Furniture Store DIY Cleaning : Leather Couches

How to Clean a Leather Couch

Waterbury CT Furniture Store Tips

Have you recently purchased a new leather couch from your local furniture store? Sure, it may provide an exceptional addition to your living room or home office, but when it comes to up-scale items like leather furniture, it’s important to remember one thing – proper maintenance. Nobody is disputing the fact that leather is a stunning and luxurious material. It’s simply imperative that you take the proper steps to preserve the material. So, why is it important that leather is regularly taken care of? Well, if you didn’t already know, leather is a durable and versatile material made primarily from cattle hide and other animal skins. Through a process called tanning, the rawhide is converted into what you see when you look at a leather item. Before being made into leather, however, the rawhide was taken care of by nature; it was naturally fed, cleaned and repaired daily. After the tanning and conversion process, these responsibilities are turned over to you, the owner of that new leather couch. Now that your couch has left the furniture store, the maintenance of the leather is your duty. It’s important that you know how to fulfill this requirement in order to preserve the life of your product.

Type of Leather

There are various types of leather, from top grained to aniline, which are coated in different ways; before you begin cleaning your leather, it’s essential that you know what type you are working with. Separate coatings will often require different levels of cleaning. Usually, tags or other written information should tell you which type of leather you’re working with. You can also return to the furniture store you bought your piece from and inquire there.

Cleaning Supplies

It is important to have the correct cleaning supplies for your leather couch. After determining the type of leather upholstery, you will know whether or not you need special cleaning products like saddle soap to do the job. Homemade cleaning solutions like vinegar and water are sometimes required as well. In general, it’s suggested you always keep soft cloths, water, a bucket, a rag and a vacuum on hand throughout the process.

Vacuum

First, prepare a smooth and clean slate before really taking care of the dirty work. Use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to rid the couch’s surface of any dust, grime or air-borne particles. If these particles come in contact with moisture or cleaning products, damage could be done to the surface of your leather couch.

Cleansing

Inspect your couch for stains. If there are any affected areas, apply a store-bought stain remover. Then, mix the appropriate cleaning solution or product with warm water. With a soft and damp cloth, start the application at the top of the couch and work your way down while rinsing the cloth when necessary. While drying, do not use forced air, as this may dehydrate the furniture; use a soft, clean cloth and wipe in circular motions. After the leather is dry, let it sit unused overnight.

Condition and Buffer

Conditioning your leather is necessary after cleaning the upholstery. Skip this crucial step, and your leather may crack and dry. There are some home-based remedies that are commonly used, but it is best to inquire with the manufacturer or furniture store as to which product to use. Apply the conditioner in circular motions and let it sit for an extended period of time or overnight. Now you can buff your couch with a clean rag and restore its shine. Cleaning a leather couch is simple when you have the right materials and perform the right steps in order – vacuum, clean, condition and buff. Clean it about once a month or after an event or gathering where it was extensively used. By properly maintaining your leather furniture, you can keep it looking as good as new for years to come.

Furniture Cleaning FAQ : Football and Chicken Wing Stains

How do I clean up chicken wing stains on my sofa?

The Super Bowl just passed a few weeks ago and the Olympics, NHL season, and March Madness are on their way. What does this mean? A lot of parties centered around the sofa, watching the television. And, for many people, this must be accompanied by pizza and chicken wings. The problem is, your couch might not be the color of chicken wing sauce – nor do you want it to be. But when the game gets rough, spills and mishaps occur. We want to give you some tips how to clean up those stains so that your furniture lasts longer in the color you intend it to be. To clean up chicken wing sauce, speed is of the essence. The red, spicy liquid can start staining pretty quickly and will affect most fabrics. For the best cleaning, you should have access to:

• paper towels
• a clean cloth
• a clean sponge
• liquid dish detergent
• white vinegar
• a bowl

Instructions:

1. First, lightly dab the stained area with a paper town to catch the excess wing sauce. Let the paper towel do most of the work as its capillaries will suck up the sauce from the fabric before it becomes permanent.
2. Second, combine about one tablespoon of dish detergent with two cups of water into a bowl. This will be your cleaning formula. If you think that the stain is worth it, you can also add white vinegar to the mixture for extra cleaning power.
3. Then, use your sponge or clean cloth and blot the cleaning mixture into the stain.
4. Next, use a dry cloth or sponge to dry the stained area. Again, you want to blot or pat the stain, not rub or scrub.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the stain is fully removed.
6. Rinse with cold water and dry in a timely fashion. Because your couch cushions might be fluffy and thick, set the cushion on its side or in the sunlight in order to dry it quickly. If wetness stays for too long, you might be problems in the future.

So, there you have it – a quick and easy process to clean a chicken wing stain. This might not work in every case – it will depend on your fabric, how long it takes, and the kind of wing sauce. But, it may just help you out when you’re in a pinch. Do you have a question about how to clean or maintain your furniture? Contact us at Spector Furniture and we’ll try and answer it for you here! Email us, visit us on Google +, or stop into the store – we’ll be glad to see you!

How to Clean and Protect Your Upholstered Furniture

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e all want to keep our furniture looking new and beautiful for as long as possible.  There are ways to do this that don’t involve plastic covers or making the new sofa, loveseat, or chair off limits to the kids.  No matter how careful we are, there are going to be accidents and a little knowledge can help to make sure that a spill is a minor incident, rather than a major catastrophe.

 

First, learn a little bit about your fabric.  When you purchase your furniture, ask the sales person about it.  Upholstery fabrics have cleaning codes and those codes will help you to know the best way to clean your furniture.  No one code is better or more desirable than the others; they just tell us the best way to preserve the appearance of the fabric.  The four codes are: W, S, WS, and X.

Always make sure to spot test in a small unseen area before cleaning!

