Furniture Cleaning – as Simple as a Trip to the Supermarket

Furniture cleaning can be frustrating at times, especially when it seems like nothing works. In the midst of the aggravation, a person may ask themselves, “How can I…?” “What will work?” and “Where do I look?” All of these questions have simple answers and some of the answers have rather surprising solutions. Some of the solutions are already sitting in the kitchens of households all over the world and others are as simple as a trip to the supermarket.

Common Questions Asked and Answered

Q. How often should furniture be cleaned?
A. Furniture should be cleaned every year, but no later than a year and a half should exist between cleanings. However, each home is lived in differently, which can be a better indicator as to how often furniture should be cleaned. If the furniture begins to look dull, then that is a good sign that it is time for a cleaning. Waiting too long between cleanings can actually cause damage to the material.

Q. How can water rings be removed from wood furniture?
A. An oil-based furniture polish is a great way to remove set-in water rings from wood furniture. Even mayonnaise may do the job if left overnight then wiped off with a soft cloth the next day.

Q. What steps need to be taken before cleaning?
A. Remove any breakables that may be sitting near the furniture that is to be cleaned. Also, if there is anything sitting on top of the furniture, it needs to be removed to ensure proper cleaning. In the case of sofas and chairs, remove any pillows and also remove the cushions. However, don’t remove coverings from cushions. Vacuum them, beat them, do whatever needs to be done, but don’t remove the covers. Even though they have zippers, that doesn’t mean they are meant to be removed. The final task when cleaning sofas and chairs is to vacuum them out to get rid of any loose dirt and particles.

Q. How can a smoke smell be removed from wood dresser drawers?
A. First, rub the entire wood surface with denatured alcohol. If that doesn’t work, apply a coat of shellac to the interior of all of the woodwork as well as the inside and outside of the drawers other than the face. What the shellac does is seal in the odor so that it will not emit from the dresser at all.

Tips That can Make Furniture Cleaning Easier

• Rubbing vinegar on the surface prior to polishing will make wood furniture shine.
• When removing water stains from leather upholstery. Wet the entire area with a sponge and room temperature water to a seam in the furniture. Wet it less and less while working away from the stain. After wetting, treat with a conditioner.
• When removing sweat stains from upholstery, using a clean white cloth and white vinegar to work from the outside of the stain to the inside, followed by using the suds of a quart of warm water with ½ teaspoon of dishwashing liquid should do the job.

There are many different and very easy methods that can be used to eliminate stains in furniture and make it look nice again. Of course there are the shampoos that can be purchased at the supermarket, but something as simple as room temperature water and ½ teaspoon of dishwashing liquid can do so much for big jobs.