Keeping Your Living Room Furniture Clean and Looking New

Cleaning Tips For Your Living Room Furniture



Buying living room furniture is a big investment that requires a lot of search time and preparation. Daily use can have a great impact on the longevity and look of your furniture, and you want to make sure you properly care for it in order to extend its use for as long as possible. Here are some great cleaning tips to keep your furniture looking as fresh and beautiful as the day you bought it.

  Avoid Harsh Chemicals



Stay clear of upholstery cleaners that use harsh chemicals or toxins to clean your furniture. These furniture cleaners may leave your furniture smelling and looking clean for some time, but there are risks associated with cleaning your furniture with them. For starters, these cleansers are typically full of harsh chemicals and toxins that can actually cause more harm than good to your furniture. Additionally, they are known to actually foster resoiling, resulting in more cleaning. These cleaners may also remove the protective layers of your furniture fabric, resulting in furniture that looks more worn, as well as causing harm to your upholstery.

Stay Clear of Steam



Steam cleaning initially sounds like a great idea when it comes to cleaning your furniture. However, it is important to consider what moisture can do to your furniture. Excessive moisture can cause odors, mold, and soil build-up. When steam cleaning is done the excess water must be ****** up, which can take days to fully dry. Even when the fabric appears dry on the surface, the moisture can still be present deep down. Steam cleaning may also strip your furniture's upholstery, leaving it more prone than before to stains and soil.

Bring Out the Vacuum



Vacuuming your furniture regularly is a great way to clean debris and dirt off of your furniture before it has a chance to seep down and cause problems. Vacuuming will also allow you to prolong the need of more extensive and deep cleaning. Vacuuming should be done at least once a week. Make sure you not only do the visible parts of your furniture; you will also want to make sure you vacuum under the cushions and in the crevices of your furniture.

Spot Clean as Soon as Possible



Accidents happen frequently, and most likely your furniture will not be able to avoid them. Spills are likely to occur, and can lead to permanent stains if not taken care of quickly. Here are some ways to take care of these spills quickly and properly:

Always blot from the outside to the center of a spot. Doing so will control the spread of a spill

Test your fabric in a hidden area to make sure the color doesn not come off with the stain, or that a ring is not caused by the cleaning agent.

If the spot is liquid, use an absorbent white cloth or white paper towel to gently blot up the excess.

If the spot is solid material, remove the excess by lifting it off with a dull table knife or spoon.

Never rub, scrub, or brush a spill.

Never use strong chemicals such as bleach, solvents, or acids unless they are recommended by a specialist.

Never use sudsy detergents, as they leave a soapy residue that attracts dirt.

Avoid using tap water. Use distilled water or plain seltzer water. Minerals in common tap water can cause rings, even on treated fabrics.

Know Your Furniture Needs



There are a wide range of furniture fabrics and styles available. It is important to know which ones may or may not be best for your particular lifestyle. A leather sofa may not fair well with a home full of cats, but can work great with children because it is simple to clean and wipe spills. If you are decorating a room that will be low traffic and more for entertaining you can choose virtually any furniture fabric. You should also be aware that certain fabrics are more resistant to sunlight damage than others. If you need help finding out what fabrics fit your lifestyle, our trained associates will be happy to assist you at any store location.

 

The sofa and other various items that comprise the living room are often the center piece and the focal point for guests that you invite into your home. You want to make sure you are caring for them properly in order to keep them clean and increase their life. Following these tips will assure that your living room furniture is properly maintained and cared for.



About the Author:

Dana is a furniture specialist and interior design aficionado.



Do You Know Your Furniture Style?

Not only does your general home represent you and your personality, specific aspects inside your home, like furniture, loudly tell others who you are too. Furniture styles change the same way you change your mind about how likable furniture is in your home and how fitting it is to your style and needs. Thus, it is important to acquire even just a little knowledge of the different styles of furniture that you could get your hands on.

If you prefer traditional furniture, there are plenty to choose from. Traditional furniture tends to have wood of darker hue. Ornate carvings create a majestic feel. The usual decorating style for this furniture is a busy floor layout. Sub styles for traditional furniture include Queen Anne, Louis Philippe, Colonial, 18th Century, Neo Classic and Victorian/French Provincial.

Furniture is usually made from wood of lighter constitution. The lines are simple. It has a feeling of cleanliness about it too. The preferred layout is usually a stark floor. Exposed woods, metals, plastics and stone are usually used with the layout. The room where the furniture is used has both neutral and bold elements and colors. The focal point in contemporary furniture styling is line and shape. Sub styles for contemporary furniture include Art Deco, Retro, Urban and Modern.

If you desire a rustic look about your furniture, then you prefer furniture with lots of exposed and rough woods. The lines of this type of furniture are usually simple. The furniture conveys a practical feeling. Aside from exposed woods, rustic speaks of exposed walls, columns and beams, stone and wood paneling are also commonly observed. The furniture would appear to be heavy duty. The accessories are most often minimized and tend to be inclined towards the primitive. You can observe natural or worn finishes on this type of furniture. Sub styles for rustic include Lodge and Southwestern.

If you prefer simple lines with a comfortable feel to it, you may want to use country furniture in your home. Country uses milk-painted woods. The colors of the furniture are generally muted. A busy room layout is preferred for country. It utilizes vintage fabrics. Vintage furniture has a primitive feel to it. Sub styles for country furniture include Cottage, Nostalgic, American Country, Shaker and Mission.

Most people want to combine comfort and simplicity without compromising style. Transitional furniture answers all that. It is a combination of contemporary and traditional. Sub styles include Casual and Eclectic.

Traditional Furniture uses bamboo and rattan. It is known for its simple lines and comfortable feel. The furniture also utilizes woods that are exotic. Framed botanicals are fairly common in the design. If you use this style, you prefer the tropical environment of the Caribbean more than you ever know.

Asian furniture is usually made up of lacquered wood of black color. The lines of the furniture are simple. Ornate decorations are fairly common to see. This type requires a very simple layout used together with fiber mats, bamboo, and colors that are identified with nature.

The last type of furniture is call Adirondack. The look of this furniture is rustic. It is of sturdy built and is usually used outdoors. It also has a characteristic high arch to the back of the chairs. Visit Classic Furniture