A Guide to Good Furniture Care

During my long career in the furniture business I’ve often been asked, ?What is the proper way to care for my fabric?? After all, you’ve purchased your dream furniture piece but you?re terrified to use it out of fear of damaging it. But you don’t have to live in fear! After extensive research and testing I have found the following guidelines and suggestions to be helpful.

Upholstered Furniture

Because of the wide variety of fabrics and fiber combinations, there is no guarantee that these methods will be completely successful and I recommend that a professional upholstery cleaner be contacted in particular cases. However, these simple solutions will keep your new upholstery crisp and clean for years!

Vacuum at least once a week to remove grit that can cause abrasion, and be sure to dust vacuum the top surfaces as often as possible. Professional cleaning is the best way to make a slightly soiled sofa look new again, but weekly vacuuming will make professional cleaning a less frequent event. (Never brush any fabric with a stiff fiber or metal brush, since they?re destructive to the fibers. Instead, use your vacuum attachments like the upholstery brush or the attachment for dusting draperies and furniture. The latter brush has longer bristles and is less abrasive to your upholstery fabric. It may be your best option if your fabric deserves a softer brushing.)

Reverse the cushions each week after vacuuming. Rearrange the furniture occasionally to ensure even wear of the cushions and other areas.
Cushions and pillows filled with down or similar cushioning material should be hand-fluffed and reversed regularly to retain their original softness and resiliency.

Protect fabrics from the sun. Fabrics should not be placed in direct sunlight because the ultraviolet light will cause the fibers to degenerate and colors to fade. Occasionally dyes can fade from impurities in the air as well, but protection from the sun is a good way to prevent premature loss of color.

Keep pets off the furniture. Pet urine and pet body oil can be difficult to remove.

Use proper care with structural weave fabrics (where the design is created by the weave) to protect against snags. These fabrics may be cleaned by sprinkling dry powder cleaner over the fabric, spreading it uniformly and letting it stand for the recommended period before vacuuming with gentle suction. (However, I do recommend professional cleaning with stains on a woven fabric.)

Caution those wearing clothing with transferable dyes, such as blue jeans, that the dye could transfer onto light-colored furniture.

Fabric Cleaning Guide

Today’s new fabric treatments improve the chances of your fabric’s survival. Fabric protection products are usually applied by the retail store for an additional cost. Most of the various brands work the same way by causing spills and soil to sit on the surface of the fiber instead of migrating to the fiber’s interior.

Today’s fiber protection products are free of ozone damaging chemicals, and most are hypoallergenic and invisible to the eye. Some even provide additional UV protection from color fading caused by intense light. One of the greatest benefits of fabric protection products is that they come with specific written warranties that provide peace of mind.

Whether your new upholstery has been fabric protected or not, you should follow the same basic guidelines in cleaning liquid spills or surface soil that can’t be brushed off (such as newspaper ink).

Fabric Cleaning Codes

Before attempting to clean a spill or spot on your furniture, you should identify the fabric and the correct cleaning method recommended by the manufacturer. This information is represented by a cleaning code (W, S, WS, or X) often found under a cushion, on the bottom of the furniture or on the manufacturer?s tag. If you cannot find this information, contact your salesperson at the furniture store where the item was purchased.

W : Spot clean only with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner.

S : Spot clean only with water-free cleaning solvent. Do not overwet. DO NOT USE WATER.

WS : Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or a mild dry cleaning solvent. Do not overwet.

X : Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic brush. DO NOT USE WATER OR DRY CLEANING SOLVENTS. Do not use a foam or liquid cleaner of any type.

Never apply cleaning solutions to visible areas of your upholstery fabric without first testing on areas that are not visible. It is important to pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility.

Cleaning Instructions

As a general rule, when a spill occurs, it is important to clean the fabric immediately. The longer a spot remains, the harder it is to remove. It may even become permanent.

Blot, don’t rub. If the spill is still fresh, use a clean, dry and very absorbent 100% cotton cloth. Should you have to use paper towels to blot out spills, be sure the paper towel (or cloth) is white, as colors in the towel may, when applied to a wet surface, fade onto the upholstery. Color from one fabric can rub off onto another fabric, even when dry — a process known in the industry as ‘crocking’.

If blotting with a dry cloth doesn’t quite finish the job and you have cleaning directions from the furniture manufacturer, follow those. If none are available, use the instructions provided here.

I hope this information has been insightful. Use these tools when necessary, but most importantly, enjoy your upholstered piece — it was meant to be used!

Holly Linington

Legal & General Insurance Zurich Car Insurance eCar Car Insurance Churchill Car Insurance Kwik Fit Car Insurance Direct Line Car Insurance

These are Just But a Few Tips About How to Recycle Fabrics

It is true that paper, metal, wood or plastic are definitely the first items that come to one’s mind when talking about recycling, but there are other items, just as numerous that could be re-used in the most profitable and environment-friendly of ways.

