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Taking care of your new furniture
When you purchase your new furniture from Furniture Village, as with most things in life, prevention is better than cure, so we would like to offer you a few helpful suggestions to get the most out of your furniture and keep it in prime condition for longer.
Care of Cushions
All reversible seat and back cushions should be ‘tidied and dressed’ turning daily. All seat cushions, foam, fibre and feather need to be ‘plumped and dressed’ to minimise the ‘natural’ settlement and flattening that will occur over time. Switching positions where possible will help prevent excessive wear to one side. Where seats are fixed try and alternate your seating so that your collection wears evenly.
Sunlight and Heat
Direct sunlight can cause your furniture covering to fade and deteriorate, place your furniture out of prolonged direct sunlight to protect it. Avoid where possible placing your upholstery too close to fires or radiators.
Correct Use
Sofas and chairs are designed around a conventional seating posture; sitting on the edge of cushions or on the arms may cause permanent damage to the cushions or frame as will children using them as a trampoline!
Certain dyes used in clothing, such as indigo dyes used in denim are not always colour fast and these dyes can transfer to either fabric or leather upholstery even through short term contact. Care should be taken to avoid this, particularly in the case of denim clothing on lighter coloured upholstery materials and leathers. Some heavy clothing fabrics can prove abrasive to upholstery.
Beware of sharp objects such as buckles, toys, jewellery and domestic pets’ claws as these can easily snag fabrics and produce tears and pulls. If a snag occurs don’t pull it, cut it off with a pair of scissors.
Recliner Kickboards
Kick back and relax on your new recliner; however, you will be much more comfortable without shoes or using slippers as shoes and polishes can mark and damage kickboards if care is not taken.
Recliner Mechanisms/Sofa Bed Mechanisms
Warning – before use ensure children, pets, hands and other objects are clear of the mechanism.
Spots and Spills
If accidents occur then always act quickly. Do not rub or soak the material or allow the stain to set in. Absorb the spillage using a clean white absorbent cloth. Where solids are concerned, remove the excess with a blunt knife or spatula, being careful not to spread before dabbing the stain. Do not use washing up liquid, detergents or bleach to remove stains. Some specialist upholstery cleaners and shampoos can be of benefit to remove stains, always read the manufacturers care instructions before use. It is also advisable to test the cleaner on a hidden area of fabric before use to ensure its suitability. As prevention is better than cure, Furniture Village recommends the use of Guardsman Fabric Protections and cleaning products.
Regular Cleaning - Fabrics
Dust and dirt can cause fabrics to prematurely wear and fade. This can be avoided by careful brushing with a soft brush, then vacuuming using the correct attachment – usually on a weekly basis. Velvets and Chenille should be brushed in the direction of the pile.
Major Cleaning - Fabrics
It is difficult to give general advice on doing this yourself; we therefore recommend any major cleaning to be undertaken by a recognised upholstery cleaning specialist such as your local Safeclean Service Centre. They can provide a professional and expert cleaning and care service using a completely unique organic cleaning system that outperforms chemical detergents and environmentally damaging solvents. For your local centre call Freephone 0800 585693 or visit www.safeclean.co.uk.
The effectiveness of specialist cleaning will depend on the degree of soiling. It is therefore advisable to have this done before the fabric becomes too engrained with dirt. Under no circumstances attempt to wash cushion covers or use the dry cleaning machine at your local laundrette unless specifically instructed to do so by the manufacturers care instructions. All dry cleanable materials have to pass BS1006 for colour fastness, however it is inevitable that after regular dry cleaning a slight colour variation will occur, for this reason it is best to have all items cleaned at the same time where possible.
Chenille and Velvet - Fabrics
These are pile fabrics and the flattening and some shading of some heavy wear areas is unavoidable. Vacuuming and the use of a soft brush regularly will help. Some acrylic velvets have a softness and lustre created by the thick surface pile of the fabric. Through normal handling and wear these fabrics will display random crush marks and shading this is generally seen as a desirable effect of the fabrics natural characteristics.
Leather
All reversible seat and back cushions should be ‘tidied and dressed’ turning daily. All seat cushions, foam, fibre and feather need to be ‘plumped and dressed’ to minimise the ‘natural’ settlement and flattening that will occur over time. Switching positions where possible will help prevent excessive wear to one side. Where seats are fixed try and alternate your seating so that your collection wears evenly.
Leather
For regular maintenance dust weekly with a clean, soft colourless cloth. Always keep a cloth specifically for your furniture and ensure you do not touch it with soaps or detergents as these may damage the leather. We recommend pre-boiled water cooled to room temperature, used sparingly to clean your products avoiding soaking any areas. Do not use spray polish or any detergents as these may well damage the finish. As there are generally 4 types of leather – Aniline, Semi-Aniline, Protected Durable Coated, Corrected Grain and each one requires slightly different maintenance (see Furniture Village Leathercare Leaflet). Furniture Village recommends the use of Guardsman protection and cleaning products.
There are many different methods of finishing cabinet dining, bedroom and occasional furniture, please ensure you know the finish on your new product.
