Taking care. Volume three. Fabric

Transcription

1 Taking care Volume three Fabric

2 Our sewing kit 2 Keeping your textile clean 2 Loose threads 4 Positioning and protection 5 Caring for leather 6 Textiles in the garden 7

3 Our sewing kit At Neptune, we use a number of different fibres across our textiles from upholstery fabrics to rugs and throws. We use natural materials as much as we can, but we equally won t shy away from more modern man-made fibres like polyester if they ll help to improve the structure of the final textile. And while compositions may be pure or mixed, and rub counts (the measure of strength for a fabric) may be higher or lower, much of the care information is very much the same from textile to textile. This care guide is here to help you look after yours, day by day, year after year. Keeping your textile clean If a spill happens, gently blot the area with a clean, dry cloth. Avoid rubbing as it can press the stain deeper into the weave, and please don t try any abrasive cleaners or any type of general cleaning product; they ll cause more harm than good. Some fabrics are more susceptible to being stretched when they re damp, particularly wool, so it s important to act quickly and to handle the fabric with care to avoid misshaping it. Weekly vacuuming helps get rid of dirt so that it doesn t get embedded in the fibres. We suggest using a soft-bristle attachment though. Light brushing is helpful too, but always use a soft-bristled brush to avoid snagging the fabric or a simple lint roller. And for velvet, we advise that you use a velvet-specific brush. Airborne pollutants such as smoke and strong perfumes can cling to fabric. Regularly airing the room will help to keep them at bay though. Rugs, cushions and throws can be shaken or beaten, and left to air outdoors when the weather is kind too. PROFESSIONAL CLEANING If you re wanting to do a more intense clean, when it comes to upholstered pieces, we recommend professional cleaning only, not dry cleaning there s a big difference. There are two types of professional cleaning: wet clean and professional dry clean. The first uses a hot water extraction method, where the water has minimal contact with the fabric to reduce shrinkage. The latter is essentially 2 3

4 a lighter clean, but it won t remove stains anywhere near as thoroughly. Both typically take place in your home and both are specialist trades that are worth investing in to preserve the look and feel of your upholstery. But for non-upholstered fabrics, such as cushions and throws, most of our designs can be dry cleaned. We ve put a specific care label on each one though, so check that for more details. Loose threads As tempting as it is, try not to pull a loose thread as you might create a hole in the fabric. Simply trim it neatly with sharp scissors or poke it back through with a long pin. The same applies to any knots that you find on the fabric s surface. Positioning and protection If you place any textile close to a fire, radiator or air conditioning unit, it can cause damage. Similarly, direct sunlight will cause the colour to fade. Sometimes it s unavoidable, but it s a point to be mindful of. If you want to protect your fabric against spots and stains, we recommend using a fabric protector such as Scotchgard. It s available from hardware stores and comes with application instructions included on the bottle or in the packaging. All of our upholstered items have a fire-retardant interliner or are treated with a fire-retardant backing. When it comes to cotton velvet, because it s a delicate fabric, the pile can be easily disturbed. If you spot areas that appear lighter or darker, it ll be because the angle of the pile has been altered. Don t worry, this is quite normal when it s brushed against or sat upon. Simply brush the pile to readjust it, or if the pressure mark persists, a light steaming in the direction of the pile should help. 4 5

5 Caring for leather The only exception is leather, for which we ve developed specific care advice, whether you have a piece of pull-up leather upholstery or home office accessories. To keep it looking at its best, use a soft brush to remove any surface dust, followed by a slightly damp cloth, and finally a dry one to dab the area. For more intense cleaning, we always recommend our Connolly Leather Care Kit which has full instructions on how to use it on the packaging. When it comes to accidents and spills, follow the exact same steps as we gave earlier, remembering to act as quickly as you can. Polish, detergent, white spirit and stain removers should always be avoided, as tempting as they are, because they ll damage the leather and stain it further. The same applies to soaking it in water a little goes a long way when it comes to textiles. Textiles in the garden All of our outdoor cushions and parasols are made using a waterproof canvas, but they aren t completely weatherproof. It means that a sprinkling of rain from time to time won t hurt them (although air them off if you can), but they shouldn t be left outdoors all year long if you re wanting to keep them looking as lovely as the day you brought them home. Any marks should be cleaned with mild soapy water and a damp e-cloth. But in the case of stains or if you d like to give them a bit of a refresh, you can put any removable covers in the washing machine on a delicate wash (no more than 30 C). Reshape them whilst they re damp and remember that they aren t tumble dryer-friendly. Each wash will reduce the level of waterproof protection though, so try not to wash them too regularly. We ve written a garden-specific care guide which has all the advice you need for looking after garden furniture from textiles and beyond. 6 7

6 telephone: neptune.com/takingcare Other care guides available Volume one: timber Volume two: metal & glass Volume three: fabric Volume four: surfaces Volume five: garden Edition: 2018/001