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How To Care For Your Soft Furnishings: A Complete Guide
Interior Design & Decor5 minutes read
114188 views
114188 views
While soft furnishings may be relatively low maintenance, they do require regular care. Soft furnishings may include, but are not limited to, items such as curtains, rugs, bean bags, cushions and sheets. Since all soft furnishings are made from some variety of fabric, most would instinctively choose to dump them in the washing machine. While certain soft furnishings can definitely be washed in a machine, the more delicate varieties need to be handled with some tender loving care. Read on to find out how you can care for your soft furnishings.
Curtains
Interior Designer: Unity ID
Crucial in filtering out excess light and heat, curtains are a vital part of any household. No matter what they’re made of, there are some basic tips to follow in taking care of them.
●
Curtains do need to be protected
from excessive sunlight, especially if they are of a darker shade. In places
with maximum exposure to sunlight, place light-coloured curtains as they are
less likely to fade.
●
Use a vacuum cleaner to gently
siphon off dust from your curtains on a weekly basis. Pay special attention to
the edges of the curtains. Dust tends to accumulate in those areas.
● Ask your curtain provider or check care labels for instructions on how to clean them. For sheer or lace curtains, either handwash them or put them in a mesh bag during machine wash. All washable curtains must be washed with cold water. Be sure to iron your curtains on a low heat after having washed them, especially if they are made of delicate material. Wash your curtains every three months.
Cushions
Interior Designer: Gladwin
●
Before dunking your cushions into
cold water, remove all dust, debris and any other junk that may have gotten
attached to the surface. Remove the cushion cover and either wipe it down with
a sponge or gently machine-wash with warm water. Do not make the mistake of
putting the entire cushion itself into the washing machine.
●
Use a vacuum or soft brush to
clean your cushions on a weekly basis.
Rugs
Interior Designer: My Reno Diary
●
If you want your rugs to retain
their soft and fluffy feel, you must take proper care of them. Since cleaning
out rugs is a challenging and time-consuming task, you might want to leave it
to the experts. If money is an issue, there are effective ways of caring for
your carpets. Every week, use a vacuum cleaner or a brush to remove debris such
as hair and dust.
● Use carpet shampoo and a sponge to scrub and clean the surface thoroughly.
Bedsheets
Interior Designer: Butterpaperstudio
●
One spends more time on their
bedsheets than any upholstery item. Think of all cells, oil and sweat that
accumulate on your bedding – you should be changing your sheets a lot more often. While the labels on most sheets will have instructions on how to care
for them, there are a few foolproof methods for cleaning your sheets if you’ve
decided to skip reading the instruction manual.
●
Most sheets can be washed in a
washing machine, preferably in warm water as you’d want to kill all germs and bacteria.
Be sure to wash light and dark coloured sheets separately in case the colours run.
● To prevent the growth of a microscopic botanical garden from flourishing in your sheets, wash your sheets twice a week. Once, if there is no air-conditioner in your room.
Bean Bags
Photo via Pinterest
●
Bean bags may come in a variety of
materials, but the basic step in cleaning all bean bags is wiping down the
cover with a damp cloth to remove dust and debris. For a more thorough
cleaning, gently scrub the cover of the bean bag with a brush soaked in warm
water and soap. Do this every three to six months.
● For easy cleaning, go for bean bags with removable covers that are machine washable.
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