Spring cleaning isn’t just about giving your home a quick clean in the spring. It means freshening up those pieces of furniture that are often neglected. Sofas, bed frames, armchairs, dining chairs and tables, are items we tend to use daily, but, let’s be honest, they’re something we rarely wipe down. In this EZ Living Furniture blog, we’ll enlighten you with tips on how to clean and maintain common materials found in a home. From velvet to wood, leather to suede, we’ll explore them all and help you to spring-clean your furniture the “EZ” way.

Lucius Green Velvet Armchair at EZ Living Furniture.

Velvet Cleaning

If we could have everything covered in velvet in our homes, including our walls, we probably would. This luxurious fabric not only looks beautiful but can also add texture to a space. Contrary to popular belief, it is actually one of the easiest materials to clean too! Velvet is prone to gathering dust, so over time, you might notice a layer settling on your velvet pieces. Start by gently hoovering your item using the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner and finish by wiping it down with a microfibre cloth. Voila, your velvet has been revitalised!

Genoa Tan Leather RHF Corner Chaise at EZ Living Furniture.

Real Leather Cleaning

Real leather or genuine leather is a little harder to maintain over time, we won’t lie, but it’s worth all the effort because it will last you a lifetime. For instance, there are quite a few preventative measures when it comes to leather i.e. keeping it away from sunlight and heat sources to stop it from drying out. Still, all you really need to do regularly to clean it and keep it moisturised is to use leather cleaning wipes. These multi-purpose wipes will clean your leather and also add a protective layer to it. Similarly, a leather cleaning kit will come equipped with the items needed to carry out the same tasks as leather cleaning wipes.

Small Taupe Faux Suede Reclining Corner Sofa at EZ Living Furniture.

Faux Suede Cleaning

You’ll be delighted to know that if you own a faux suede sofa, armchair, or dining chair, there is no regular cleaning required. Yes, that’s right, faux suede furniture is virtually maintenance-free. Why? Well, it’s made from a synthetic microfibre material that has tiny polyester fibres that are woven together to make a tight fabric. Microfibre is liquid repellent, so you won’t have to worry about spills, luckily dust doesn’t tend to be attracted to faux suede either. If dust does appear on your faux suede, just like velvet, all you need to grab is your hoover with its brush attachment.

Lorenzo Faux Leather Dining Chair at EZ Living Furniture.

Faux Leather Cleaning

You needn’t prioritise leather-specific cleaning products for faux leather because as its name tells us, it’s not real leather. Instead, it should be cleaned with some warm water with washing up liquid. It’s important that you use a non-abrasive cloth and wring it out so that it’s not dripping wet when wiping over items. Once cleaned, you should follow up by drying it with a soft cloth i.e. microfibre. This will stop everyday marks from building up and making your faux leather surface look grubby.

Ellipse Oval Rustic Oak Dining Table at EZ Living Furniture.

Wood Cleaning

Wood isn’t the easiest to maintain. Different woods require different treatment methods and then there’s the sanding that comes along with that, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Here, we’re giving you tips on how best to clean it and thankfully that’s easier than any of the techniques hinted at above. To remove dust from any wooden item of furniture, all you need to do is use a barely damp lint-free cloth and wipe over it. The small amount of water in the cloth will help to prevent dust from spreading around the room. If dust is left to sit on your wooden table or chair, it can become abrasive, which is why it’s important to do this regularly. To clean up spills and sticky areas, you can use the same type of cloth and technique (barely damp). For wood, you mustn’t allow anything to soak into it. If left untreated, they can stain, so the sooner it's cleaned up, the better.

Now, if you are looking for advice on how best to maintain your wooden furniture, please refer to our Wood Care Guide here.

Hayley Oak Bed Frame at EZ Living Furniture.

Bonus Tips - Things You Are Most Likely To Forget To Do

  • Feather-filled sofa cushions and scatter cushions should be plumped regularly to maintain their shape.
  • Lampshades must be taken down, dusted and or wiped with a wet cloth.
  • Some cushion covers on scatter cushions and sofas are removable. Take these off and send them off to the dry cleaners. We don’t recommend washing these in your washing machine at home as this can lead to shrinkage. Have all of the covers dry-cleaned at the same time to avoid any colour differentiation in the fabrics.
  • Carpets and rugs can be cleaned using a carpet shampooer. To keep yours smelling fresh, this must be done at least twice a year. If you have pets, you should aim to complete this 3-4 times a year.

 

Effective spring cleaning involves a great deal of preparation, or at least it did until you discovered this essential spring-cleaning furniture guide. Follow the tips above to cut your prep time and get started on the real cleaning sooner!

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