Another area that people are afraid of investing in while they have young children or pets is new furniture. In recent years, furniture and fabric manufacturers have made enormous strides in creating products that stand up to all of the wear and tear of daily life. Fabrics have stain resistant treatments built in and tables are available with catalyzed finishes to ward off scratching. However, we know that stains , scratches, and life do happen so here are some pointers on how to keep your furniture looking flawless!
Wood Furniture
We all love a beautiful piece of wood furniture. We all hate it when our guests/kids leave a cold glass of water sitting on it and all of a sudden that gorgeous cocktail table has an unsightly white ring marring the finish. But all is not lost! Those white rings are pretty easy to get rid of. Lay a dry towel on the stain and run it over with a dry iron set to low (no steam!) and poof! No white ring! This method also works for minor nail polish remover spills (personal testimony from Team LFID!). Of course, we recommend you test it out on a small, inconspicuous spot as not all finishes are equal.
For other types of stains a baking soda & lemon juice paste will take out most dye stains, dish detergent helps with food & nail polish, and rubbing alcohol tackles permanent marker. Your wood furniture will live to see another day and another spill with just these basic household ingredients!
Alternatively, you could embrace the reclaimed look that is so in right now and select pieces that already exude that lived in vibe so that if your kid drops their toy and dents the wood it becomes part of the character!
Upholstered Furniture
The first step to cleaning your upholstered furniture is simply going over the area with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum. This pull up any loose bits and open up the fibers to make stain removal easier. Then, check the tag on your upholstery to find the cleaning code.
WS: Use a mild detergent with a steam vacuum or a dry-cleaning detergent
S: Dry cleaner detergent only
X: Only vacuum, do not use water
W: Water can be used
Once you know the cleaning code evaluate the best way to attack the stain. Always do a spot test first on a hidden area before going after the full stain. If you can use water on the fabric then start out with a steamer. At the very least this will loosen up the stain and make it more responsive to other cleaners.
Then mix up a solution of 1/4 cup vinegar, 3/4 warm water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Put it in a spray bottle and mist the stain until its saturated. Scrub gently with a dry towel and rinse with a towel dipped in clean water. Sop up excess water with a third dry towel and then let it air dry. Stain is gone!
For more detailed info on removing upholstery stains we recommend checking out this article on Apartment Therapy. It is wonderfully comprehensive!
Leather Upholstery
So many people are afraid of leather upholstery but in actuality it is wonderfully easy to clean. Simply mix 1/2 cup of olive oil with 1/4 cup of vinegar, put it in a spray bottle, spritz it on the stain, buff it with a dry cloth, and let it air dry. It's an all natural, quick, and painless route to flawless leather furniture. Again though, please always do a spot test first!
We hope that these posts have helped you to see that even if you have a messy life, you can still have a beautiful home. Your home should work with your life but it should also bring you joy. Embrace the mess, figure out how to deal with it, and live beautifully!
Stop by next week for your Fox Finds specials to help you keep your furniture looking like new!
Stay Foxy!
Xoxo
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