Dare to Care for Your Furniture

When doing the ever dreaded household chores, it is easy to overlook upholstered furniture care. But with the right tools anda minimum of effort, you can reverse furniture aging and make your upholstery shine like new. Here are a few tips on the bestway to bring new life to your beloved love seat, Barcalounger, etc.

If you have leather table tops or upholstery, you are acutely aware that the fabric can dry, crack or become powdery. This caneasily be avoided with a once or twice a year thorough massage of the leather. Several traditional (Old World, if you prefer)treatments exist, including neatsfoot oil, which has been used for centuries as a leather preservative, castor oil, or saddle soap.For lighter colored leather, however, white Vaseline will work better, or a quality commercial leather conditioner, as neatsfoot tends to darken the fabric. It is also important to note that neatsfoot oil, which is available at shoe repair shops, tends to leave a dull finish on leather. To maintain a glossy look, use a good commercial cleaner.

When doing the ever dreaded household chores, it is easy to overlook upholstered furniture care. But with the right tools anda minimum of effort, you can reverse furniture aging and make your upholstery shine like new. Here are a few tips on the bestway to bring new life to your beloved love seat, Barcalounger, etc.

If you have leather table tops or upholstery, you are acutely aware that the fabric can dry, crack or become powdery. This caneasily be avoided with a once or twice a year thorough massage of the leather. Several traditional (Old World, if you prefer)treatments exist, including neatsfoot oil, which has been used for centuries as a leather preservative, castor oil, or saddle soap.For lighter colored leather, however, white Vaseline will work better, or a quality commercial leather conditioner, as neatsfoottends to darken the fabric. It is also important to note that neatsfoot oil, which is available at shoe repair shops, tends to leave a dull finish on leather. To maintain a glossy look, use a good commercial cleaner, such as linseed oil..

When applying oil to your leather upholstery, make sure the fabric is completely clean and dry and use a soft cloth, perhaps a chamois. With your fingers or the palm of your hand, rub the oil into the leather until it is completely absorbed. Any trace ofoil leftover will likely damage clothing. For artificial leather, all you need do is wipe it clean with either a damp cloth, or one mixed with sudsy water created with soap or detergent.

One of the best tools for cleaning your furniture is the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner. You should regularly dust your upholstery with that device. A stiff brush will work fine as well. You should check routinely for any spots onthe fabric and treat them quickly. When dusting the furniture, remove and dust the cushions initially. Air out the cushions by putting them outdoors in a shady spot to avoid fading, or near an open window. Run the vacuum attachment over thefurniture, paying particular attention to all crevices. There is almost no end to what may be found there, such as loose coin orlost silverware. Be careful, though, as it is always possible you may come across a pair of scissors or a knife.

Special care must be used when treating stains on your upholstery. When removing a stain of unknown origin, simply test the fabric in an area not usually seen to make certain no damage will occur. Certain stains may require a particular cleaning fluid, so be sure and follow directions carefully.

Water damage is one of the most common things that occur to your furniture, but is also easily treated. For most fabrics,especially pile materials such as velvet, you can use a basic dry cleaning solution. For other types of stains, stiff soap latheror a good upholstery shampoo will normally do the job for you, with foamy commercial cleaners giving you the best result.Bissell makes an upholstery kit which includes that type of cleaner in pressurized form, which makes it easy and quick to use.

Preventative maintenance will help keep your upholstery pristine. Darkening of fabric will inevitably occur in the life of yourfurniture due to oils from pet and human hair, perspiration and other sources. These random patches can be avoided withregular light cleaning before any kind of soilage is noticed. This will serve as a sort of cosmetic surgery for your furniture,reversing potential damage and likely extending its lifespan.

While numerous commercial cleaners are available for you to use, a simple upholstery shampoo can made at home. The recipe for this is very simple. Just dissolve six teaspoons of white soap flakes in a pint of water brought to boiling and theninclude two more teaspoons of either borax or ammonia. Allow the mixture to cool down until it reaches a gelatin consistency.

Finally, use a whisk to beat the solution into a stiff lather.

With these tips in hand, you will be able to keep your upholstery in showroom condition. Just as with your car, a little love,care and effort allow your furniture to provide years of comfort and style for you and your family.