What kinds of chores do you think of when you hear the phrase 'spring cleaning' Chances are you imagine major, labor-intensive undertakings such as clearing the gutters of debris, swapping out the storm windows for screens, and cleaning the interior of the house from top to bottom.
While those are all jobs you should certainly attend to if required, we want to remind you that this is also a good time to do those once-in-a-while furniture maintenance tasks necessary for keeping your living room, dining room, and bedroom sets in the best shape possible.
To make sure you don't forget anything, we've compiled this handy spring cleaning checklist for furniture that you can refer to as you work:
- Identify any unused or unwanted furniture and tag those pieces for disposal via yard sale, Craigslist, or Goodwill.
- Inspect your remaining furniture for ripped or torn upholstery, nonworking moveable parts, missing components, and other flaws. Then either repair the damage yourself or make an appointment with a professional to do the job.
- Move bigger and heavier furniture (such as sofas and entertainment centers) so you can vacuum or sweep under those pieces, making sure to inspect and clean the walls behind them as well.
- Steam clean or shampoo the carpeting in heavily trafficked rooms.
- Take area rugs into the yard to shake out dust, pet hair, and debris, and then leave the rugs in the sun for a few hours to freshen.
- Clean and treat the upholstery on couches, armchairs, chaises, and ottomans according to material type. For example, vacuum fabric, wipe down vinyl and "pleather" with a mixture of warm water and mild liquid detergent, and apply conditioner to leather items.
- Strip the linens off your bed so you can vacuum the dust, dead skin cells, and mites from the mattress. When finished, flip or turn the mattress to help ensure even wear.
- Pull your patio furniture, barbecue grill, and other yard accessories out of storage to prepare them for use.
This may sound like a lot of work, but bear in mind that you only have to follow this checklist once or twice a year and the reward is well worth it in terms of enhancing the beauty and lengthening the lifespan of your favorite pieces. So print out our spring cleaning guide now and get busy tending to your furniture!
