Have you noticed how much time you spend with your furniture? From waking up against your bed’s headboard to eating at the dinner table or even just relaxing on the couch – your furniture is always there supporting you. The very least you can do to show you care is by giving your furnishings a good cleaning from time to time so that their true selves can shine.
Giving your furniture a proper wipedown can add years of life to your items, but it’s also important for sanitary reasons as well. While COVID-19 still runs wild, we should be doing everything we can to prevent the virus from spreading, which means giving the places you touch a thorough scrub with the right cleaning solutions.
And because not all furniture pieces are created equally, we’re going over the proper ways to clean wood furniture, seating materials, and all the outside furniture that needs help getting ready for fall. Let’s start the autumn season off right!
How to Clean Wood Furniture
Wood furniture has the power to really spruce up any home, apartment, or office. It can make a simple space go from plain to luxurious in an instant. But if that wood isn’t taken care of properly, it can make that room start to look old, weathered, and potentially cheap. So, if you’re wondering how to clean wood furniture and keep it looking good, the answer is simple and comes down to three steps: dusting, washing, and polishing.
Start off by taking a feather duster, microfiber cloth, or other item that you would use for dusting and wipe away all the dust you see. Be sure to really get into those detailed carvings if there are any ingrained in the wood.
Once you don’t see any more loose dust or dirt, move onto washing your wood furniture with a dab of dish soap and hot water. You don’t need much, just enough to clean and get rid of any grime that has built up. Be sure to really dry off the furniture piece after you’ve washed it because wood will absorb moisture and warp overtime.
Finally, it’s time to polish and give the wood that luster it’s been lacking! You can easily purchase a simple wood polish from the store such as this one , but if you want to make an all-natural polish, using 1 cup olive oil mix with ¼ cup white vinegar will do the trick! The oil will hydrate while the vinegar sanitizes. Dab it on a wash cloth and rub it into the wood so that the color of the wood really stands out like it used to. And voila! You now know how to clean wood furniture!
It's important to note that polish is best used on solid wood products with lacquer and varnish finishes. But, if you aren't sure whether your furniture pieces fit that description, starting with a damp rag and a little elbow grease will do the trick. The important thing is to just not let any residue build up.
How to Clean Fabric Couches and Chairs
When it comes cleaning fabric, it’s important to always start by looking at the manufacturer’s instructions before attempting to remove stains or wash the whole thing with a liquid. Once you find the cleaning tag and see that you can use water, there are a few steps to get those cushions looking fresh once again: vacuum, spray cleaning solution, and wipe up.
Start off by vacuuming to get up as much junk, hair, dirt, and missing bobby pins as possible. Then, you’ll spray a cleaning solution mixture of ¼ cup vinegar, ¾ cup water, a couple drops of your favorite essential oil, and 1 tablespoon of dish soap all over your couch. Take a wet washcloth to scrub the cleaning solution into your couch. Rewet your washcloth to wipe the solution off as best as possible and then let it dry. We suggest pushing your couch or chair close to a window in the meantime to help it airdry a bit quicker.
How to Clean Patio Furniture
Now that the temperature is cooling down and the weather is changing, it’s a good idea to get your patio furniture cleaned and protected for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Most patio furniture is made to be waterproof and can handle different climates, so using a water sprayer or a hose on patio seating and tables shouldn’t cause a problem – but do make sure to be gentle when hosing with water! If there are any spots that could use a more detailed hand cleaning, create a concoction of ¼ cup white vinegar and 1 quart of warm water to scrub on any stains or extra dirty spots.
Once your job is done, let the area air dry and when you’re ready to stay indoors for most of the season, we recommend investing in a patio covering for each individual piece of furniture to keep it safe from the elements over the next months of rain or snow.
When your furniture looks dull, so does your home. At Big Sandy Superstore, we want to make sure you have the help you need to bring your furniture back to life so that your home can inspire you. But if it’s looking to be a little too late for some of your furniture pieces, we have you covered there, too! Check out our catalog of furnishings today to find the right piece for your home. And if you need any assistance, be sure to give us a call and one of our experts will be there to answer any questions you might have!