Caring For Your Furniture – Prevention Is Better Than A Cure

Are you starting from scratch with your first home? Have you been saving for ages just to get your deposit and the money to buy all that lovely new furniture you’ve had visions of filling it with? It’s not cheap is it?

There is a reason why many companies offer discounts or payment plans for all sorts of furniture in the home and that’s because not everyone can afford to buy what they need all at once. The trouble is that by the time you’ve finished paying it off, there are certain items that look like they already need replacing.

This blog offers advice on how you can look after your furniture without taking drastic measures. That is to say, that you won’t need to cover your sofa in a plastic coating (like Grandma used to) and you won’t need really expensive felt covers for your tables which can also get damaged.

Fabrics

There are a number of ways you can protect furniture that’s made of or has a fabric cover. Take for instance your sofa. It doesn’t matter how careful you are; over the years the stains will build-up. Of course, you could cover them in PVC but this impractical and won’t exactly do much for your décor either.

One thing you should always consider is if you want the item sprayed with some sort of guard. Yes, it will cost you a bit extra but this will be far cheaper than reaching the end of a 5 year payment plan only to feel the need to start all over again. The sprays used by professional upholsterers will do all sorts. For example, they will repel liquids so when a spillage does happen (and it will), it can easily be wiped away as if the spill was on a hard surface.

They will also stop stains from forming. However, you must follow the care guides you’re given. If you don’t the protection your sofa has received will not last as well as it should. If you’re told to have it re-sprayed after a certain amount of time, make sure you do.

You can also help yourself by giving your sofa some tender loving care every now and then. If the seats start to look a bit saggy, there are plenty of companies that will re-fill them for you. You should also vacuum often. Dust and dirt (no matter how well your sofa is protected) will eventually make its way into the fibres so a good old vacuum now and then won’t do it any harm.

Hard Surfaces

This will tend to be things like your dining or coffee table and we all know what a hard life they have. It doesn’t matter how many times you tell people to use a coaster, someone will always forget and water marks on a wood surface can look really unsightly. If you’re not careful, this sort of stain will damage a wooden surface.

Now, this is where PVC tablecloths really will come in handy. Lots of people think these look a little cheap but that couldn’t be further from the truth these days. In fact, there are designs that will leave people guessing about what sort of fabric you have opted for.

You can get lace designs for the living area in your home, whereas for the kitchen you can have all manner of designs from rustic to ultra-modern. The main thing is they are made to ensure the surfaces on your tables are properly protected and look good as well.

All in all, if you’ve bought furniture on a payment plan, it’s a good idea to make sure you look after it as best you can. If you don’t it might need replacing before you’ve even paid for it!