Cleaning Tip of Day: Furniture Care

We see great TV commercials that advertise products that we don't need and that will only create a "chemical stew" affecting our indoor air quality...

So, here is a brief excerpt about what you should do to care for your furniture:

• Dust: wipe wood surfaces with a soft cloth and avoid most commercial cleaners and polishes since they contain formaldehyde and ammonia. Did you know?: most modern wood furniture does not need to be waxed or polished because the factory finish won't even allow wax to penetrate!
• Vacuum: upholstered furniture should be vacuumed weekly to remove dust. And sprinkle baking soda prior to vacuum if there is odor. Did you know?: fabric fresheners typically contain fragrances/solvents that trigger allergic and asthmatic reactions
• Erase & Rub: for leather, vacuum regularly, but also remove scuff marks with a pencil eraser and for water marks, rub with distilled white vinegar. Always test first in a hidden spot. If you use a chemical-based leather cleaner, use in a well-ventilated room.
• Scotchgard or Silicon? Stain protection is a tough subject when being eco-friendly. Know that Scotchgard offers the most protection, but it is not eco-friendly. A good alternative is silicon, a natural substance that repels most spills, except grease.

Comments

[Furniture restorer]

When refinishing furniture, you must do the most unpleasant part of the job first. Removing the old finish can be a cumbersome and messy task. For a while early in the process, until you start getting down to the wood underneath the mess, you may feel that you have completely ruined the piece. Have patience. Once you get to the final stage of the wood, you will have graduated from making a mess to creating a masterpiece. When you are finished, you will be proud of what you were able to create.