| You've bought your first furniture set and | | | | your additional information, with the |
| now you need to take care of it. A beautiful | | | | relevant explanation of each. |
| piece of furniture will add definition to any | | | | |
| home and lighten up the place, but it also | | | | W - Vacuuming and light dusting are |
| needs to be cleaned and taken care of | | | | recommended. Remember to use only water-based |
| properly, otherwise you will have a dingy, | | | | cleaners or foam from mild detergents. |
| tattered piece of furniture squatting in the | | | | |
| middle of your living room before you know | | | | S - You can also vacuum or dust lightly. Use |
| it. | | | | water-free cleaning solvents or dry-cleaning |
| | | | solutions for spot cleaning. Avoid using |
| Basically, you just have to remember two | | | | products with carbon tetrachloride. Use a |
| general rules for cleaning upholstery. Loose | | | | soft cloth and clean the upholstery in a |
| dirt and stains are the two most common | | | | well-ventilated area. |
| culprits in dirtying your furniture, so | | | | |
| learning how to deal with them will save you | | | | WS - This is quite easy, since you can |
| a lot of time and money later in the future. | | | | practically use any of the recommended |
| Cleaning up loose dirt can easily be done by | | | | methods above. When using a solvent or |
| vacuuming or just brushing away the dirt. | | | | dry-cleaning product, be sure to do it in a |
| Remember to do this as soon as possible, | | | | well-ventilated area. Avoid products with |
| though, before the dirt gets embedded in the | | | | carbon tetrachloride. |
| fabric. Stains and spills can be dealt with | | | | |
| by using a dry cloth to wipe them away and | | | | X - You must only clean your furniture by |
| soak up the liquid. | | | | vacuuming or light dusting. Avoid using |
| | | | liquid cleaning agents of any kind. Using |
| But the best way to learn about proper | | | | water-based cleaners or solvents may cause |
| cleaning of upholstery, however, is to first | | | | shrinking and/or damage the upholstery. |
| learn the cleaning codes. Each and every | | | | |
| fabric has its own specialized cleaning | | | | Use the arm rest and headrest covers for your |
| method, so you have to know what they are. | | | | furniture if you have them. They can prevent |
| There should be cleaning codes in one of the | | | | body oils and other dirt from soiling your |
| tags attached to your furniture, so try to | | | | furniture. Flip over any removable cushions |
| look for them. If there are no codes, you can | | | | you have once a month to even out any wear |
| always try spot-cleaning an inconspicuous | | | | and tear. It would be nice if you could give |
| area of the furniture first, to test for | | | | your furniture a thorough cleaning at least |
| compatibility. There are four cleaning codes | | | | every two to three months, to keep them |
| that are currently used by upholstery | | | | looking fresh and clean. |
| manufacturers. I have included them here for | | | | |