Have Your Upholstery Live a Long and Happy Life

Upholstered furniture can turn a house into a home, giving it style and comfort. But upholstery suffers in the wear and tear process just like all your other furnishings. How do you keep this from happening too quickly and maintain the inviting look of your furniture?

The trick is frequent steps in maintenance, all the more so if you have young kids and pets
at home.

Choose wisely

Begin by choosing the right fabric for your home and lifestyle. There are different types of fabrics that upholstery comes in and you should understand what type would be suitable for each part of your house. For example, in high traffic areas of your house, synthetic fibres would be an appropriate choice. Avoid fabric with heavy texturing if your pets are going to make themselves at home in it.

Protect your upholstery

Turn over loose cushions frequently and change their placement on the furniture. This will delay the formation of unsightly dents in your cushions. Fluff them after they’ve been cleaned to maintain their shape.

Keep your upholstery fabric out of the sun. Frequent exposure to harsh sunlight can cause fabrics to fade. Be especially careful with delicate material like silk. Keep your upholstered furniture away from pollutants such as smoke and kitchen fumes as much as possible. Proper ventilation can go a long way in odour control, too.

Clean with care

Follow instructions for cleaning that you should find on the label of the upholstery or in the
user manual.

Spills:
Spills, spots, and stains are inevitable. Gently blot spills with a clean towel. Placing paper towels underneath the fabric that has been soiled can help keep the spill from spreading and make your cleaning process quicker.

The next step is to deal with staining if any. If you’re using a liquid-based cleaner, run a patch test in an inconspicuous part of the fabric, first. Apply it in a circular motion and remove all soap residue to prevent the fabric from attracting dust after it has been cleaned. Dry the area out and finish by vacuuming.

Vacuum:
Vacuum your upholstered furniture at least once a week to prevent dust, soil, and dirt from getting embedded in the fibres. You can even start by using a soft brush to remove dirt that’s more visible. In case of pet hair, you may find a brush sold at a pet store, especially for this purpose.

Professional cleaning

The above steps are essential for regular maintenance of upholstery. However, there’s no substitute to having it cleaned professionally every year or two.

For deep-cleaning of upholstered furniture or for restoring upholstery that’s suffered from spills and staining, call Classique ChemDry on 1800 213 006. We operate in Bungendore, Crookwell, Goulburn, Yass, Gunning, Marulan, Collector and surrounding areas of NSW. We will help your home look welcoming again.

Special Care for Special Rugs

Regular cleaning of area rugs is important for keeping them in good condition, as well as for maintaining a clean and healthy home. Some rugs require special care and your first step should be to look for a care label that might give instructions on cleaning. If instructions are not provided, here are a few tips on specialty care for rugs. 

Wool

Wool rugs are durable, soft and are a beautiful addition to your home, but are subject to wear and tear especially if placed in high-traffic areas.

Wool shed easily, especially in the first few months. Vacuum two to four times a month, but make sure not to use a vacuum with a beater bar. Over vacuuming or harsh vacuuming irritates wool and damages the fibres.

Spills, stains and your pet’s business on the rug must be given prompt attention to save the rug from permanent damage. First, remove any solid dirt, whether dried mud or food solids. Then, remove any excess liquid using a paper towel or a dry rag. With a solution of dish soap with water, and in some cases white vinegar, gently blot away the stain.
Lastly, dab the area dry, air dry or dry with a cold air fan.

Avoid placing your woolen rug in direct sunlight for long periods of time. It will cause the colour to fade, more so if it is dark. Rotate your rug periodically to protect it from damage from natural light. Use a rug pad underneath for protection and traction.

Artificial Silk

If you thought you needed to be careful when cleaning woolen rugs, artificial silk rugs require an even gentler approach because of the delicate nature of the fibres. Avoid abrasive cleaning, vacuum regularly & gently, and do not rub or scrub the rugs.

Staining and spillages must be dealt with immediately. Use a spoon to scoop up solid items that have spilled onto the rug, without scraping it. Liquid spills should be blotted with clean, white cloth or a paper towel to absorb as much of the liquid as possible. In case of staining, use a very gentle cleaner that has already been tested on the rug’s fabric. Leave the rug to air dry and do not use heat, as it may damage the rug.

Leather

Moisture and heat are no friend to your leather rugs and abrasive cleaning could damage them. Leather rugs must be shaken out to remove loose dirt instead of vacuuming. Follow up by cleaning them with a soft hand brush.