The W code stands for water cleanable.  Use a soft white cloth that is lint free and a solution of water with a mild, dye free detergent such as ivory dish washing detergent.  Many ready made cleaners, such as resolve are also water based…just make sure to check that it is water based before using.  Dampen the cloth and squeeze out any excess water.  Gently rub the stained area until the stain is removed.  If you place a fan near the area you can speed up the drying process.

The S code stands for solvent cleanable.  Water based products should not be used on S code fabrics!  Instead, use a gentle dry cleaning product that is approved for fabrics.  Guardsman solvent based cleaner is a good choice.  Once again, use a white, lint free cloth.  Dampen the cloth with the cleaner and rub the stain in a circular motion.  For large stains keep changing to a clean area of your cloth.  You should make sure to use solvent based cleaners in a well ventilated area.

The WS code is exactly what you would guess….either water or solvent based cleaners will work for this fabric using the methods described above.

 

The X code stands for vacuum only.  Clean these fabrics only by lightly brushing or vacuuming the avoid buildup of dirt and dust.  Water or solvent based cleaners of any kind could cause staining, distortion of the pile, or shrinking of the fabric.

 

A good way to prevent spills from becoming a problem is to have your new upholstered furniture treated with fabric protection, such as Guardsman Fabricoate spray.  This protection is available in a “do it yourself” spray can, or can be professionally sprayed on before delivery.  Pre-delivery professional spraying of our Guardsman product includes a 5 year warranty against many kind of spills, stains, and even rips and tears.

 
Whatever upholstered furniture you have, if you give it a little care at the right times, it is sure to stay looking clean and new for years to come!

What is your Focal Point?

 

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here does your eye go when you enter your room?  One of the best ways to turn an ordinary room into something special is to create a focal point.  There are many different things that can be done to draw people’s eyes to a certain spot in a room.  Where you make your focal point depends upon the shape and size of the room itself, what it is that you want to showcase, and your own creativity and personality.    

It can be a bedroom, kitchen, living room, family room, dining room, or some other room in your house.  No matter what the room, start by standing at the entrance.  Look around at the natural flow of the room.  What catches your eye?  Is this the first thing you want people to see when they walk in the room?  If not, the fix may be as simple as hanging a large, framed mirror over a sofa, or putting down an area rug that is vibrantly colored or in an interesting shape. 

A wall painted a different color than the others in the room, or a painting hung over a fireplace can go far in helping create your focal point. You can even try rearranging the furniture to make things pop.  If you have a bigger budget, you can even use track lighting over an area that you want to highlight, or buy a new sofa, chair, coffee table, or ottoman to bring a certain area into focus.

Is there an item in the room that isn’t getting as much attention as you would like it to?  Try placing it in different areas of the room to create the eye catching look that it deserves. Experiment with throw pillows, blankets and other accessories to make it more noticeable.  Take your time to move things around in the room until the first thing you see when you walk in is what you WANT people to see.



The Key to a Good Night's Sleep

     While most of us know that getting a good night’s sleep can make us healthier, many of us don’t know how to achieve that elusive dream.  Choosing the right mattress and eating certain foods and having regular routines can help.   Part of the key to getting good sleep is to experiment.  What might work for some, won’t for others, but here are some helpful tips to get you started in the right direction.  

     First, it’s very important to have the right mattress.  For everyone, that means a mattress that fully supports your body, and has no lumps or dips, which can disrupt sleep even on the best of nights.  As far as comfort goes, some people will like a supportive mattress with a plush top and others prefer a firmer feel.  The best way to find out which is better for you is to go to a store and do your research by lying down and trying several different types and comfort levels.  Optimally you are spending 8 hours a night on your mattress, so you want to make sure to get the right one. 

The bedding experts at Spector Furniture can help you find just the right mattress!

     Second, keeping a regular sleep schedule will help to make you feel more refreshed and energized when you wake up.  It’s very tempting to change your schedule on weekends by staying up late and “sleeping in”, but doing this is bound to leave you feeling more tired.  You should choose a bedtime when you normally feel tired, as tossing and turning because you’re not ready for bed yet will disrupt your sleep cycle.  Once you have your body on a regular schedule, sleeping and waking up at the same time every day, you will probably find that you wake naturally, without the need for an alarm!  If you do need an alarm and keep finding yourself hitting that snooze button, you may need to choose an earlier bedtime to get the rest your body needs. 

     Third, try to create a relaxing bedtime ritual.  There are many things you can try to do to wind down at the end of the day.  For example, read a book or magazine under soft light, take a warm bath, listen to soft music, do some easy stretches….the possibilities are endless.  Don’t pay your bills or worry about tomorrow….give yourself much needed time to de-stress and relax before bed. 

     Fourth, eat right and get regular exercise.  Big meals shortly before bedtime will certainly keep you from a good night’s sleep.  Also avoid rich, fatty foods within a couple of hours of bedtime as your body needs to work harder to digest them and may keep you awake while doing so.  Alcohol also reduces sleep quality so try to stay away from it before bedtime.  Cutting down on caffeine is also a good tip if you have trouble sleeping.  Caffeine can cause sleep problems even 10-12 hours after it is consumed!  Higher protein foods will help make you sleepy.  Bananas and almonds have magnesium which help with muscle relaxation.  Cherries are a natural source of melatonin, a chemical that promotes sleepiness.  Regular exercise is also a good way to help you sleep more deeply, on top of the obvious health benefits.

     These are just some of the ways you can try to get a better night’s sleep.  People who sleep less than 7 hours a night are much more likely to catch a cold.  Not enough sleep can also throw off your hormones and increase your chances of being overweight.  Insufficient sleep can even put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes.  Experiment with the steps until you find the right balance for YOUR good night’s sleep. 

Sweet dreams!  Z Z Z Z…….