Those looking to spice up that front room may need to look no further than a quick clean of what’s typically its centerpiece: the sofa and/or recliner.
Family room furniture, including your most comfortable recliner, have the capacity to add (or take away) comfort from a room simply through their design; they also can be the gravity for unwanted bacteria and organisms that your home could quite simply do without – and can ultimately affect the health of people using them to relax.
Regularly cleaning your furniture is, therefore, a critical difference between being happy to invite guests over and having to spend your evening out and about.
This article will break down the best ways to give your furniture a dirt facelift without taking up your entire day. As should be seen, we’re not looking to break the bank – so forget about hiring an outside cleaning company.
However, we’re still trying to remove what’s not supposed to be there, and leave a home that’s safer for everyone in it.
Baby Wipes
For quick spot-cleaning, baby wipes do wonders. If you’ve got young children or otherwise have high traffic in your house, a quick run-around with a baby wipe can take away that unwanted juice stain.
Sure, if the stain has set in or the entire piece is dirty you’re going to want to move on to a more area-oriented product, but as a start, they’re quite amazing.
Using upholstery cleaner
If you do need to use a full-blown cleaning product, it’s important to ensure you’re not inundating the furniture with it.
Web upholstery acts as a breeding ground for unwanted things, including mold, parasites and the like. Leaving it wet after cleaning can there do more harm than good with regard to keeping your family healthy.
Polyester or blended cushions can be cleaned by the owner, though for high-spec cotton, it’s most likely the job of a professional.
The extra expense will prevent slip-ups that will add to cost, not take it away. You, therefore, need to know what fabric you’re dealing with prior to going in with the sprayer or sponge.
Vacuuming
Absolutely essential, but often forgotten about prior to going full-bore with the hot water and brush. Vacuuming can remove everything from dirt – to prevent it from getting ground into the fabric – to more nefarious things like bug eggs and mold spores. Spend a few minutes extra time and you’ll thank yourself for it.
After you’ve vacuumed, best to spray a can of compressed air into the crevices to make sure you’ve not missed any unwanted dirt that’s been left behind. Focus on the buttons and stitching to ensure a full-blown clean prior to using any other wet products.
Spot Cleaning
Set-in stains are going to need the same treatment as they do on clothes. Cover the stain with a pre-cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes to loosen up the stain. Repeat if necessary.
The steamer
If things are especially bad, you’re going to want to steam clean the entire thing. This kills off most bacteria, as well as can kill bug eggs and other cringe-worthy artifacts.
These can be rented from most local supermarkets and can be followed up with protectants to ensure the furniture doesn’t need the treatment again anytime soon.
The health Benefits
As before mentioned, cleaner furniture means a healthier family. Assuring yourself that the most comfortable recliner in the world is something you can sink into without worry is beyond price, but in this case, you’d really be doing yourself some good.
- Something most people don’t realize is that furniture produced from a global brand often comes with it’s a cosmopolitan array of pathogens that it’s best to clean prior to sitting down for the first time.
- Your family can become more susceptible to illness via dirt entrenched in your upholstery, as well as be more sensitive to allergens. This includes protracted issues such as respiratory problems. This can be directly caused by molds and another fungus extent in wet or extremely dirty furniture.
As has been seen, it’s therefore vitally important you take your time and do a thorough job of cleaning some of the most well-used and taken-for-granted furniture in the house.
This makes the absence of regular cleaning somewhat ironic, especially since these expensive articles can be permanently ruined through long-term overlooking of the problem.
It should, therefore, become a bit of a habit to use that fifteen minutes on a Saturday morning wisely: give your recliner the rubdown it’s begging for.
Disclaimer: All images are provided by the author.
Author The Author:
This article is contributed by William from Cuddly Home Advisors. William is a passionate home advisor who has a special interest in the home furniture, home decoration, and family health. If you have any questions, he is willing to answer.
