Top 5 Ways To Fix Furniture After Holiday Beating
DETROIT (WWJ) - Over the holidays we open our hearts, homes and sleeper sofas to the people we love. But after all the holiday merriment, after the guests have left, homeowners realize it's the furniture that bore the brunt of the celebration.
It's got to be fixed, but how and where to start?
Michael Wilson, CEO of Fibrenew -- which specializes in the renewal of leather and plastics -- said they see a big increase in the damage of leather furniture this time of year with all the holiday parties.
"Clumsy guests cause damage, but the worst disasters are caused by homeowners who don't know the best ways to clean up a mess and repair a problem," Wilson said in a statement. "Part of our job as leather and plastics experts is to serve as a resource, helping people understand what problems they can handle on their own and when they need to call a professional."
There are several types of leather, and the following tips apply to all fully-finished leather:
1) INK : Your nephew, tries out his new marker set by drawing Spongebob on your leather couch. You become a crabby Patty and scramble to clean it up.
• DON'T use dish soap or hair spray to remove the marks. The degreasing agents in dish soap can permanently de-gloss and damage the top coating on the leather surface. Hair spray has alcohol in it and will ruin the surface coating on your leather.
• DO use a soft sponge and specialized leather cleaner. Buy it at most leather furniture retailers – but for serious problems your local Fibrenew franchise can help.
2) NAIL POLISH: You try to sexy up those toenails, but you end up polishing a couch cushion instead.
• DON'T use nail polish remover because it will take all of the color out of your leather and leave a bleached spot bigger than the nail polish spot.
• DO use a soft sponge and leather cleaner.
3) FOOD OR WINE STAIN: Your brother-in-law eats an entire pizza and drops a greasy cheese and his fifth glass of wine on your leather loveseat.
• DON'T use window/mirror cleaner because it contains alcohol which will dissolve and destroy the surface coating on your leather.
• DO use a damp towel to wipe up the mess and a dry one to finish the job. Fully-finished leather is pretty much water proof, so a little spill isn't going to hurt as long as you clean up quickly before it soaks through.
4) ANIMAL SCRATCHES AND PICKS: For the purr-fect gift, Santa brings your kids a kitty, complete with claws to test on the leather couch.
• DON'T touch up the spots with shoe polish because it makes an ugly, sticky mess.
• DO try to reduce the visibility of the problem by snipping off the cotton interior strands that often get pulled out when leather gets picked. DO use a hair dryer and massage minor scratches with leather cleaner to try to rub it out. Call a professional to fix larger scratches and holes - this is not a DIY kind of job.
5) BURNS AND DISCOLORATION: Uncle Milt dropped his cigarette ashes on the couch.
• DON'T try to rub it out and blend it with the surrounding area, you'll only make the problem bigger.
• DO bring in some help. When leather or faux leather gets damaged by heat, the only solution is to call in a professional. Regardless of size, a professional repair can make that burn look brand new and can be done on the spot in your own home.
