspx
http://interiordec.about.com/od/woodfurnitcare/Wood_Furniture_Cleaning_and_Care.htm
http://furniture.about.com/od/furniturecareandrepair/Furniture_Care_and_Repair.htm
Posts Tagged ‘Mild Soap’
Caring for your wood furniture
Sunday, June 21st, 2009Your hardwood furniture is made up of many pieces of wood. Each is unique and you may notice natural variations in colour. The lighter pieces were closer to the tree’s bark while the darker pieces were closer to the tree’s centre. All one equally strong and import the beauty and value that make hardwood furniture unique.
To clean your furniture, use a soft damp cloth with a small amount of mild soap. Wipe immediately with a dry cloth.
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause fading of the finish.
Special attention should be paid to the storage of the table leaf as a noticeable difference will be apparent if the leaf is stored away from light and the table is exposed continuously.
Avoid using commercial cleaning products on your furniture since this will cause yellowing.
Do not use window cleaners; they contain ammonia which attacks the lacquer.
Liquid left on the surfaces (for a period of more or less 24 hours) will cause the finish to peel and flake.
Avoid placing hot items directly on wood surface, this will damage the finish.
Avoid placing items with rubber feet or plastic placemat on your furniture; they leave indelible marks on the finish.
The ideal balance is to maintain the temperature around 21 deg.C (70 deg.F) and the relative humidity at 40% to prevent warping or splitting.
Like your own skin, solid hardwood furniture’s natural response to extremely dry air is to lose moisture and shrink a bit. The halves of an extension table may part slightly or a few tiny openings may appear on a solid wood surface. This will correct itself as the relative humidity rises, and the hardwood absorbs enough moisture to expand slightly.
5 Wood Furniture Cleaning Tips
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009If you have wood surfaced pieces of furniture at home, it is important to take extra care of it since wood entails extra special care compared to non-wood home furnishings. Thus, cleaning is an important measure in order for you to take good care of your things. Below are some helpful cleaning tips that may be handy:
1. Protect it from direct heat of the sun.
The pieces of furniture you have should be displayed in areas where it cannot be reached by the direct heat of the sun. Too much heat from the sun will make your wood furnishings dried out. On extreme cases, it can remove the color of the wood.
If however, your home furnishings have been exposed to sunlight and is susceptible to drying up, it is recommended for you to use a dehumidifier or humidifier. It helps to keep the wood surfaces from drying up.
2. Identify the type of wood finish.
Wood finishes come in different types. It varies from hard to soft finishes. Some comes in clear or painted finishes. Proper identification of the type of wood finishes will help you recognize appropriate cleaning methods.
3. Observe regular dusting.
For all types of wood finishes, it is a must to observe regular dusting. You can use a clean, fur-free permeable cloth for dusting. Dusting should be done more than a few times a week. As a result, you suspend fast accumulation of soil and other dirt on the surface.
4. Wash your wood furnishings.
One important cleaning tip for furniture is annually washing your wood furnishings. Mild soap and water should be used as washing solution. Use a soft cloth as your washing gadget. It is a must to immediately dry your wood furnishings right after you wash them. This is done in order to prevent moisture build-up.
5. Watch out for damage.
Cleaning is the best time to spot pieces of wood furniture that has damage. Early detection of damage can save you from major repairs or the possibility of abandoning important items in your home.