Care of your Interior Furnishings

Care and regular maintenance is the key to prolonging the life and retaining the appearance of interior furnishings.

General

The main causes of soiling are airborne dust, cigarette smoke, fires and accidental spillage or staining. Vacuuming with the correct attachment can significantly extend the life of your furnishings. Curtains and upholstery should be vacuumed once a week.

Always follow the recommendations given by care symbols in price lists or pattern books and follow any manufacturers recommendations.

Where dry cleaning is recommended use a company which specialises in cleaning furnishings.

Shrinkage

All woven fabrics, particularly those made from natural fibres such as cotton or linen will shrink to some extent. Cleaning should be as gentle as possible to minimise this, and allowances should be made in manufacture.

Light Fastness

New Zealand and Australia experience levels of UV which cause damage to furnishings. All fabrics, regardless of the quality of the dye used, will eventually fade.

We recommend that windows are treated with a product which minimises UV damage, and all curtains and blinds should be manufactured with a good quality lining and drawn back from the window as far as possible in daylight hours.

We do not accept claims for fading, but we are happy to assist with advice to minimise fading.

Wallcoverings

All wallpapers should be hung in accordance with the hanging instructions provided with the order.

Where a wallpaper has a dark background, we recommend chalking the ends of the roll with a similar colour to the background of the paper to minimise any risk of seams showing.

Installers should carefully inspect all rolls before commencing work and stop work after hanging three drops if there are any problems. 

Wallpapers may be gently vacuumed to remove dust.

Upholstered Furniture

Turn back and seat cushions regularly to prevent uneven wear and vacuum thoroughly each week.

Rugs

We recommend Microseal treatment to prevent staining. This needs to be applied by a professional operator. 

 

FAQ

How do I use Velvet Correctly?

Always store rolls of velvet horizontally or in the original suspension box. Never stand rolls of velvet on end as this will cause permanent creasing which cannot be removed by steaming. When rolling velvet, always roll face in, with the direction of the pile.

Curtains should always be made up with the pile facing upwards for cotton velvets and polyester /Trevira velvets; the pile should be facing downwards for viscose and other lustrous velvets, as well as patterned velvets. An upward facing pile provides a deeper and richer appearance, while a downwards facing pile enhances the lustre on viscose velvets.

For upholstery the pile should be facing downwards. Marking and / or pile distortion are normal characteristics of velvets and are not an indication of poor wear. Movement or displacement of the pile is quite normal and should be expected, especially in high use areas such as arms, seat fronts and back cushions.

Cotton velvet is a natural product and when made up into curtains or on upholstery, it will acquire its own unique appearance after some time due to usage and the natural humidity of the surroundings. Pressure marks, rolling stripes and smaller irregularities which are inherent in the product will usually disappear in a ventilated and relatively humid environment. Use of a soft brush and light steaming may assist.

Velvet should not be applied directly over foam fillings as this can cause pile loss.

Pattern Repeats

All patterned fabrics or wallpapers will have a vertical and a horizontal pattern repeat. For the best results, patterns must be matched and this needs to be included when calculating how much fabric or wallpaper is required. Please seek advice if you are unsure how to calculate the amount of fabric or wallpaper required.

Fabric Widths

Standard width fabrics range from 137cm to 150cm.

Wide width fabrics range from 280cm to 330 cm.

Continuous Fabrics

Continuous refers to wide width fabrics where the width is used as the length so that no seams are required. It is important to check if a wide width fabric can be used continuously, and to determine whether this is the way you want the fabric to run.

Railroading

This is a term generally used in upholstery/furniture manufacture. It means using the width of the fabric as the length, so that a sofa or modular unit does not need seams.

We strongly advise that you advise your designer/ furniture manufacturer/ upholsterer whether you want the fabric railroaded or not, because railroading can completely alter the look of the fabric on the furniture.

Rub Tests

A rub test generally refers to a Martindale test which is an abrasion resistance test used to determine the suitability of upholstery fabrics for various uses – ranging from purely decorative to heavy commercial wear. The result is usually referred to a the “rub count”

How does it work? The fabric is pulled taut and loaded onto the lower plates of a Martindale machine where it is rubbed against known abrasives at low pressure and in continuously changing directions. The amount of abrasion or pilling is compared against standard parameters to determine suitability.

Sometimes you may hear reference to “double rubs” This is an alternative test called Wyzenbeek, but Martindale testing is more common and refers to single rubs.

When you are choosing an upholstery fabric, think about the wearability you need. The fabric you put on a sofa in your daily living room will need to be more durable than fabric on furniture in a room you use occasionally. Heavy duty domestic fabrics generally need 30000+ rubs. For commercial use in offices 40000+ is required and for extreme wear – think airports – the rub test will need to be at least 100000+.Make sure you seek good advice from a knowledgeable furnishing professional.