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Maintaining your furniture |
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Home furnishing is a big expense and you would want it to last as long as possible. Here are some tips to minimise the amount of wear and tear to your furniture and keep them in a pristine condition as best as you can.
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Fabric Upholstery
It is ideal that you remove your upholstery regularly for wash. However, if you have upholstery that is not removable, brush it regularly and rearrange the loose cushions to remove grit that can cause abrasion. If you have light-coloured upholstery, be careful of other dyes, perhaps from throws and denim that can transfer onto the fabric. You should also keep your pets off the your upholstery as pet urine and body oils are very difficult to remove. Try to keep your furniture away from direct sunlight as this can cause fibre degeneration and colour fade. DO NOT pull at snags or loose threads; instead sew them back into the fabric with a needle and thread.
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Leather
Expensive, classy yet durable, leather has always been a very popular choice of furnishing over the years. With proper maintenance, your leather furniture can last decades, and maybe even become a family heirloom in time to come.
Heat can destroy the quality of leather, so place your furniture at least 2 feet away from heat sources. Avoid any contact with sharp objects as these could cause damage to your leather upholstery. Cigarette smoke and cooking fumes can cause leather to fade or change in colour, so keep your furniture away from these pollutants. For regular cleaning, just dust your furniture with a piece of cloth. It is recommended that you clean it twice a year with leather cleaner and treat it after with some leather protector to retain its softness and suppleness.
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Wood
Wood furnishing is classic and long lasting, and with a little tender loving care, it can probably go a long way. To maintain its shine and colour, polish along the grain of the wood once a month using a lint-free absorbent cloth. Remember to use a wood cleaner to remove dirt and old wax before you put on a new polish. Avoid using wax and silicone polishes - wax can attract the build-up of dirt, and silicone can seep into the wood.
As with most furniture, wood fades in direct sunlight so keep your furniture in shaded positions. Termites are the biggest enemies of your wood furniture, so check regularly for small holes in wood, crumbling wall, sagging doors or floors, insect wings, and small mud tubes.
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