To wash, spray a solution of 5% white vinegar and 95% water and clean using a soft sponge. For stain removal, your safest bet is a leather cleaner, after running a test on a small, inconspicuous part of the rug. In all cases, ensure that you dry the rug immediately, using a dry rag. Air dry thoroughly before using.

Air drying your leather rugs in the sun once in every few months is also good, but don’t leave them out for more than an hour or two.

Similarly, avoid placing your leather rugs in direct sunlight for long periods of time, as heat and light cracks the skin.

Handmade

Place a nylon screen over your handmade rug and then vacuum over the screen, carefully.

These tips are great for regular upkeep of your rugs. But if you want your rugs to last long and serve well, do not hesitate to call a cleaning professional every two or three years. We, at Classique ChemDry, are a team of experts in area rug cleaning. Call us on 1800213006 and visit our website to find out more about our services.

Classique ChemDry’s Hot Carbonating Extraction vs. Conventional Steam Cleaning

Sure, everybody can clean a carpet. But we, Classique ChemDry, chose to do things a bit differently. We take pride in being able to deliver a natural, longer lasting carpet cleaning solution than traditional steam cleaning. We aim to provide you with the best cleaning possible with the unique Hot Carbonating Extraction method. Let us now talk about how our process outperforms traditional steam cleaning.

Classique ChemDry has one focus in mind - Clean and healthy home. We have green certified solutions, proprietary equipment and professionally trained technicians who understand individual needs of a home. Our cleaning crew ensures that your carpets get deep cleaned and stay cleaner for longer. Our primary mission is to provide a safe, clean home for you and your family to live in. The first difference between conventional steam cleaning and our unique process is the type of cleaning equipment used. The former process of cleaning involves pumping a high volume of soapy water into your carpet at extremely high pressures. This, along with moderately cleaning the carpet can also damage the fibres by burying some of the dirt deeper into the carpet. Classique ChemDry’s HCE process uses significantly less water - in fact, 80% less water and does a much better job at cleaning without damaging the carpet since it operates at low pressures.

Secondly, the products that are used while cleaning have a significant effect on how effectively the cleaning process is carried out and for how long the carpet stays clean. Most carpet cleaning methods involve detergent and leave a soapy residue on the carpet. This further attracts dust and results in the carpet getting dirty shortly after the cleaning job is done. On the other hand, Classique ChemDry’s proprietary cleaner is made from natural ingredients and doesn’t include any soap or detergent, so there is no dirt attracting residue left behind.

Thirdly, since a lot of water is used in steam cleaning, the carpet takes a longer time to completely dry up. Our process, on the contrary, uses 1/5th amount of water hence the carpet dries up in no time. We are, without doubt, the best carpet cleaners you can get to service your carpets. Reach out to us on 1800 213 006 for a free quote or visit us at www.classiquechemdry.com.au to know more about our services.

10 Tips to prevent a kitchen fire

The kitchen is known to be the most common source of a house fire. Hence, it is important to take some preventive measures to minimise the possibility of a kitchen fire and the risks involved. Below are tips that will help to avoid a kitchen fire.

1. Whether you're grilling, frying, or baking, do not leave the cooking food unattended. Keep an eye on the stove or oven while the food is being cooked. If you must leave the kitchen, make sure you turn off the stove or oven.

2. Use a timer in order to remember there is food cooking on the stove or in the oven.

3. While deep frying, don't overfill the pan with oil.

4. Roll up long, flowing sleeves and take extra care when wearing nylon clothing. Also, keep long hair tied up while cooking.

5. Items like paper towels, pot holders, oven mitts, plastic bags and other flammables must be kept away from your stove and oven.

6. Grease build up is inflammable. Hence, clean the surfaces and wipe up all spills after cooking. Ensure the stove is kept clean and grease free.

7. It is advisable to have a fire extinguisher in or near your kitchen, stored in a cool place.

8. Before you step out of your home, check the stove, oven and other heat-generating appliances and make sure they are turned off. Ensure you do the same before you go to bed.

9. Install a smoke detector near your kitchen - in the sitting area, bedroom, etc. Check it every month by using the test button. Have the batteries replaced every year.

10. Unplug electrical appliances like oven, toaster, microwave, mixer as soon as you see some sparks.

If a fire breaks out in your kitchen, call the fire department immediately. For repair and restoration of property call Classique ChemDry on 1800 213 006. Our experienced professionals will quickly and effectively remediate the fire damaged property.