Take Some Basic Care Advice For Furniture

By: Jerry Taylor

Nice furniture is just so nice to have, is it not? It makes a house a home, an office a destination, and a room a place to enjoy as true living space. It can also be a heavy investment, but with care can last may long years. So protect your interests by taking some basic care advice for furniture.

Whether it is the home or office you are outfitting, remember that our furnishing in part define us, and it is wise to decorate with an eye toward the image you would like to project. Whether it is homey or edgy, traditional or modern, think of how it shows on you, and protect this image with care.

Always opt for the highest quality you can afford. Furnishings come in many grades of durability, and they will become apparent in short order if they are less than ideal. Couches will sag, tables will tilt, and desk drawers will get stuck. Get the very best you can, even if it means buying high quality used over less expensive new.

Once the furniture is in its designated building, go the extra distance with your investment by getting any of the many protective goods available for it. There are wood protectors, cleaners for metals and vinyl, upholstery protectors and washers, and even those plastic slipcovers if you will be out of town for a while. These will add life and years to your goods, and keep you looking sharp.

A good thing to take into consideration are the weather possibilities in the space your are furnishing. This is by no means limited to outdoors decorating. Sunshine streaming through the windows may be beautiful to look at, but it may bleach out the colors on upholstery. Damp basement dens and attic recreational rooms can be damp and promote fungal growth and pest problems associated with moisture. Keep these things in mind when placing those furnishings about.

Pets, even the most beloved of them, can wreak havoc on your sofas and chairs. Puppies are notorious for chewing on table and chair legs, cats with clawing the drapes and pillows. Some unspayed or neutered animals like to mark their territory with bodily fluids, which not only stink, but also can ruin fabrics and finishes. Even fish bowls have possible problems if they get knocked over somehow. Love you pets, yes, but love your furniture, too.

Good old fashioned cleanliness may be the very best solution for the care of your goods. Soap and water are miraculous problem solvers, if applied judiciously. Keep woods polished, and metals shined. Wipe up spills as soon as they occur so they will not set. Vacuum the grooves and crevices of things. Get in the good habit of dusting the pieces regularly. Clean goods simply last longer, as they are continually cared for. While you are at it, tighten up those loose screws, too.

Again, new furnishings are an investment. Like all investments they should be well cared for. By heeding some basic care advice for furniture; you can look forward to a long lasting relationship with your surroundings.