A lot of people have invested a great amount of money on their furniture, so it’s just normal wanting to keep them from looking worn-out, old, or damaged. Aside from buying or building a house, the furniture is the other investment that takes the largest shares of a home budget. The price of furnishing a house is certainly high and thus, it is wise to make sure that the furniture is taken care of. So, if you know how to take care of your furniture, they will definitely serve you for a long time.

The most common type of furniture that we all have is wood, right? Most of us have that one piece of wooden furniture that’s really special to us. But today, we can see how fabric, glass, metal, plastic and other kinds of materials are utilized to improve the appearance of wood. They are usually incorporated to provide more comfort, add more colour to the applicable areas as well as texture. In this way, they are able to break the monotony of the plain wood colour. 

With this, the added upholstery in the wooden part should be managed to maintain its aesthetic appeal and help it last longer. To help you take proper care of the different types of furniture, here are tips that will enable you to keep them looking new and have them for longer. 

Take a Look at the Care Label 

Read the care label if your furniture has it! Having this information is very crucial since it is particular to the piece you bought. Your furniture may appear brand new right now, but to maintain it looking that way you must be familiarized with proper care. However, if your furniture did not come with a label, inquire from the person you purchased from for any specific care instructions. 

Clean Using Soap and Water 

Using a damp washcloth and gentle dish soap is normally all you need to clean your furniture. After the cleaning part, rinse it with a soap-free, damp cloth; then use the third washcloth to dry the surface. Try to avoid all types of cleaners containing ammonia because it can damage wooden furniture. 

Avoid Sun Exposure 

The sun can be harmful to your furniture so keep them out of it as much as possible, especially under windows to prevent fading over time. If this is not possible, consider rotating or moving the furniture often. Daily conditioning leather couches will slow down the development of cracking. Try placing a window film if you want to keep the sun’s harmful rays out. 

Avoid Using Waxes 

Avoid putting waxes on your furniture because it may lead to a build-up of wax film on the surface of the furniture. Having this build-up can actually attract dirt, smoke and other pollutants in the air, resulting in streaks and smudging. In addition, plenty of waxes contain grit that can permanently damage furniture surfaces if used improperly. 

On the other hand, you may opt for polishes which contain detergents, mineral oil, and emulsifiers. The detergents wash the dirt from the furniture, the emulsifiers provide it body to clean and for it to last longer. The mineral oil gets left behind to act as a barrier for dirt and moisture that could harm finishes. Using polishes will give you no grit to damage the finish, no wax to build up and no silicone to increase the sheen and act as a barrier for touch-up and refinishing. 

Protect Surfaces 

Using your tabletop results to a lot of wear and tear. You may protect the surface in different ways. Coasters are amazing for those annoying watermark lines from glassware. Utilize tablecloths, placemats, runners or glass coverings to shield those tops from food stains, general usage or from your children’s crayon and marker art. 

Try to clean it with gentle soap on a damp cloth, dusting and polishing wood surfaces helps maintain its beauty. But be extra careful not to over polish. This may lead to the stripping of the natural finish. 

Now that you’ve learned these common ideas for cleaning your furniture, here are more tips for cleaning your furniture material: 

Wood: With a soft cloth, always begin with a mild cleaning agent and only change to a stronger one if needed. Utilize a damp, not super wet, cloth for cleaning and different clean cloth to dry. Don’t make the wood to be saturated, no one likes that. 

Velvet: For furniture like your velvet sofa or velvet dining chairs, mix a little amount of dish soap and water in a bucket, combining it until it becomes leather. The cloth should be soaked in the sudsy water and put it mildly to the stain. Utilize the sudsy cloth to blot the stain until it disappears. Remember that velvet fabric should dry quickly to avoid further damage. 

Leather: The leather surface must be dusted first before cleaning. Use a cleaning solution that is equal parts vinegar and water wipe down the leather with a damp, rag, and not wet. Then use a new cloth to dry it. 

Fabric: When it comes to this type of material, the first thing you should do is to vacuum the fabric to remove all the dirt and dust. Check the care label to identify what type of cleaning agents can be used. Always start with a gentle cleanser if you can.