When you furnish your home with nice pieces and especially if you invest in custom furniture, it is important to take care of it. Use the following tried and true tips to keep your home in mint condition.
Wood Floors
To clean wood floors, use Bona® Hardwood Floor Cleaner. Also, invest in a good dust mop that will pick up lint, dust and dirt. Start by vacuuming and using the dust mop and then spray the floor with Bona and wipe up with a cleaning pad or soft cloth. Excess liquid and wood floors don’t pair well together so a light misting of Bona is all you need.
Ceramic & Porcelain Tile
Sweep or vacuum regularly as small particles of dirt can be ground into the floor. Make sure to use a vacuum without a beater bar to avoid dulling and scratching the tiles. Vacuum attachments are also useful to help suck up dirt between tiles and behind furniture. Your ceramic and porcelain tile should be damp mopped using a manufacturer recommended grout and tile cleaner. For heavier soil, spot clean the floor with a sponge or clean cloth using the same recommended cleaners.
Carpets and Rugs
Keep your carpets and rugs vacuumed and free of dust, hair and dirt that is tracked in from outdoors and can get ground into the material. Use a good vacuum like a Dyson or Shark for weekly cleaning. For stains, try club soda. I always keep a bottle on hand. Soak the stain with the bubbly liquid and let it sit and foam for about thirty seconds. Lift stain and club soda with a dray towel by gently blotting. This should significantly reduce if not eliminate the stain completely. This method works best on a fresh spill.
Upholstery
Make sure to keep your upholstered furniture vacuumed. Use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum which should look like a brush. Fluff pillows weekly and if sofa and chair cushions can be turned over do that every month or two for even wear. Should a bigger emergency arise, a carpet/upholstery care service should be able to help with hard to remove stains.
Wood Furniture
Simply dusting wood furniture without any product is an important first step in keeping the pieces clean. Use a soft rag or feather duster to remove dust particles that can otherwise build up and cause scratches. Only after dusting should you use a soft rag and a few drops of oil. Make sure to rub the product in gently until the surface is not oily. Do not overuse the product. I use oils such as Old English®, tung oil or beeswax.
All photos by Erika Bierman Photography.