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beech, Bronze, care, caring, Charleston, cherry, chili, cleaning, cream, exterior, furniture, living, living set, maintenance, mocha, outdoor, room, Santa Barbara, sesame, set, spring, spring cleaning, upholstery, wood
As the season shifts into blossoming springtime, most of us feel the all-too-familiar itch to tidy up our homes and design spaces after spending many months mostly indoors. Showers in April do bring flowers in May, but rain can also wreak havoc on your outdoor furniture; however, most quality exterior furnishings will stand up to the storms if properly cleaned and maintained. Today we offer some tips for upcoming indoor and outdoor spring-cleaning projects.
Caring for Wood Furniture
Weather and season have different effects on furniture because wood expands along the width of the grain in accord with its environment. Details like finish and wood quality determine how to care for and maintain your furnishings. Wooden furniture reacts to the air surrounding it, so the wood takes in or gives off moisture. Consider humidity when leaving furniture in storage.
Finish is the top and final coat that protects from common wear and tear; a finish gives wood furniture its color and luster. Despite finish, wax, and other protective measures, normal wear and tear happens—many basic warranties last one year for this very reason. Also surface scratches are unavoidable in time. Dry-dusting scratches furniture, so avoid feather dusters! Dust, dirty cloths, and some fabrics cause scratching. Water is also a natural enemy to fine furniture. It penetrates the finish and raises the grain. Use a quality furniture cleaner instead.
Antiqued Cream/Cherry Solid Beech Traditional Living Room Set
Antiqued Cream/Gold Solid Beech Wood Traditional Living Room Set
Caring for Upholstery
Regular maintenance can save you large amounts of time, money, and resources. Don’t be fooled by the flashy ads: with some know-how, you can clean most of your own upholstered furnishings. Determine what type of cleaning it needs: dry cleaning requires solvent-based mixes; wet cleaning requires water-based solutions. Most upholstered pieces have a list of care instructions stitched into the cushions or fabric.
For some wet cleaning projects, steam cleaners (hot water extraction) are ideal; for other projects, shampoo furnishings by hand with elbow grease—terrycloth towels work well. Look for products made for cleaning furniture by hand. Know the upholstery code: it is important because certain fabrics will be forever ruined if cleaned with the wrong solution. Look for the code on the upholstery tag. Always exercise caution when cleaning fabric if the upholstery code is unknown, and test a small patch of the upholstery with any new type of cleaner or solution.
Caring for Outdoor Furniture
Always start by removing surface dirt with a cloth or soft brush. Pollutants and soot build up on outdoor surfaces. Remember that most soap contains detergents that are harmful to furniture especially wood. If using oil cleaners, let water completely dry before application. Teak furniture, for example, is resilient outdoors, but needs an occasional application of oil. Mold and mildew builds up on upholstered patio furniture. Unattended stains become permanent in time.