Furniture Cleaning and Maintenance

 Just a little special attention will add years of beauty and comfort to your furniture.

· All seat cushions should be reversed regularly and the right, left, and center sofa cushions should be rotated to get consistent wear and tear.

Rotate and fluff your seat and back cushions weekly. This helps maintain the overall look and feel of the cushions. Plus, it ensures that all parts of the cushions wear evenly.

· All back cushions and toss pillows need to be fluffed frequently to maintain a luxurious appearance and comfortable feel.

When fluffing cores try to put as much air back into the foam as possible, this can be done by folding and mashing cores from the top right corner to the bottom left corner. Then reverse to make sure all the foam has a chance to re-expand.

· Frequent vacuuming is needed to prolong the life of the fabric.

Vacuum or brush your furniture weekly. This helps prevent dust and dirt from building up under cushions causing wear on fabrics. It also helps keep the piece looking new.

· Avoid direct sunlight which might cause fading.

Fabrics will fade or change color over time, this is an inherent characteristic. You can reduce this effect by minimizing direct sunlight and rotating the cushions. Have the UV coming in your windows tested to make sure your tint is blocking the harmful rays as much as possible. This is not only good advice for the fabrics in the room but also any finished exposed wood.

Make sure to follow the fabric cleaning code instructions when trying to clean any upholstery. All fabrics have a universal cleaning code, if you do not know the codes on your fabrics call the store of purchase and ask for it.

· Code S: Clean with pure solvents {petroleum distillate-based products} Professional dry cleaning is recommended. Caution!: use of water-based solvent cleaners may cause shrinking, and water stains may become permanent. To prevent overall soil, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove grime is recommended.

· Code W: Clean this fabric with water-based cleaning agents or water-based foam to remove overall soil. Many Household cleaning products are harmful to the color and life of a fabric. Professional dry-cleaning is recommended.

· Code SW: Clean this fabric with water-based cleaning agents, foam, or pure solvents. Professional dry-cleaning is recommended.

· Code X: Clean fabric ONLY by vacuuming or light brushing to prevent accumulations of dust and grime. Water-based foam or solvent-based cleaners of any kind may cause excessive shrinking or fading.

Tips for cleaning washable slipcovers, make sure the fabric used in the slipcover is approved for laundering.

· Before removing the slipcover, I advise you to inspect how the cover is applied, so replacing can be done quickly and easily.

· Unzip any zippers located on the back of the frame and gently pull off the top rail. Then move to an arm and pull the slipcover toward you. Then proceed around the back loosening as you go, until you end up back at the other arm. When replacing the cover start at the back of the frame and work your way to the front.

· Set your washer to the "Gentle" cycle and use cold water and a mild detergent. Be careful not to overload the machine. You may need to run two separate loads. However, I suggest you wash the entire slipcover each time instead of in parts, which will help prevent color variations. Zip all seat, back and throw pillow casing closed before laundering to preserve the life of seams.

· Tumble dry on low setting for 3-5 minutes then continue drying on the air cycle. During the drying process, open the dryer and pull the fabric apart to ensure the center parts dry evenly. Pull out the cover when it is slightly damp and return to the furniture. Wrinkles should smooth out naturally after the cover is reapplied.