Cleaning Your Home’s Accessories Part 3 of 3

Aug 16, 2010 by Rona

Cleaning Your Home Decor

This is part three of the three part discussion on “Cleaning Your Home’s Accessories”.  Please use these techniques with caution and remember when dealing with dangerous materials to always follow instructions and use due caution.

Books:

Books are definitely among the items that are often overlooked, but even if it’s pages and dust are not visible, they are still in need of care.  Clean them one at a time by giving a first blow over and then, holding it closed to prevent dust from coming into the pages, then dust with a cloth or a feather duster.  To remove stains or dirt, use an eraser.

Old Books And Books Of Value:

These require more attention and care in addition to cleaning.  A routine check-up should be made by an antique dealer if they start to appear signs of deterioration.

Leather-Bound Books:

To prevent the leather cover from cracking, from time to time, as with other leather objects and leather furniture; use a solution of warm water and glycerin soap on a wet cloth and rub the cover. Let it dry on a white cloth; then rub a leather nourishment cream and polish.

Glass And Windows:

This one really depends on the external environment and the rate of pollution.  Often you must clean the windows, particularly the external ones, however, when cleaning, always choose the days without sun, or even when its no light hits the windows, this prevents halos from forming or stains due to their heat of the sun on the windows. Normally, cleaning the windows should be performed three times a year, unless of course your environmental conditions deem it to be done more often.  For cleaning the glass windows and doors, use a product specific spray or nebulizer.  If they are very large windows, we recommend using a solution of loose, not so great in a container, a solution of warm water with a small amount of vinegar.

Mirrors:

To clean the mirrors never use water because it could penetrate between the silver and glass; which is what creates those nasty spots that ruin the aesthetic. These patches often form in the mirrors that are found in the kitchen or bathroom because of the steam, so you should use a mist-free product.