Caring For Your Products
Wood
As a beautiful, natural and popular material, we all have
wood in our homes. If given a little love, wood will continue to look
beautiful, where stains, marks, and scratches can be avoided...
Do's:
- Clean your wood furniture using a mild soapy water mix on a soft cloth. Cleaning furniture with water won't damage it, if you are careful not to soak it. Try using an old soft toothbrush for getting to intricate spaces.
- Gently wipe excess water and dirt off the surface with soft cloths or paper towels until clean.
- Dry the wood with a lint-free soft cloth.
- Try to keep your home at constant ambient temperature. Changes in temperature can cause timber to contract and expand – this is why drawers can get a bit stiff. Rubbing a wax candle along the runners will work a treat.
Don'ts:
- Avoid air drying wet clothes inside your home, to prevent wood from swelling, as wood is sensitive to excessive moisture levels.
- Don’t use polish containing silicone as it can spoil the finish.
- Never leave wood in direct sunlight, as the colour can fade.
- Don’t drag furniture across your floor. It’s bad for the furniture’s joints - and yours, as well as increasing the risk of scratching your flooring.
- Never balance chairs on two legs. It damages the chair’s joints and puts unnecessary pressure on the structure.
- Don't use indoor furniture outdoors.
Fabric Upholstery
At Gower Home, we have a wide range of upholstery and textiles in our beautiful collections. These fabrics are high quality and will cope well with "normal" wear and tear, however, they will continue to look good if they are well cared for...
Cottons, linens and wools
- Simply spot clean any marks with a damp cloth as quickly as you can.
- For deeper stains we recommend professional cleaning.
- To keep your cushions in shape, it's recommended to plump them weekly.
- To avoid fading of your upholstery, ensure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Wash cottons by hand in cold water to prevent shrinking or damage.
- Recommended for indoor use only.
Velvet
Velvet is a luxurious fabric and so needs a little love in order to preserving its allure...
- To effectively remove animal hair, dust, and fuzz, use a specialized upholstery attachment on your vacuum. Gently glide the attachment back and forth over the fabric until clean.
- For liquid spillages, use a clean, absorbent cloth or paper towel to soak up the excess, avoiding dabbing or rubbing, as this will force the liquid deeper into the velvet fibres. Leave the cloth in place to absorb as much liquid as possible, then allow the velvet to air dry.
- To keep your cushions in shape, it's recommended to plump them weekly.
- To avoid fading of your upholstery, ensure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Indoor use only.
Leather
Leather is a gorgeous and durable material, but isn't immune to scratching, cracking and staining. It will naturally age gracefully, improving its allure over time, provided that it is well looked after. You can ensure it stays looking good for longer by following a few simple steps:
- Wipe the leather surfaces regularly with a clean and soft dry cloth, to remove dust from the surface, maintaining a fresh appearance.
- Gently use a soft brush or your vacuum cleaner’s brush hose attachment to remove dust and fuzz from the furniture's crevices, being careful not to mark or scratch the surface.
- Applying a leather conditioner regularly in order to keep the material supple will help to prevent cracking of leather, a problem that can occur if leather is allowed to become too dry.
- Only use specialist cleaning products designed for use on leather.
- Be careful to keep any sharp items, bulky jewellery, large buttons, or anything else that may scratch leather away from it.
- Avoid contact with strong coloured clothing as strong colours such as indigo-dyed jeans can transfer onto lighter leathers, wipe with a warm damp cloth if colour transfer noticeable, and regular wiping down in this way (then drying immediately with a soft cloth), will help with this.
- Avoid direct sunlight and heat.
- For Faux leather, following these principles will also keep it looking great for longer.
Natural Materials
Some pieces are made from beautiful and durable natural materials, such as hyacinth, wicker, raffia, and willow. The care of these materials is also important, to ensure they retain their natural beauty for longer...
- Recommended for indoor and covered outdoor use only.
- Treatment for weather and rot resistance is needed in some materials like grasses, rattan, raffia banana leaf and hyacinth, particularly if they are used outdoors.
- Dust regularly with a soft cloth or brush lightly with a soft brush to remove dust and debris .
- For deeper cleaning, use a damp cloth with mild soap for gentle spot cleaning, avoiding excessive moisture, as some materials can be sensitive to water.
- Avoid extreme heat, or low humidity to avoid drying out and cracking.
Marble & Stone
Marble & Stone are beautifully elegant materials, which are also porous and easily stained.
