10 tips to care for your soft furnishings
Photograph: iStock
A beautiful house almost always has a lot of lovely soft furnishings: vibrant curtains, cushions, sofa covers, carpets… And the trick to maintaining this allure involves maintaining all the elements within. Avinash Singh, tells you how to take care of soft furnishings -- by yourself and with the help of professionals.
Professional care
1. Professional cleaning can be divided into wet and dry cleaning. If the material does not have stains on it, dry cleaning is a good option. However, if there are stains on the material due to dust or beverages, wet cleaning will be a better bet.
2. Wet cleaning uses deep injection extraction to clean heavy upholstery such as thick curtains, blinds, carpets, etc. The cleaning machine has a soap tank inside, which can be filled with a branded liquid soap to clean the upholstery.
3. Always test the soap before using it on the upholstery by taking a small amount and applying it to an obscure portion to check if it affects the material.
5. Cleaning experts recommend branded soaps only. You should use water-based cleaners for this purpose.
6. Dust and dirt can be gotten rid off by dry cleaning only.
Home care
1. Nowadays small products like vacuum cleaner and upholstery cleaners are available in the market for cleaning. A normal vacuum cleaner may cost between 6,000 to 13,000 INR, which is adequate for a 3 BHK house. Vacuum cleaners are available in two types, dry plus wet, and dry cleaners.
2. Purchasing a wet and dry cleaner will help you remove dust and dirt using the dry cleaner facility and the stains using the wet cleaner, followed by the dry cleaner to clean it properly. The only difference between dry and wet cleaning is that the machine is fitted with a filter bag for the former. An upholstery cleaner is an advanced machine which sprays liquid for cleaning. This isn't available in wet and dry cleaners.
3. One home remedy is to mix one cup lukewarm water with ¼ cup dishwashing soap or liquid using an electric mixer till it starts foaming. Apply this mixture with a soft brush on stains and then wipe it off using a soft cloth, ensuring that the mixture doesn't enter the material. Pressing hard on the mixture may lead to soap stains as well.
4. Carpet stains can be removed using hydrogen peroxide mixed with warm water. Apply it to the problem area, and then wipe it off with a wet towel. Chemical cleaners have some amount of hydrogen peroxide mixed in them. You don't need to buy new chemicals if you already have hydrogen peroxide at home. Baking soda is also effective in removing minor stains.
Note:
Keep in mind that while a carpet may increase the beauty of your room, it can also cause diseases. Make sure you get your carpet cleaned professionally at least 2-3 times a year.
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