Easy Care Finishes
Some of today’s modern finishes are sealed and lacquered. For best results, first wipe with a damp clean cloth and then buff with a soft, dry one. Never use abrasive cleaners – they will damage the lacquer.
Waxed and Oiled Finishes
A hand waxed or oiled finish may absorb some stains that can be removed by re-waxing or re-oiling. Do not let your table become too dry but please avoid over treating the product. Always keep a cloth specifically for your furniture and ensure you do not touch it with soaps or detergents as these may damage the hand finished surface.
Sunlight and Heat
Avoid extreme changes in room humidity and temperature and where possible avoid placing your furniture directly next to a heat source as this can cause movement and splitting in timber in extreme conditions. On some solid tables particularly oak, they may have a built in floating joint, this gap generally around panels on table tops and doors allows the wood to expand and contract with the changes in room temperature, and is a ‘working’ part of the table and its character. All timber finishes can alter slightly when exposed to light; some like oak tend to darken, others like cherry may lighten. Consequently, the position of ornaments etc should be changed regularly to avoid patches becoming noticeable. This is especially important in the first year.
Travertine and Stone
When moving stone or travertine tables always carry the tops vertically, organising help before you start lifting. We recommend the use of good quality table mats with stone surfaces to protect the surface finish from hot plates and kitchenware.
Turn down the bedding each morning to allow the mattress to air. Spring interior mattresses should be turned every fortnight for the first six months, then at least every four weeks; turn first end to end, and then upside down in regular rotation. (For example, some new technology mattresses such as, latex or memory foam may be low maintenance and not need to be turned. Please check the manufacturer’s instructions for the turning requirements of your purchase.) Turning a double mattress is a job for two people; take care that it stays flat or on one side – do not bend it or the spring unit may become distorted. Similarly, avoid sitting on the edge of your bed for long periods as this can also cause damage. The materials used in your mattress are designed to conform to your body’s contours and some settling of the filling is normal. Turning your mattress helps keep the filling supportive, much like plumping a cushion.
General Cleaning
Regularly brush your mattress with a soft brush – do not use a vacuum cleaner. A mattress protector provides additional insulation, minimises the effects of soiling or spillage and helps with the reduction of dust and mites. We recommend the use of a mattress pad on slatted bedsteads to help prevent wear caused by contact between the slats and the mattress covering. Treat stains and spills immediately. Don’t saturate the fabric with liquid and don’t use detergent. Stiff brushes should also be avoided. Afterwards, allow the mattress to air gently away from direct heat.
Correct Use
To care for your pillows, plump them regularly to help maintain their comfort. The average life span of a pillow is about 3 years. After this we recommend you change them. You will notice the difference! Only use storage drawers in divan beds to carry light-weight items such as pillows, duvets and linen. Heavier items like books or toys could cause them to distort the drawers and pull them off their runners. Check regularly that legs and castors on beds and bolts and fixings on bedsteads are fully tightened.
We go to great lengths to ensure that everything we sell is of the highest quality – so much that we guarantee every single item for 5 years from the date of the delivery.
The Furniture Village 5 year structural guarantee covers all the items listed below and is an extra benefit in addition to your normal statutory and legal rights.
Obviously, fair wear and tear in normal domestic use is excluded and this applies in particular to upholstery fabric, leathers and interior fillings whether for sofas, chairs or beds.
That aside, the following items are covered subject to the terms and conditions:
Upholstery
All main structural components are covered, such as the frame, castors and castor blocks, springs and spring units, webbing plus recliner actions and motors.
Dining, Bedroom and Occasional
Timber, veneers, structural stability, handles and catches, moving parts and interior light fixings.
Beds
Spring units, fillings (subject to normal settlement), divans, bedsteads, bed frames and surrounds, drawers, slats and castors.
Our continued success depends entirely on our customers’ satisfaction with our service and on the quality and reliability of the products we sell.
- Proof of purchase is the responsibility of the purchaser.
- General wear and tear, including staining, excessive soiling, abrasion, tears and burns, natural cushion interior settlement and flattening and normal bed filling settlement are excluded.
- The cracking of wood due to extreme changes in room humidity or direct heat source (air conditioning and radiators) is excluded.
- Dye transfer from non colourfast plastics, fabrics and clothing (including denim and throws) is excluded.
- The guarantee is non-transferable and valid from the date of original purchase only.
- Consistent with meeting its obligations under this guarantee, Furniture Village reserves the right to undertake the least cost option to itself. This may involve rectifying the problem, arranging for the unsatisfactory component to be replaced or refunding part of the original purchase price.
- If goods are exchanged, or a total refund is given, the goods that are deemed faulty revert to the ownership of Furniture Village.
- The amount of any claim under the guarantee shall be limited to the original purchase price paid for the unsatisfactory merchandise.
- This guarantee does not extend to non-domestic usage, nor to goods which are taken outside the UK.
- The guarantee may be invalidated if the purchaser does not follow or carry out proper care procedures as outlined in the ‘product care section’ of this leaflet or in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations where applicable, or where the product has been adapted, abused or altered.
The above conditions relating to Furniture Village’s 5 year structural guarantee are not intended to affect your statutory consumer rights under the Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumer’s Regulations 2002.
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