22 February, 2018

Different types of furniture require different types of care, but you can clean furniture such as upholstery, wood, and metal by creating custom cleaning blends that will make surfaces shine like new. One approach is to use a soft-bristled brush and a water-based cleaning solution of water and dish soap to clean furniture. A second approach is to use specialized cleaner for the type of material your furniture is made out of, like wood, and cleaning by polishing the furniture. A third approach would be to use an upholstery attachment on your carpet cleaner and use that to clean your upholstered furniture.

There’s nothing like a deep cleaning to give you a mood boost and make your home sparkle. Here are some tips for getting any type of furniture back to peak condition.

Furniture Cleaning Tips

Cleaning your furniture regularly will preserve the quality of your pieces, bring a noticeable lift to your room, and even reduce symptoms for those who suffer from allergies and asthma. To best care for any type of furniture, consider these tips:

• • Give surfaces a basic clean up by vacuuming upholstery or dusting off glass and wood.
  • Always check cleaning instructions on the furniture before you begin.
  • Start with gentle cleaners to see if they will remove stubborn stains. You can always move on to something more powerful if it doesn’t work.
  • Regularly rotate cushions to redistribute the wear and tear.
  • Repeat the cleaning process for a more powerful effect.
  • Spot clean surfaces as soon as a spill happens to avoid long-term stains.

  Cleaning Upholstery

  Cleaning upholstery by hiring a professional can be an expensive undertaking, but luckily any layman can do the job by learning a bit about different fabrics. Upholstery tags can be an excellent indicator of how to care for your sofa or chair, so start by looking for a tag to advise on how to clean your piece. Here are the steps to follow once you’ve ensured the piece can be cleaned at home:

  • • Make your own water-based upholstery cleaner by mixing one cup of water with ¼ cup of dish soap.
    • Beat the liquid with a mixer until it turns into a thick foam.
    • Vacuum all sides of cushions and detach anything that can be taken off the furniture.
    • Use the cleaner in a discreet place to make sure your fabric does not water stain or have any other unpleasant changes.
    • Use a soft-bristled brush to rub the foam around on the cushions in a circular motion, especially focusing on any furniture stain areas.
    • Remove all the foam and wipe away with a washcloth. Keep liquid and foam away from wooden parts of the furniture.
    • Allow the cushions to dry before replacing.

  Cleaning Wood Furniture

  Years of polish buildup will leave your furniture looking dull. Here’s how to revive your wood furniture to bring it back to its original state:

  • • Remove old polish by soaking a washcloth in tea and wiping it aggressively on the furniture.
    • Remove water stains with the help of non-gel toothpaste wiped around the spot with a washcloth.
    • Ink marks and other stains can be removed with one tablespoon of baking soda mixed with one teaspoon of water.
    • Add a new layer of polish by using lemon oil or one cup of olive oil mixed with ¼ cup white vinegar to buff until shiny.

  Cleaning Metal Furniture

  Cleaning metal coffee tables, dining tables, or other furniture is a relatively easy task since it can be done with materials you most likely already have at home. Here’s how to go about it:

  • • For steel, galvanized metal, or tin, you can simply dust the surface, run a wet cloth over the top, and finally use a general household cleaner to pick up spots or spills.
    • Toothpaste or stainless steel cleaner can be used for added shine.
    • If you have a copper table top, you will need to use cleaner specifically made for copper furniture. Another option is to cut a lemon in half and dip it in salt to scrub the surface clean.

  Time To Get Cleaning

  With these tips, we’ve covered how to clean living room furniture of all types. It may be overwhelming to think about cleaning your furniture, but with additional information and tips it’s something that can easily be done. Hopefully cleaning your furniture will be a less overwhelming task from here on out.