Helpful Tips to Keep Your Home Looking Like New

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How to Keep Your Home Looking New

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It would be great if your home could stay as pristine as it was when everything was brand new--sparkling floors, immaculate furniture, and plush, vibrant carpets. Eventually, daily life and normal wear and tear can leave your home looking dull, lifeless, and dingy. However, you can easily keep your home looking as good as new with proper care and maintenance. Just check out our helpful tips!

Furniture

Your furniture is subject to a lot of wear and tear--spills, pets, and long periods of lounging can all take a toll on its appearance. However, regular care and maintenance of your furniture will keep your pieces looking like new.
  • Upholstered furniture:
    • Vacuum upholstered furniture at least once a week to prevent dust and dirt accumulation, which will eventually leave your fabric looking stained and dingy. Your vacuum's special brush attachments will also help loosen pet hair and dirt particles become lodged inside the fabric's fibres.
    • Flip and rotate cushions at least once a month to prevent flattening and misshapen appearances. You should also periodically take them outside and beat them to shake out extra dust or dirt that the vacuum left behind.
    • Avoid eating meals--especially messy ones--in your upholstered furniture. In case of any spill, always blot, never rub.
    • Have professional furniture cleaners visit your home every year to every other year to keep your furniture fresh and new. You may also opt to take your cushion covers to the dry cleaners--but you should never wash them in your washing machine. This can cause fading, shrinkage, and fabric deterioration.
  • Wood furniture:
    • Wash wood periodically with a soft cloth or sponge and non-alkaline soap and water. Dry the wood immediately after wiping it down to prevent leaving unsightly marks behind.
    • The amount of moisture in your home will significantly alter the condition of your wood furniture. Be sure to use a humidifier in the winter months to prevent furniture from drying out, and a dehumidifier in the summer to prevent swelling.
    • Avoid placing wood furniture near light or heat sources such as radiators, windows, fireplaces, and heat vents.
    • Apply paste wax with a soft cloth approximately every six months, rubbing gently in the direction of the grain.
    • Remove unsightly water damage with mayonnaise--rub about two tablespoons over the offending mark, then cover it lightly with a cloth or plastic wrap for several hours. Use a soft, clean, dry cloth to remove the mayonnaise.
  • Leather furniture:
    • Clean leather weekly with a soft, dry cloth dipped in mild soap and water. Rub lightly to remove dust, dirt, and oils. In case of a spill, blot the liquid immediately, and clean the entire cushion evenly to prevent spotting. Wipe dry with a clean towel.
    • Apply leather cleaner about four times a year to keep it from cracking.
    • Leather furniture should be placed at least two feet away from any heat or light source to prevent it from drying out and becoming brittle. Excessive sunlight exposure can also cause colours to fade.

Floors

  • Carpets: Carpets sustain a lot of wear and tear-- foot traffic, dirt tracking, pet stains and food spills can all leave your once vibrant carpeting looking dull and dirty. Taking proper care of carpets and rugs will keep them plush and clean, make your home's overall appearance brighter and more vibrant.
    • Vacuum carpets regularly. This will prevent built up dirt, dust and debris that becomes embedded in the rug fibres. Vacuum high-traffic areas of your carpeting thoroughly at least two to five times a week, and low-traffic areas about twice a week. Use appropriate brush attachments for the height of your carpet to prevent damage to the fibres.
    • Trim snags. Those little tufts that pop up in your carpeting make it look old and tattered. Rather than tugging at these threads and exacerbating the problem, trim them carefully with scissors.
    • Fluff up dents. Sofa and tables can leave behind deep indentations in your rug, causing unsightly crevices if you decide to rearrange your furniture. Fluff up grooves in your rugs by moistening the area with a damp rag, then heating the spot with a blow-dryer. Don't allow the blow dryer to come in direct contact with the carpet--it could cause burns. Fluff the rug fibres with your fingers as you blow gentle onto the dent.
    • Shampoo your carpets every 12 to 18 months. if you don't own a carpet shampooer, rent one to give your rugs a good thorough cleaning. Move all of the furniture out of the room and vacuum to pick up loose dirt and dust. Fill your carpet shampooer with shampoo and move it slowly back and forth over one four to five-square foot area at a time. Allow it to dry completely before moving your furniture back.
    • Spot clean stains as they occur. Use stain remover sparingly and blot stains--never rub or you can damage the fibres. Make sure any detergent is removed thoroughly after cleaning, or it will cause its own stain.
  • Tile: Tile floors are beautiful but fragile. They require careful care to prevent damage and maintain their elegant appearance.
    • Wipe your feet. Dirt and mud tracked inside the house on your shoes will make your tile floors look filthy. Keep doormats near every entrance to your home to clean your shoes.
    • Sweep your tiled floor regularly. Dirt can become difficult to remove if not cleaned frequently. If you use your vacuum, be sure to use the proper attachments so you don't scratch your tile.
    • To wash your floor, use a warm, damp mop and tile cleaner.
    • Seal the grout twice a year. In between sealings, clean grout with a toothbrush and an even mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide.
    • Avoid using plain soap, vinegar-based cleaners, and scouring pads. Regular soap may leave behind a residue, vinegar dulls your tile, and scouring pads will scratch the tile's delicate surface.
  • Hardwood floors: Hardwood floors are beautiful and classy, but they are also the most difficult type of floor to maintain. Keep your hardwood floors stunning with these tips.
    • Make sure that the floor's finish is fully cured (seven to 90 days depending on the type of finish) before placing any rugs on the floor. Not doing so will cause a permanent "rug print" in the finish. It's also helpful to use felt or natural rubber rug pads under any rug on your hardwood floor to protect it from pressure.
    • Use felt glides on furniture legs to protect the floor's finish from scratches, scuffs, or other unsightly marks.
    • Always promptly wipe up spills with a dry cloth to prevent water damage to your wood. In case of sticky or dark-coloured spills, lightly dampen a clean towel with plain water to clean the stain and quickly dry with another towel.
    • Vacuum, sweep and mop regularly. Never use a vacuum's beater bar--it will scratch the floor and damage the finish. Beware also of vacuum wheels--always move any cumbersome items across the floor with care.

Other Tips

  • Clean and replace your home's filters monthly. This means your furnace, stove hood, air conditioner, and dryer vent.
  • Inspect windows and doors for draft-causing cracks and replace seals as needed.
  • Clean fireplaces and inspect chimneys for loose or missing mortar. Chimneys should be professionally cleaned once a year.
  • Create a file for all appliance instruction manuals and keep a record of all maintenance and repairs.
  • Touch up your walls--any scratches or chips in the paint can be easily fixed with a little fresh paint. Clean walls regularly with a little soap and water to remove fingerprints, smudges and stains.

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on June 24, 2015

TopMoving.ca - Moving Expert
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