Here’s a shout-out to one of our fellow Fibrenew franchisees, Paul Wittig, in Indianapolis, IN.  Paul appeared on a local news-talk show and did a fantastic job giving tips to folks about how to keep their furniture looking its best.  There’s a link to a video below and 5 tips on upholstery cleaning and leather repair.

Five ways to fix furniture after the holidays : wishtv.com

INK : The spoiled rotten … we mean darling 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 agent 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.

NAIL POLISH: You try out OPI’s Affair in Red Square red 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 once again, use a soft sponge and leather cleaner.

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.

ANIMAL SCRATCHES AND PICKS: For the purr-fect gift, Santa brings your kids a kitty. Hello Kitty quickly turns into GOOD BYE Kitty when the fury friend (now foe) decides your leather couch is his new scratching post.

• 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.

BURNS AND DISCOLORATION: Those window candles get knocked over on your upholstery and are left on overnight. You wake up Christmas morning to a dried out heat spot and a cracked couch cushion.

• 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.

If you get to this point, give Hepler Bros. a call at 904 707-2326.  We’ll make your life beautiful again.

Comments: