Shopping is the simple part for some — the excitement of the pursuit, the flutter of excitement in bringing a new treasure home, choosing a new paint colour or stuff for a remodel. However, what happens to these finds and finishes months or years later? Before you give in to the impulse to shop for new stuff, consider some home maintenance to flaunt what you have in the best possible light. You may discover that after giving what you already have a little additional TLC, your craving to get new stuff fades. You never know; you might even find yourself falling for your home and decoration all over again.
8Foot6
1. Maintain upholstery. Routine maintenance can go a long way toward keeping upholstery looking as good as new for as long as possible. Vacuum the cloth and rotate cushions every time you clean the living area, and clean spills and fix small tears right away.
Even if a stain has been there for a long time, it may still often be eliminated with stain remover or hydrogen peroxide; treat it repeatedly until it stinks. Just make sure you test new cleaning products onto a less-visible area of cloth first.
Lucy Interior Design
2. Remove scuff marks and touch up paint. Little things such as scuff marks from shoes and bags, tiny dings and chipped corners are able to make a room feel exhausted outside. Spend a day scrubbing, patching and touching up paint, and you will notice a major difference.
Tara Bussema – Neat Organization and Design
3. Make furniture glow. If you can’t recall the last time you polished your wood furniture, doing so will probably cause you to wonder why you do not do it all the time — the difference is wonderful.
The type of finish on your furniture will decide what you use to polish it. Midcentury teak bits are often finished with acrylic independently, so simply rubbing in a little more teak oil from time to time will suffice. Finished wood bits may respond well to a furniture paste or wax — read the directions thoroughly before trying any new product.
Sutro Architects
4. Remove from marble. This porous coating is prone to discoloration, so it is important to wash up spills immediately. Of course, there are times that just does not happen. Regardless of how or when it happened, there still might be hope for restoring the beauty of your marble. Examine the graph available in the Marble Institute of America for methods of removing all sorts of stains. If you still can’t get out it, call a pro — enhancing the counters you’ve got is still less expensive than getting new ones.
Powell Construction
5. Care for wood counters. Remove scratches and stains in your own wood countertops by gently sanding the region; then rub in a food-grade mineral oil using a soft rag. To prevent future harm, always use trivets under hot things, wipe up spills quickly and cut things on cutting boards, not on the counter.
Step by step: How to clean and care for your butcher block
Crisp Architects
6. Refresh old wood flooring. Even in the event that you don’t want to have your wood floors refinished, there are still ways to make them look their best. What you use to refresh your flooring will depend on the sort of finish your wood floors have.
Flooring with a natural oil-rubbed finish can be shined up using wood oil. Really old, worn flooring may do well with a wax. Floors finished with polyurethane can be cleaned using a solution of white vinegar and water. Just avoid getting the flooring really wet by applying the option using a barely damp mop and wiping dry with a towel immediately after. Excess water on wood flooring of any kind can potentially cause harm.
Moger Mehrhof Architects
7. Refluff rugs rugs. Fluffy rugs like flokatis and sheepskins seem amazing when you first bring them home, but … less amazing after several months of wear and tear. Most little all-natural flokati and sheepskin rugs may be hand washed (or perhaps machine washed on delicate) in mild soap and then air dried.
Between washings, only shake out and brush your carpeting with a puppy brush. Just make sure you read the cleaning instructions before settling on a method.
Sutro Architects
8. Deep clean wall-to-wall carpeting. Routine vacuuming and spot cleaning can get you only so far. Every once in a while, it pays to lease, borrow or purchase a steam cleaner to present your carpeting a deep clean. To help the flooring dry as fast and thoroughly as possible, wait to get a dry afternoon and set up a dehumidifier in the area then.
Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc..
9. Condition leather. Leather furniture may actually look better with age, given it’s properly cared for. Use a leather conditioner a couple of times each year to maintain the leather from drying and cracking.
Keep it looking fresh by vacuuming buffing with a dry microfiber fabric as needed. Wipe up spills as soon as they happen, using a sterile cloth to soak up any liquid.
Chango & Co..
10. Brighten whites. Slipcovers, pillow covers, curtains, towels and more can all use a good refreshing from time to time. If you do not want to use chlorine bleach in your whites, try out an oxygen – or hydrogen peroxide–based nonchlorine bleach instead.
Josephine Design LLC
11. Touch appliances up. Years of usage can create all kinds of scratches and stains on the once-pristine finish of the washer and dryer. If brand new appliances are not in the cards, then think about painting yours using a product intended for the undertaking, such as the Appliance Enamel paint from Rust-Oleum. You might also use appliance paint worn-out finishes from the kitchen, from the refrigerator to the counter tops. Don’t use it on surfaces that get hot, such as stovetops.
Terracotta Design Build
12. Stock up for proper care. Beyond your usual cleaning tools, in case there are any particular items which would make it a lot easier to take care of your home and possessions, go ahead and make the investment. In case you have a lot of carpeting, for example, a good steam cleaner might be a worthy addition. Leather conditioner, wood oil, furniture polish — having the small things you need at hand can help you keep your home looking its best.
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