One clear case here refers to the ways we can recycle fabrics. Have you been wondering about what to do with those old t-shirts or blouses you no longer use? Well there are a few tips about how to recycle fabrics and thus contribute to the international effort of finally cleaning the waste on this planet. If they cannot be sold in charity shops there are other ways to reuse and recycle fabrics.

T-shirts could make excellent material for the creation of funny bags; there are even cases when people have used such apparel items to create bathmats or even flares. Another unique way to recycle fabrics of the kind is by cutting them into strips and weaving or knitting them in very trendy rugs to be used in certain house corners. Furthermore, you can even find tips about how to make memory quilts out of old t-shirts you purchased at special occasions. Creativity is definitely one of the strong points required in the effort to recycle fabrics.

Let’s take another relevant example of how you can recycle fabrics from drapes or curtains. At a certain point you will definitely want to change the house decorations and will find yourself in the situation of having too much unused material. There are plenty of ways to recycle fabrics from drapes or curtains: depending on how thick the texture really is, you could actually re-use them for upholstery items. If you cannot recycle the material on your own, you can turn to people who actually do it for a living, as part of small home-businesses.

Exquisite pillow casings can be made out of the recycle fabrics you have got around the house; all you need to do is show a little dexterity. Or you may choose to have someone else help you with the project; keep in mind the fact that reusing such material has become so popular that even fashion designers have taken up the practice. There are even companies that collect used clothes: all you have to do is clean and bag your recycle fabrics and drop them at a special collecting agency. Such actions are supported by local governments who allocate funds so that the recycling be carried on in the most adequate of conditions.

Muna wa Wanjiru

Complete Online Fabrics Shop

Fabrics are a synonym for textile that refers to any material that is made through weaving, crocheting, knitting or bonding. Our’s is one of the popular online portals where one can find various types of fabrics. This complete online fabrics shop offers a wide range of fabrics products. The products available on our online store are of high quality.

The customer can place order online and get the desired variety of Fabrics. We aim 100% satisfaction of our customers; for this we ensure various quality standards, our customer can save a lot of money as the online store is by a wholesaler and provide high quality fabrics at reasonable prices. The online store is ensured to be secure with timely delivery for online customers. The online details provided in the online stores like customer’s personal information and credit card details are not shared with third party. As the customer place an order, it is sent for further processing and as soon as the order is confirmed, a confirmation mail is sent to customer. Our Online portal is the best online fabric shopping portal to purchase various varieties of fabrics with admirable customer services.

Minky Fabric: Soft cuddly and warm, Minky fabrics is perfect for the baby blankets, jackets, lounge wear for the old and young alike. You can get here various quality of Minky fabrics on this portal such as Minky Velvet, Minky Dot, Minky Sherpa fabrics, Minky Chenille, Minky Mini Polka Dots, Minky Curly Fabrics, Micro Plush Minky Fabrics, Minky Dimple Dot fabrics are most popular. This Minky Fabric is made through 100% polyester.

Upholstery fabric: Our store provides a huge collection of upholstery fabrics at lower than whole seller prices. The most popular Upholstery fabrics by us are Zodiac Vynil that is available in various designs, styles and quality.

Lycra Print: Online store has a good collection of various Nylon Lycra prints. These prints include some funky prints, Hawaiin and Tropical prints, Animal Prints, Denim Prints etc are most popular.

Fake fur: It offers good collection of fake fur product to their client. Fake fur products are made of synthetic fibers that able to keep you warm. And it is extremely important in snowfall area like mountains, skiing, climbing and many other outdoor activities.

Lycra Fabric: Here you can get a wonderful selection of your choices within very reasonable prices. Some most popular Lycra Fabrics are Metallic Lycra, Novelty Lycra, Power mesh, Nylon Lycra solid, holograms, Cotton Lycra, and Stretch Velvet.

The website is having a huge collection of fabrics that provides good customer services with affordable prices.

Shawn Kohan

Worth to search:

• green fur leopard print upholstery fabric

House Cleaning Tips for Dog Owners

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, more than 40 million American households share their lives with more than 68 million dogs. Obviously, dogs are a very popular pet. Unfortunately, as much as we love them, they can leave us with more mess to clean up.

Your dog can “accidentally” leave stains and odors. It would be fantastic if you can find easier ways to keep your home looking clean and non-smelling.