- Dust regularly with a soft cloth or soft bristle brush to remove dirt.
- Use placemats and coasters to avoid heat damage from hot plates, and stain rings from drinks.
- Fruit juices, wines and fizzy drinks spills will damage the surface if left for too long, so ensure to wipe up any spills immediately with a wet cloth.
Marble
- Some stains and marks on marble may be removed or reduced in appearance by professional polishing.
- Harsh chemicals and abrasive materials should be avoided, as they can etch or scratch the marble.
Stone
- Avoid using water or harsh cleaners, as stone is porous and can absorb moisture, leading to potential damage.
Sheepskin
Sheepskin and other skins like reindeer hide are naturally insulating, hypoallergenic, luxurious and also an eco-friendly and sustainable choice for furniture and decor manufacture. We only work with brands who are as equally committed to the ethical and sustainable sourcing of sheepskin and other hides.
With just a little TLC, you'll ensure that they continue to bring you pleasure for many years....
- Hand fluffing, shaking and brushing regularly with a wooden bristle brush as needed helps retain the soft, fluffy appearance and feel of the sheepskin, as well as improve loft and remove knots and tangles. Some natural shedding may occur.
- Vacuum your upholstery using the upholstery brush attachment on the lowest suction level to remove dust.
- Pick up spilled solids immediately.
- avoid pushing the substance deeper into the wool pile. Spot clean stains as
soon as possible using a damp sponge and mild detergent, pat gently with a soft
towel to absorb the water.
- Blot liquid spills immediately using a paper towel, clean cloth or clean towel. If necessary, spot clean stains as soon as possible using a damp sponge and mild detergent, pat gently with a soft towel to absorb the water.
- Never rub or brush wet or damp pile. This will damage the pile and spread the stain.
- Don't use any detergents containing bleach or enzymes.
- Avoid placing your sheepskin furniture in direct sunlight to prevent UV damage and fading, especially with dyed colours.
- Shake or vacuum cushion covers as above, which are suitable for dry cleaning. Before laundering, remove sheepskin cushion cover and zip it up. (Do not immerse the cushion infill in water).
Rugs & Mats
Our beautiful rugs and mats are hard-wearing, but to ensure they continue to look good for longer, just follow a few tips:
- Shake and/or vacuum regularly to remove dirt and dust.
- Spot clean with a sponge or soft brush with warm soapy water, and avoid soaking coir mats.
- Rotate mats regularly to ensure even wear.
- Avoid the use of rotating brushes on vacuum heads as these can pull threads causing damage.
- If you find the odd loose thread, just carefully snip it off with a sharp pair of scissors.
- Keep out of direct sunlight as colours will fade.
- If you have a spillage, first blot it both on the top and bottom with clean, dry cloths. If the spill contained sugar, rinse with clean water and blot dry. If the spill contained milk/fat, use a weak solution of washing-up liquid. Make sure that you air out to dry fully.
- If the spillage is really bad you should contact a professional rug cleaner.
- Our rugs are designed for “normal” foot traffic areas. So that’s great for hallways, but not for your yoga or aerobics session!
- Once a year, turn your rug around by 180 degrees, this will even out wear and exposure to the sun.
Outdoor Furniture
Enjoying the outdoors and nature is something that can be enhanced with beautiful garden furniture, and although our outdoor furniture is high quality, and built to resist the outdoor elements, looking after it will ensure you enjoy the outdoors for longer. Here's how to care for your outdoor pieces...
- Clean up spills immediately, as soon as possible after they happen.
- Clean upholstery and cushions regularly with mild soap and water or a mild detergent, using a soft cloth or sponge dampened with plain water (do not use anything abrasive). If necessary, use a soft brush on upholstery fabric to remove dirt or stains. Let them air dry on a flat surface.
- Wipe down other surfaces, such as wood, plastic, steel, aluminium and wicker, with warm mild soapy water, drying well with a soft cloth afterwards.
- Always cover outdoor furniture when not in use, especially during harsh weather conditions, and during the winter months.
- Be wary of high winds, and ensure that your furniture is protected from being blown over, by moving to a more protected area or storing inside a shed or outbuilding as necessary, to avoid weather damage.
- Be sure to close and lay flat parasols, and bring cushions inside when not in use, or during wet or windy weather.
- Treating wooden materials with a protective oil or sealing them yearly is recommended, this will also revive the colour.