Today a home is not a place; it is a feeling. Modern homes are more than mere accommodations in today’s age. Modern homes and its furnishings are more of a style statement to the society at large.
It is indicative of our perceptions and reflective of our status. Beautiful home with modern amenities and furniture is a status symbol for the dweller. But, does merely occupying a premise qualify as a home? Can mere buying of furniture elevate your status?
The answer is – No! It takes more than a swipe of the credit card to keep your home in prime condition. It needs a critique’s eye for detail and immense perseverance to maintain and upkeep the furniture to preserve the look.
Gone are the times when homes would be an abode. Today, homes are your identity, and a crucial part of that identity is the furniture. Regardless of what the popular opinion says, carefully preserved and maintained furniture illuminates even the darkest of corners.
Contrary to the convention, home furniture is not just a one-off investment. It is a choice based on a lot of thematic considerations. Therefore, it should not only be curated but also carefully preserved.
With the help of the following tips and trends, you will be able to easily meet the tedious demands of maintenance and upkeep of your furniture.
1. Your Greatest Enemy – Dust!
Before you begin your struggle, know who your arch-enemy is – Dust! Dust is perhaps the easiest to clean but often the most neglected aspect of furniture maintenance. All it takes is a lint-free cloth and some spare time.
Dust accumulates in corners and is evidence of negligence. It is also one of the first factors that meet the eye of visitors. Interestingly, the problem and the solution are both called dusting. This means the problem manifests as the first solution for regular upkeep.
2. Daily Cleanse
Daily cleansing with merely soap and water is enough to take care of your furniture and enough to strike a good first impression. However, the type of wood used in your furniture also is an important consideration. A coarse brush for your sofa covers and a damp cloth to wipe the wood is all it takes.
Occasionally you can also use cleaning agents and soap base soluble. Daily thorough cleaning of your furniture is imperative to preserve the life of the furniture. Merely rubbing with the help of a damp cloth and soap water solution is not enough.
A thorough cleansing also means wiping the surface with a dry washcloth afterward. A caveat in such cases is to avoid ammonia-based cleaners for cleaning wooden furniture. This is because ammonia damages the wood.
3. Steam Ahead!
Pieces of Furniture are hardest to clean on the underside and corners. What most people do is vacuum cleaning. While it reduces the dirt from the sofa completely, a vacuum cleaner is just an efficient duster.
For best results, you must also consider steaming the fabric of your settee and sofas. For other furniture pieces such as side tables and shelves, do not use a steam roller. Use a steam cleaner instead, for effective results.
A steam cleaner with a soap base can penetrate even the toughest corners and cracks and can clean out the dirt from there.
4. Do Not Just Clean – Polish too!
Like most other things, the lustre is the evidence of well-maintained furniture. Despite multiple cleaning processes daily, furniture, especially old ones, tend to lose their shine over time.
With a weekly polish coat on the wooden surface, the furniture appears as good as new. Furniture polish or wax also has another important function. It helps to repel dust and termites or any other pest from causing damage to the wood. This is instrumental in elongating the durability and life of the furniture.
5. Keep the Sunlight Away
Another very important aspect regarding preserving the strength and integrity of the furniture is to keep it away from direct exposure to sunlight. This is because sunlight can dry out the furniture, and this causes the faded wood to surface.
This does not look aesthetically pleasing on the furniture, which gives off the image of being worn out. The overexposure to sunlight causes the furniture finishes to melt away. This leads to the development of certain cracks in the furniture, which are hard to repair later.
Conclusion
Ultimately, despite all your efforts, there is still a probability of accidents resulting in scratching or gouging your furniture. In times like these, it is very important to call upon professional help who have the necessary skill and expertise to easily remedy all your problems.
