Upholstry and wood make up a large portion of most people's furniture.
Furniture cleaning is a process that must be done year-round. Dirty furniture can ruin the appearance of any room. While there are thousands of options for cleaning every type of furniture, there are some specific types of products that work better at cleaning furniture than others. These products work well at cleaning wood, leather and fabric furniture. Does this Spark an idea?
Wood Soap
Wood soap is one of the best products to use on wood for effective cleaning. Wood soap will clean away dirt, dust, oil and spills from the surface of any wood. One problem with wood soap is that it can strip away shine from the finish of wood, so it will need to be followed with a polishing spray or something else to brighten the finish on the wood. Wood soap is mixed in with water and applied to the wood with a soft cloth. Do not use wood soap on bare, unfinished wood, as this can cause the wood to dry out and eventually crack.
Oil Cleansers
Oil cleansers are also an excellent product to use on wood. They work best on wood that has a natural finish (such as tung oil) or that are unfinished. If you use oil cleansers on finished wood, the oil will sit on top of the surface of the wood and will never soak into the wood. For finished wood, the oil cleanser can be used on the unfinished sides and bottom of the wood, but it will not effectively clean a finished surface. However, oil cleansers are still effective at removing dirt and other contaminants from wood or wood finishes. Oil cleansers are applied with a soft cloth and rubbed into the surface of the wood.
Wood Polish
A wood polish is a great way to make wood furniture shine. If the wood is very dirty, the polish is best used as a second coat. Wood polish is capable of adding shine to the wood and also adds a protective surface that helps repel dirt and even some minor scratches. With some polishes, build-up can be a problem, so it is important to wash the wood with another cleaning method periodically.
Leather Conditioner
Leather conditioner is the best way to clean leather furniture. This cleaning method will only work on genuine leather. If you have a synthetic leather furniture piece in your house, it should be cleaned with soap and water. Leather conditioner typically comes in oil form and is applied with a soft cloth. The conditioner eliminates dirt and oil from the furniture and also adds a barrier to the surface, making it more resistant to future contaminants.
Fabric Cleaner
Fabric cleaner is the best cleaner to use on upholstery. You might think that steam-cleaning your fabric furniture is a good idea, but the water and steam in the machine can actually damage the furniture and cause fabric to shrink. Fabric cleaners can be found at most home supply stores and are sprayed onto the cloth and wiped off with a clean cloth. Always use a non-acidic cleaner, as acids can cause the colors in the fabric to bleed or fade. For small areas, baby wipes can be rubbed over the fabric, effectively cleaning the surface.
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