Building a new home is not complete without the thrill of shopping for new furniture pieces that will polish the overall look of the different parts of your house. These often include the coffee table set you will put in your outdoor breakfast nook or the recliner you intend to install by the pool, both of which are aside from the conventional cushion and couch sets in your living room and other indoor areas. While it can be really overwhelming to pick all these items according to your personal predilection, appearance and cost should not be the only things in mind. The common tendency of many, especially first-timers, is to pick whatever looks nice to them, unknowingly putting durability in the back burner.
It is highly recommended for furniture buyers to choose something that is not only pleasant to the eyes and to the pocket but is also sure to last long. This will help people save a lot of money while enjoying the comfort and convenience that sturdy furniture can provide.
However, regardless of how well you care for or how durable a piece of furniture is, it can’t be bullet-proof. There are a number of factors and conditions that can contribute to the gradual damage of your properties. Your best bet as the owner is to slow down the progression of damage by caring for it according to the type of furniture it belongs in.
Outdoor Furniture
As mentioned earlier, putting furniture in one’s backyard or patio is inevitable in any household. Of course, this is where many of the R and R’s are spent, so naturally we need something to lounge on during such times. The furniture we put outdoors are much more vulnerable to damage since unlike the indoor furnishings, they are more exposed to external factors such as sunlight, rain, humidity, and snow. Hence, it is important to take heed of the following tips when caring for your outdoor furniture:
- Periodically remove your furniture from direct contact with moist soil. Allowing them to be in contact for long periods will cause damage sooner than expected.
- Make sure that you use durable outdoor covers for furniture especially when the temperatures are extreme such as in winter or summer.
- See to it that you don’t allow wooden furniture to submerge in water.
Meanwhile, here are tips to specifically care for indoor furniture made from different materials:
Leather Furniture
A lot of homeowners are fond of putting furnishings in their home that are made of leather. Sure enough, leather furniture are good to look at in almost any home style or fashion. They are also easy to maintain. To keep your leather furniture in mint condition, these are the measures that you should follow:
- Immediately wipe off any spill on your furniture. Taking too long until you clean them will leave stains that are difficult to remove.
- Regularly clean Aniline leather with a soft cloth and soft-brushed vacuum. Make use of an effective leather cleaning agent to prolong the durability of your leather furniture.
Fabric Furniture
Furniture made from fabric give the room a homey and laid-back look. There are a lot of specified ways to clean certain types of fabric, but the best and safest way to go about it is to check the furniture company’s care tips and suggestions. Usually, they do this by making use of cleaning codes like S, W, WS, and X.
Wooden Furniture
Wood furnishings are ideal for homes that are styled with a classic look. Caring for wood can be easy, but is at the same time crucial, since they can be vulnerable to pest infestation. Make sure that your wood furniture is frequently dusted using a feather duster or a soft cloth. Either of these two will keep dust and other fine particles off your furniture. Also remember never to apply spray chemicals on your wooden furniture unless it is lined with a protective material.
In cleaning and maintaining your furniture, you have a lot of options to take. There are now a number of commercially prepared waxes, oils, and cleaners that you can use in conjunction with the simple cleaning materials and tools that you now have at home. Make sure that you choose the right brand and type of agent for the material your chairs or tables are made of. You want to see to it that your efforts in enhancing the longevity of the furniture in your home will not backfire, so be keen about reading the care manual provided by the manufacturer. That way, you will find that you will be getting the right value for such an important investment as your home furniture.
Cedric Loiselle is a passionate writer who enjoys imparting useful information about a variety of niches including home improvement as well as medicine and health. In this connection, he has extensive knowledge about different ways to care for home furnishings, such as through the use of durable outdoor covers, and many others.