Furniture Cure

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 628, 3 April 1929, Page 7

Furniture Cure

LINSEED OIL MAY BE USED FOR LEATHER UPHOLSTERY

CLEANING COVERS We all love a “comfy” chair and a soft-cushioned settee, but we do not always treat these “restgiving” devices with the care and attention they richly deserve. Loose cushions should be turned daily to give equal wear on both sides, and should be removed from the chairs or couch occasionally and put in the air for a “blow.” “Fixed.” cushions and padded chairs need frequent cleaning. It is not enough to rub over the surface with a cloth. This only removes the dust; the grit and dirt is daily pressed further into the interior every time the furniture is used. This deeply embedded dirt and grit is not only unhealthy, but is also destructive, as the grit cuts into the fibres of the material and gradually weakens it. The crevices and dark corners of well-padded chairs also make ideal depositories for moth eggs. There is only one really satisfactory method of cleaning upholstered and "stuffed” furniture, and that is by means of a vacuum cleaner. Nothing but strong suction will persuade the snugly imbedded dust to come to the surface and be removed. No dirt can, however, withstand the sucking power of a. good suction cleaner, and it is only necessary to Inspect the dust bag and Its contents after a cleaning of the furlnture to make one realise how necessary such a cleaning Is! Special tools are employed on the cleaner to get into crevices and down the sides of chairs and couches. WASHING CRETONNE Loose covers, if of cretonne, can be washed at home quite successfully if bran water is used. To make this tie a pint of bran loosely in a muslin bag and cover with two quarts of cold water. Let this simmer on the stove for half an hour, then add a third to the washing water and the two-thirds to the first and second rinsing waters respectively. The bran cleanses, revives the colour and slightly stiffens. Chintz can also be homecleaned without much trouble. Spread a large cloth bath towel over the table and place the chintz upon it. Have ready a pall of hot water and several rubbers. Wring out one of these rubbers until it is nearly dry and apply it to the chintz. Then rub some carpet soap over the damp portion. The soap not only cleans the chintz but prevents the colour from fading. Wring another cloth in the water and apply to the soapy part, which will then produce a lather. Next a dry cloth which has previously been placed in the oven or in front of a fire to become slightly hot should be wiped over the chintz to remove the soap and make the material partially dry. Fold each portion carefully as it is finished. When one side is done reverse the material and clean the other side in the same way in portions, folding again after the dry rub. When both sides are successfully cleaned the chintz should be placed, if possible, over a hot-water cistern, when it will become thoroughly dry. SHABBY LEATHER Leather upholstery gets shabby and worn-looking after a time, but it can be thoroughly rejuvenated if treated in the following day: Heat half a pint of linseed oil in a tin standing in a saucepan of water over the fire. Allow this to cool down, and then stir in the same amount of vinegar. Shake up well in a bottle, and apply a few drops to a flannel and rub the leather with it.