Since I have two young children, four teens, two dogs, and three parakeets, it’s just not the right season of life for me to buy brand new furniture. I buy secondhand and then try to take care of it – or cover it – until I get my money’s worth out of it. Here are some articles that will help you take care of your furniture, whether it is wood, leather, microsuede, stained, stinky, and more! Just click on the title of the article to read the complete answer.
How to Care for Acacia Wood
We are young, and with a house full of Ikea furniture it did not even dawn on us that we would have to take special care with our new lovely table in this dry, desert climate. We did some googling and found that it is recommended to use a wax on acacia wood. However, my husband’s parents said NOT to use a wax but an oil instead. Help!
How to Care for Leather Furniture
What is the best way to care for a leather couch? I have had my leather couch and loveseat for four years, and they have held up well, but a few scratches are starting to show up. What can I do to keep them looking good in the long run?
How to Clean a Couch
I have tile floors and a couch, this sounds normal enough, but the couch slips and slides all over the tile and drives me crazy. How do I stop the couch from sliding? And the cushions, don’t get me started on the cushions, why won’t they stay on my couch? While we’re talking about couches, is there a specific way I should be cleaning mine?
How to Clean Microsuede Furniture
I have tan microsuede dining room chairs and, with four children, you can imagine what they look like. I’ve looked, but there isn’t a cleaning recommendation tag on them. What is the best way to clean them?
How To Fix A Stained White Dresser
We have a lovely bedroom set of furniture from a big box baby store. In white. One sick child + one classic orange popsicle + one apparently cracked emesis basin + one day = one bright orange stain on the white dresser. I tried a diaper wipe thinking the mess was still wet. It wasn’t. Then I hit it with one clorox wipe. Haha. HELP!!!
How To Remove Cat Hair From Furniture
We are getting a sofa and two chairs from my brother-in-law today. I know they will be covered in cat hair. I’m allergic to cats. Do you have any good tips for getting as much cat hair as possible off of the furniture fabric??
How To Remove Cigarette Odor From A Couch
The set appeared to be in great shape, and I got the furniture for what appeared to be a bargain. When I got them in place in my basement rec room, I noticed a horrible odor of cigarette smoke emanating from both pieces of furniture. They are upholstered pieces with foam cushions. Do you have any idea how I can get rid of the cigarette smell?
How to Remove Feces ( Poop ) from Upholstery and Fabric
Do you have any tips for cleaning poop off of the cover of a cloth bean bag chair? The tag reads “Do not open under any circumstance.” It’s a $20 bean bag chair from Target and I don’t just want to “get anodder one” as my toddler suggests. As you may have guessed, the toddler was the poop culprit.
How to Remove Urine from an Upholstered Couch
Help!! Our adorable, yet slightly dumb dog has decided to use back of our lovely microfiber couch as a toilet! We contacted the manufacturer, who suggested spot cleaning the urine stained area with diluted dish soap. This got the stains out. Unfortunately, the smell of pee still remains. I’ve (unsuccessfully) tried some pet cleaner and multiple soakings with Febreze, but it just won’t go away!
How to Keep Fur off of the Furniture
My cats seem to drop enough fur to make a few new cats on my furniture every day. It’s ridiculous. How can I both prevent this and keep my furniture fur-free?
How to Remove Musty / Mildew Odor from Furniture
I recently retrieved a table from my garage that was stored for about a year and it smells like there could be a mold or mildew issue. How do I clean the table to remove any traces and the odor of mold and mildew?
How to Remove Wax and Silicone Build Up
My mother has wax build up on an antique secretary. It is a dark wood with a shiny surface. Over many years of waxing the wax has built up and in places the shine has dulled. Can you help?
How to Remove Candle Wax from Fabric
I accidentally spilled some candle wax on my favorite pair of jeans. What should I do to get it out?
How to Remove Grease from Upholstery
My husband works in a kitchen, so he comes home sweaty and covered with kitchen grease and steam and all that good stuff (Ivy, you know what I’m talking about). After a year and a half of him coming home exhausted and flopping into his beloved chair, we’ve got a nice dark mark right where his head rests.
How To Remove Heat Marks From Furniture
At Thanksgiving I was being so careful not to put anything down with out a trivet but then I did it- I knocked over one of my candles and spilled wax all over it. There’s now a huge white mark from the heat of the wax. Is the finish of my table completely ruined? Is there anything I can do?
How to Remove Ink from Upholstered Furniture
My three year old son decided it would be fun to draw on our car upholstery with black pen. In the past I have been able to use hairspray on crayon with wonderful success (couch and table cloth), but I have never attempted it on pen. Any tips or am I better of just leaving the unsightly mess? I’d hate to try something and have it look worse.
How to Remove A Musty Odor from Dresser Drawers
An old roommate of mine borrowed a dresser from me and used it while we lived together. After she gave it back the drawers had a musty smell that I couldn’t get rid of. If I put any clothes in the drawers they come out smelling funky and musty too. What should I do??
How To Remove Dried Milk From Wood
How does one remove dried milk from wood? Every low surface in my kitchen (chair legs, table legs, cabinets) is full of dried milk spots from spills that always go farther and cover more area than you can initially see. No matter how I try to clean them, I get the same result: it looks clean while it’s still wet and I think I’ve won, but as soon as it dries, the spots are still all there!
How To Handle A Nail Polish Remover Spill
My daughter spilled finger nail polish remover on her dresser. What can I do to repair it?
