By using common sense, your furniture should last for generations to come with a minimum of care. Caring for your new furniture can be easy. Use the list below to find the right way to care for your valued furniture.

• Wood Furniture
• Leather Furniture
• Upholstered Furniture
• New Bedding
• Cleaning Methods

Caring For Your New Wood Furniture

Our first recommendation is that you purchase a Guardsman Furniture Protection Plan. This will protect your new furniture from most household accidents and damage for 5 years and will connect you with expert advice and support in the event damage does occur. It provides for in home repair or replacement of covered furniture damage. Please see full program details in our store.

• Avoid exposure to direct sunlight and extreme variations of temperature and humidity. Maintain your home at a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees, with a relative humidity of 35 to 40 percent.
• Arrange furniture away from vents, radiators, registers, fireplaces or air conditioning units.
• Remove spills immediately by using a blotting action rather than wiping.
• Preserve the luster of your furniture by using a quality paste or liquid wax following the manufacturer's instructions. Spray waxes and polishes containing silicone should not be used as the silicone could react adversely with the finish. Spray polishes are not recommended or necessary.
• Polishing should only be necessary twice a year. Guardsman Polish offers quality polishes and waxes and are available at Batte Furniture in the credit office.

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Caring For Your New Leather Furniture

Here are some tips and techniques to keeping your furniture lasting longer.

• Read the product label and materials provided by the manufacturer.
• If you have not purchased Guardsman Protection and your leather furniture is damaged or stained, call Leathermaster at 1-800-825-6551 for expert advice and products to repair or clean your leather
• Position all leather furniture at least three feet from a heating source. Prolonged exposure to heat dries out leather.
• Leather upholstery fades when exposed to direct sunlight. Keeping leather furniture away from direct-light sources such as windows, skylights, and glass doors can help prevent discoloration.
• While leather initially repels most spills, liquids will be absorbed if not treated properly. Blot any liquid spills immediately with a clean, absorbent cloth or sponge, and then allow the leather to air-dry. If the spill is absorbed, it will dissipate over time as the leather naturally diffuses the stain.
• Wipe weekly to remove dust from your leather home furniture.

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Caring For Your New Upholstered Furniture

Here are some tips and techniques to keeping your furniture lasting longer.

• To reduce fading, keep upholstered home furniture away from direct sunlight.
• Seat cushions should be flipped, rotated, and fluffed weekly to maintain their shape and comfort
• Vacuum upholstered furniture as often as possible. Even if your home furniture has seen little use, the abrasive action of dirt and dust particles can wear the fibers of your upholstery fabric. For high-use furniture, it's a good idea to frequently beat the cushions and then vacuum and rotate them.
• Damp-dust arms and headrest areas with a cleaning solution to prevent body oil accumulation on the upholstery.
• Avoid placing newspapers directly on home furniture upholstery fabric, since ink will accumulate and is difficult to remove.
• Never cover your upholstered home furniture with dark-colored blankets, sheets, etc., because the dyes can rub off onto fabric when dry or bleed when wet.
• Avoid the use of dyes, paints, inks, nail polishes, and Mercurochrome around your upholstery fabric, since these substances alter color and will stain.
• Never remove cushion covers for dry cleaning or machine washing, even though they have zippers.
• Periodic professional cleaning will keep soil accumulation from marring the beauty of the upholstery of your home living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture.

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Caring For Your New Bedding

• Turn you mattress once each month for the first 6 months and twice a year thereafter, to even out the settling process.
• The mattress must be supported by a matching foundation in order for the warranty to apply.
• Never bend or fold the mattress, as this will damage the innerspring unit beyond repair.

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Guidelines to Stains

If you have purchased Guardsman Protection for your furniture immediately call 1-800-825-6551 and report the spill. They will advise and support cleaning. If you elected not to purchase the Guardsman protection use the following information.

You've just spilled a glass of wine on your living room sofa-what do you do now? It's important to act promptly but not to panic. Follow these guidelines to control a spill and prevent a stain.

1. Check the manufacturer's label for any cleaning instructions and/or fabric cleaning code.
   1. The following are the standard fabric cleaning codes used by furniture manufacturers. Use these codes to determine what types of cleaning methods are appropriate for your fabric:

      Fabric cleaning codes and corresponding methods for cleaning

      Letter Code	Cleaning Method
      W	Use water-based cleaning agent
      S	Use mild (water-free) cleaning solvent
      WS	Use water-based cleaning agent, or use mild (water-free) cleaning solvent
      X	Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing

   2. Always test water or a cleaning agent by applying to the same upholstery fabric on a hidden area of the upholstered piece. Allow to dry completely, and then check its effect on the fabric.
2. Act quickly before a spill spreads or dries.
   1. For liquid spills:
      Blot lightly with a dry paper towel to start. Increase pressure and use a fresh paper towel until no more liquid is absorbed. DO NOT RUB! For solid or semi-solid spills (such as foods): Gently lift the substance from the upholstery with a spoon from the center of the spill. Treat any wet residue as a liquid spill.
   2. For dry spills (such as ashes or dry cosmetics):
      Adding any liquid to a normally dry substance, such as ashes, may cause a permanent stain. Vacuum, beat the area with a ruler or similar implement, vacuum again, then use the adhesive side of masking tape to remove any residue.
3. Apply water or a cleaning agent in small doses to avoid spreading the stain or causing a ring. Be patient; apply several times, blotting firmly with a dry paper towel to soak up the liquid after each application.
4. Never rub a fabric; rubbing could result in damage to the nap, loss of color, or spreading of the stain.
5. Restore the nap on velvet by brushing gently before it dries.
6. To avoid water spotting, use a fan or cool blow dryer (on a cool setting) to accelerate drying. Dry from the outer edge of the affected area toward the center.
7. If the stain persists, seek professional cleaning assistance.

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Cause/Remedy Table

Use the table below to determine the appropriate cleaning method to use on your home furniture upholstery stain. Explanations of the letters in the Remedy columns appear below the table.

Use a dry-cleaning solvent (such as Energine ®, Carbona ®, or K2r ®). READ LABEL CAUTIONS. Apply to stained area with a clean cloth. Using a paper towel, blot with increasing pressure until liquid is absorbed. Repeat this procedure multiple times to rinse the stain material from the fabric.

Use a protein/enzyme-type laundry detergent (such as Era®), diluted; use one (1) part detergent to 30 parts water. Apply to stained area with a clean cloth. Using a paper towel, blot with increasing pressure until liquid is absorbed. Repeat this procedure multiple times to remove the stain. Repeat as necessary with clear water to rinse the detergent from the upholstery fabric.

Use a solution of one (1) part distilled white wine vinegar mixed with nine (9) parts ethyl rubbing alcohol (denatured or isopropyl rubbing alcohol may be substituted). Apply to stained area with a clean cloth. Using a paper towel, blot with increasing pressure until liquid is absorbed. Repeat this procedure multiple times to remove the stain from the upholstery fabric.

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