If you have to constantly fight with pet hair, paw prints, chewed-up bits of knick-knacks as well as things dragged in, thrown up or otherwise deposited on previously clean surfaces, here are some of the ways to dog-proof your home and keep pet mess and smell to a minimum:
* Choosing flooring surfaces that are easy to keep clean and stand up better to canine nails.
* Do not delay cleanups. Messes are easier to clean when they are fresh, and are less likely to leave a permanent stain.
* Do not use ammonia-based cleaners on dog messes as they smell like urine.
* Use an enzyme-based dog odor neutralizer to kill the urine scent.
* Focus on areas where odors lurk. Spots where dogs sleep eat and play can harbor stinking smells. Thoroughly clean up these areas at least twice a week.
* Saturate the area with a product for removing stains and odors. Wait a few minutes then vacuum it with a wet-and-dry shop vacuum.
* Pick appropriate carpet and upholstery to ensure easy clean up.
* Avoid wool or cotton fibers for carpets and instead opt for synthetic carpets that have a stain shield.
* Choose tightly woven fabrics and avoid loose or open weaves, when selecting upholstery fabrics. Tight fabrics would resist tears and rips from claws.
* There is no guarantee that every dog is flea-free. Boric acid (100%) powder is odorless and non-staining and is an excellent flea-killer.
* Shedding is a normal process that occurs seasonally in dogs. Dogs typically shed their coats in spring and fall. Keep pets well groomed.

Brush and comb your pets regularly, and do not delay regular bathing. Your pets will smell better, and the hair you catch in the grooming process will not end up floating around your home. Shedding of hair can cause an allergic reaction in dog owners. Tolerance levels to allergens vary from person to person. It is well known that people who own dogs and have allergies are not about to give them up.

Dog owners can lower their risk of reaction and reduce allergens in their homes. The following are some tips to help you.
* Always wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds after handling your dog and before touching your eyes or face. Alternatively, use a hand sanitizer or antibacterial hand wipes.
* Use allergen-resistant covers on mattresses and pillows.
* If possible, reduce the amount of carpet in your home, especially in bedrooms and sitting rooms.
* Restrict your dog to certain rooms of your home to create allergy-free areas. Bedrooms, especially, should be a no-no area.
* Use vacuums with high-efficiency air filters to help clean the air.
* Use air purification devices to reduce allergens and eliminate household odors.
* Get a non-allergic family member to bathe your dog weekly and groom him regularly – outside the house.
* Keep your home well ventilated. To maintain a clean environment for you and your dog all that is required is vacuuming twice to remove pet hair and frequent washing of bedding and draperies.

If you have any sort of a dog that sheds – say a shaggy dog – it would be a good idea to hand-vacuum him frequently. Keeping a clean home when dogs are around is not that difficult. Of course, a constant effort, right products and good planning is required. It all comes down to knowing how to clean and doing it right.

Fayola Peters

5-Minute Fabric Decorating Tips for Unlit Fireplace Candelab

Who doesn’t appreciate flickering flames in a fireplace? For those who don’t have the inclination or time for burning firewood in their fireplace, fireplace candelabra are the obvious answer. They provide that special glow without the hassle or, in warm weather, the heat. But how do you keep those fireplace candelabra worthy of the visual focal point of your home even for those times when you haven?t lit the candles?

Even without burning candles, decorators have their tricks for using fireplace candelabra as foundations for eye-appealing displays in the fireplace. Here are three of their super quick and inexpensive techniques using fabric that you can try:

1. Heavy Fabric

Use a full-bodied fabric, such as tapestry, brocade, or velvet, which coordinates with the colors and style of your room. Casually interweave the fabric among the ‘arms’ of your fireplace candelabra, leaving dramatic folds of fabric spilling onto the inner hearth and over parts of the candelabra. Tuck in the ends, out of sight. Now, replace those candles, but don’t, of course, light them as long as the fabric is in your hearth.

2. Lace or Sheer Fabric

For a different, but equally appealing look, use a sheer fabric, such as chiffon or lace. Give it the same treatment as above, with visually interesting draping and folds of the material. This lighter, airier treatment is more appropriate for some rooms.

3. Tassel Magic

At your local fabric store, find three to five inch long tassels in a color, or a mixture of colors, to highlight your room and the metal of your fireplace candelabra. Buy a tassel and a few inches of coordinating cording for each candle on your fireplace candelabra.

Cut the cord into lengths a bit longer than the circumference of each candle. Either by sewing or by using your glue gun, make a circle of each piece of cording and attach a tassel where you join the ends of the cording. Each circle of cording should be big enough to easily slide onto a candle, down to its base.

Slip each cording-with-tassel circle over a different candle on your fireplace candelabra. Adjust the tassels so they are hanging over the edge of the candle cups, facing into the room.

These tassels so beautifully accessorize the candles of your fireplace candelabra, you may be tempted to leave them when you light the candles, but please don?t. Remove them before lighting your candles and save them to put back on when you blow the candles out at the end of the evening.

A bit of fabric dramatically posed or some tassels elegantly dangling from your fireplace candelabra can be so charming, your fireplace candelabra can rightfully maintain the place of honor in your room?s natural focal point, the fireplace, even when its candles aren?t aglow.

Susan Penney

« Previous Page — Next Page »