Tips on caring for designer furniture
Apart from purchasing or constructing a house from scratch, another investment that takes a huge chunk from an Australian home budget is buying furniture. The cost of buying furniture for your house can be quite high, especially if you’re looking to get something special to make lasting memories with. Australians spend up to $25 000 on home renovations and purchasing new furniture is a huge chunk of that. Even if you’re buying ex display furniture.
This makes it important to carry out proper maintenance to get the most out of your furniture and make it last longer. Most designer furniture pieces today are made of wood, leather and fabric upholstery material. Here’s how you can take better care of them.
Tips on taking care of wooden furniture
Wooden furniture is a common type of furniture and can be quite the investment. The great thing is that when given the right kind of care, wooden furniture can outlast many seasons.
The type of wood and finishing used, whether to make it look more fetching or durable, often determines how you should maintain it. The following tips would help you ensure that your wooden furniture lasts longer:
1. Dusting
Dusting is the most popular way of taking care of wooden furniture. To carry out effective dusting, make use of a wet cloth to absorb settled dust instead of allowing the dust to scatter in the air. Better yet, use a vacuum cleaner to effectively remove dust rather than just pushing it around.
‘When you look at dust particles under a microscope, you can see they have sharp edges, and when they accumulate on upholstered furniture and we sit down on it, we are just grinding in the little particles. This breaks down the fabric and makes it look dingy,’ LA Times reports.
2. Clean regularly
It may sound obvious but your furniture will get dirty after some time, so regular deep cleaning routine is recommended. But be sure to make use of specific cleaning agents, detergents and cleaning equipment so you do not tarnish the wood finishing.
There is no rule about the number of times to clean your wooden furniture but it is advisable to avoid using too much water while cleaning.
3. Wood polishing
Polishing is done to protect the surface of your wooden furniture, giving it a shiny, elegant appearance. To achieve top results, make sure you choose a polishing agent that is specific to the type of wood used in making your furniture.
Some experts have even warned against polishing and waxing your furniture too much.
4. Limit exposure
Exposing your wooden furniture to direct sunlight causes damage to the wooden surface. Sunlight makes your wooden furniture lose its lustre and drains moisture from the wood so it’s advisable to keep your designer furniture out of direct exposure to light and heat. That means moving it away from windows and doors or even heating and cooling appliances.
Tips on taking care of leather furniture
Adding leather furniture to your interior decor is a great way to give your home a subtle touch of class and opulence. It’s generally a material that is quite easy to maintain and quite durable. Whether combined with a metal or wooden frame, most leather furniture pieces are an investment that you don’t want to squander away by not taking proper care of it.
However, they are very easy to maintain and can last a very long time if you follow the tips below.
1. Regular cleaning
Cleaning is the most popular maintenance routine for leather furniture. To ensure your leather furniture retains its elegant look, be sure to wipe the surface with a cloth immediately after spills happen.
Avoid using harsh cleaning detergents on leather furniture as this may cause the leather to spoil.
It’s important you ascertain what type of leather your furniture is comprised of so you can look after it in the recommended way.
2. Dusting
Carrying out a regular dusting of leather furniture is another way of maintaining its shiny appearance. Regular dusting helps to prevent stains and spots on the surface as a result of dirt accumulation.
Tips on taking care of upholstery
Most furniture upholstery is made from fabrics like linen, wool, polyester and velvet. You can take care of your upholstery furniture by:
1. Regular vacuuming
Vacuuming is a great way to get rid of dust and debris in your upholstered furniture, especially in hard to reach areas. It’s recommended to vaccuum at least weekly or even more if you have pets, kids or the item is used daily.
2. Slip coverings
These are washable seat coverings that you can use to protect the fragile upholstery fabric from unwanted oil stains, sweat and pet stains. They are a particularly great idea for sofas and lounges, particularly if you and your family love to eat in front of the TV.
3. Direct sunlight exposure
As mentioned above, it’s crucial that you prevent exposing your upholstered furniture to direct sunlight as this will make your upholstery fabric fade quickly. You might consider installing additional curtains or blinds to help protect your furniture and keep the Australian elements at bay.
When you treat your designer furniture well, it will last longer and give you more value for your money.