We know that you love your carefully chosen furniture and precious family heirlooms, including your couches and tables. We also know that keeping your pieces in pristine condition while enjoying them can be challenging. Within living spaces, spills, stains and smells are unavoidable — especially if you share couches with kids and pets.
Catching a drip or spill early enough is vital, often allowing for an easier fix. What should you do if the drip, spill, leak or sticky print on your couch becomes a stain? Here are some proven furniture cleaning tips and tricks to help keep your furniture looking clean and new.
Leather Furniture
Your leather couch is likely among your most robust items in terms of material, as many types of leather come pretreated to protect against inevitable accidents. However, should your items become stained, here are some ideas for cleaning your leather pieces.
Before cleaning your couch or leather ottoman with an unknown substance, check the label on your leather furniture. The materials may be sensitive to the ingredients in certain cleansers, and suede may require different approaches than polished leather, for example.
Before cleaning leather couches, make sure that you’ve removed any surface debris through vacuuming the couch, including under the cushions and inside any nooks, using your nozzle and brush attachment. Once you’ve vacuumed, you can wipe your furniture gently with distilled water, a mild, non-detergent liquid soap or a leather-specific cleansing product along with a soft, clean cloth.
Don’t forget to add a leather conditioner to brighten and protect the material in the future.
Upholstered Furniture
Due to the absorbency of cloth and demands on couches — plus dining room, occasional, loveseats and other fabric furniture chairs in the lounge, bedroom and other living areas — your upholstery can end up covered in fur and dirt, dark and discolored patches, and stains — and smelling less than fresh.
As you do with spills or drips on your couch or chairs, address these stains immediately. Blot with a cloth to absorb as much liquid as possible to prevent soaking into your fabric. Avoid rubbing or using a wet cloth at this stage, as scrubbing can make the stain worse.
To prepare the upholstery and remove any loose dirt, dust, fur or other dry matter, thoroughly vacuum the item, remembering to target under the cushions and inside folds and crevices. Once you’ve vacuumed your furniture, the next step is to cleanse. We recommended using fabric-specific soap, as different types of fabric may require unique treatments. Choose cleansers with natural ingredients that are safe for you, your children and household pets.
Finally, allow air to circulate to dry the fabric and aerate the room. To keep your cloth couch furniture looking spruce, consider spraying the fabric with a protector after cleaning.
Take care of spills immediately, vacuum at least once per week and deep clean twice per year. Protecting and cleaning your fabric couches will keep your home hygienic and looking and smelling fresh, and it will help your upholstery last longer.
Wooden Furniture
Wood furniture pieces, such as coffee, kitchen and dining room tables, are often among your most hard-working household items. While some manufacturers may have treated wood to withstand daily use, many items do require preservation and protection.
First, remove any dried food or other stuck-on debris, and dust your furniture thoroughly. You can even moisten your dust cloth with water or mineral spirits to lift dry dirt away. Next, consider cleaning using a mixture of one cup of distilled water and three tablespoons of vinegar.
For hard-to-remove watermarks, mix equal parts white vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Using a clean, soft cloth, gently rub the combination into the wood, wiping with the grain, then wipe off any residue with another soft, clean cloth.
Finally, to leave your clean wood furniture shining, combine one cup of virgin olive oil and half a cup of fresh lemon juice. Using a clean microfiber cloth, polish your wood in circular motions. By using small amounts at a time and rubbing in thoroughly, you can avoid polish build-up. Taking good care of your wood furniture will help your pieces last.
Glass Furniture
Glass dining or coffee tabletops and bedroom accent pieces are standout items for adding elegance and impact to your home. Protecting them from knocks and cracks is crucial, and so is keeping their shiny and transparent surfaces free from fingerprints, grease and dust.
After clearing the space, use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe away sticky residue and dry debris and dust. Next, spray your glass tabletop with warm water and wipe with a soft, clean cloth. Continue to wipe until your glass is sparkling clean.
We find that plain newspaper crumpled into a ball is ideal for drying and removing any fluff that escapes from your cleaning cloths. Should you encounter any stubborn sticky spots, try adding a little vinegar to your spray or directly to the area.
Marble Furniture
Although it is stone, marble is softer and more porous than you may think. As a result, it is vulnerable to corrosion from acid in harsh cleaning products, citrus juice and wine, and it can stain through your use of everyday items such as curry powder and coffee.
Look for pH-neutral products to avoid damage from acidic formulations, follow the directions for use exactly, and conduct a test on a small section first. Consider using natural items from the kitchen, such as baking soda, cornstarch or chalk.
Always remember to dry your marble with a soft cloth immediately after cleaning, as the calcium in hard water can leave a water stain. If you find that your marble has collected some water stains, remove them using a mix of one part white vinegar and three parts water, plus a teaspoon of mild dishwashing liquid. Spray onto the marks and rub, repeating the process until the vinegar breaks down the calcium, leaving your marble streak-free.
Find New Furniture for Your Home at Home Zone Furniture
Protect couches, tables and other furniture through considerate usage, regular vacuuming and careful cleaning to prolong the longevity of your pieces. If you’re shopping for new furniture items for your living room, bedroom, dining room or kitchen, consider Home Zone’s range of durable, affordable and stylish leather, wood, upholstered and glass furniture.
Browse our collection and place your order online today, or visit one of our conveniently located stores, and contact us for more information.
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