Upon prolonged or constant exposure of furniture to sunlight, discolouration of furniture ensures. For some items like artifacts, antiques and some distinct furniture, such discoloration yields an even more desirable appearance. This is however not the case for every furniture. For some furniture this discoloration makes them look worn out or mishandled.- Faded Sofas
Discoloration of particular furniture does not necessarily mean you should replace it or go looking for a new one. It will gladden you to know that you can restore your sofa to its previous glory even after the faded effect from exposure to sunlight. All you need to consider is setting aside a few days, ranging from 3 to 5 days to handle the matter or better still, pay a visit to a leather upholstery cleaning service for professional assistance.
Cleaning – Faded Sofas
When cleaning out your sofa make sure this is done on a clean surface to avoid contributing dirts to the already existing discoloration. Use a piece of clean cloth to extract the dirts deposited on the sofa. Depending on the nature of the furniture you can either choose whether or not to dampen the piece of cloth as you clean.
Strip the Wood
Remove the cushions from the sofa. Remove every other piece of adornment as you need to leave the wood bare for proper treatment. Observe the wood to know if it is fit to further usage or if it needs to be replaced immediately. All of these is done in preparation to bleach the wood to either it previous color or a more preferable color.
Bleaching the Wood
At this point you need to apply caution because not all bleaches are permeable with your skin. Therefore, as you proceed, it is advised that you do so using a pair of latex gloves and safety goggles.
The next thing to do is to figure out the bleach type that best fits your sofa. There are three types of bleaches used to treat wood depending on the level of damage on such wood. These includes; laundry bleach, oxalic acid and two part bleach.
As you apply the bleach do so with precision and bear in mind that the effects cannot be undone. It can only be reduced, using a neutralizer in a case where excess bleach has been used. Follow the instructions of the manufacturer and apply safety precautions as you use each bleach type.
Bleaching the Cushions
Unlike the wooden parts of your sofa, the cushions are more delicate materials and should be treated accordingly. It is not advisable to immediately conclude that you need to bleach the cushions of your sofa. In most cases as opposed to bleaching all it needs is proper washing to remove stubborn stains that may be visible on the surface.
However, if it balls down to bleaching the Cushions do so with twice as much precision as used while bleaching the Wood. This is to ensure that it yields the desired outcome. In case you’re dealing with leather and not cushion bleach can be easily administered without causing any damage to your furniture.