So you ve just moved into your first house or apartment and you re ready to furnish your living room. It s important that you get the right furniture for you and learn how to take care of it properly.
At the minimum, your living room should contain a sofa and a couple of chairs for your guests to sit on. These pieces of furniture can be made out of various types of material. Consider who will be living or visiting the house, including pets, when deciding what type of furniture to buy. For example, if you have a cat, leather or other expensive furniture may be a bad idea, especially if the cat refuses to use a scratching post!
The furniture should not only look nice and meet your needs, but also be easy to clean. If you do not take proper care of your furniture, the fabric will soon wear out and your sofa or chairs will look like they are ready for the junkyard.
Even if you are into antiques, this is not a desirable look for your living room. Fortunately, most pieces of living room furniture are easy to maintain if you take care of them regularly.
When cleaning furniture, your best friend is your vacuum cleaner. You should vacuum sofas and other large items at least once a week. Don t be too quick about this task; make sure you move cushions and vacuum underneath. You should also vacuum crevices or other areas where dirt can be hidden.
It is neither necessary nor desirable to steam clean your furniture. Steam cleaning can actually damage upholstered furniture. Although the fabric may appear dry after steaming is complete, it can actually take up to 5 days for it to free itself of all moisture. During that time, the moisture seeps deep into the upholstery, bringing mold, mildew and dirt with it. In addition, steam cleaning can remove protective layers from upholstery, leaving your furniture more prone to future damage.
You should also stay away from chemical cleansers. These cleansers, which claim to clean furniture, do little good other than making it smell better. The chemicals in them are not good for upholstery; like steam, they can strip the fabric of protection against dirt and debris. In addition, many chemicals actually provide a breeding ground for dirt. In short, chemical cleansers leave you with worn out furniture, something you neither need nor want.
In addition to your regular cleaning routine, you need to know how to deal with accidents. If you eat near the furniture or have small children in your home, chances are something will spill on your sofa. When this happens, it s important to act fast. Get a paper towel or white cloth to absorb liquid. Always blot at the stain (never rub it into the fabric), and make sure you begin on the outside edge to stop it from spreading. Finally, use soap and distilled water to wipe up liquid stains, and scrape off solid stains with a dull knife.
Author Resource:
Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer.
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