Keep furniture looking good
Replacing a couch is expensive, so keep yours looking its best for longer with these handy tips
FURNISHING your living room is a major investment for a house-proud person and there’s nothing quite like adding a couch and armchairs to your home to make you feel warm and fuzzy about your little’ patch of property.
But let’s face it, soft furniture has a hard life. Spills, pet fur, scuffs, kicks and general wear and tear can soon make your precious possessions look rather forlorn. Which is why we went in search of tips and tricks to keep your suite looking special even after years of use.
BANISH PET HAIR
Love snuggling with your dog or cat on the couch but hate the hair they leave behind? Fortunately for animallovers there’s more than one way to rid your favourite sofa of fluff.
The simplest method is to lift the hair off with sticky tape. Wrap the tape around your hand like a glove (sticky side out), pat the upholstery gently over the arms, back and cushions – you’ll be amazed how much hair you collect. You can also use this trick to remove food crumbs and general grit.
Another way to pep up your upholstery is to dampen a rubber glove and rub it over the fabric until the fur comes off. 50 |
GET OUT THE BICARB
This versatile grocery cupboard staple has the amazing ability to absorb odours. Sprinkle generous amounts of bicarbonate of soda directly onto upholstery, leave for 30 minutes, then get out the vacuum cleaner and suck it all up.
Bicarb works better than most commercial deodorising products and it’s great for whiffy carpets and pongy clothes too.
GREASE BE GONE
It’s best to tackle grease stains as soon as you notice them – the faster you get to work, the greater your chance of eliminating them permanently. The best thing to do is to ease the grease off with ordinary table salt.
Immediately cover a spill with a paper towels to extract the excess oil then sprinkle a generous amount of salt directly onto the stain. Leave for 30 minutes then vacuum. The salt will absorb most if not all the grease.
GIVE IT A GOOD BRUSH
Invest in a strong yet gentle brush – one that won’t snag or raise the fibres of the upholstery – and give your furniture a good brush to extract deeply settled dust and dirt. Run a vacuum cleaner over the upholstery afterwards and your furniture should look brighter and fresher.
GET OUT THE HAIRSPRAY
If the kids have been a little too enthusiastic with their colouring-in sessions, this is an effective product for getting rid of those pesky pen and marker stains. Spray onto the stains then blot with paper towels, and the upholstery should be as good as new.
DIY STAIN REMOVER
Make your own upholstery shampoo by combining 125ml (½ cup) powdered or liquid laundry detergent with 5ml (1 teaspoon) each ammonia and white vinegar and 1 litre (4 cups) warm water. Mix in a bowl and whip into a foam with a hand beater (or your hands). Apply just the foam to the upholstery, wipe with a damp cloth then vacuum. Don’t let anyone near the furniture until it’s completely dry.