It's time to bid goodbye to decor disasters

It’s the beginning of a new year and the time when you would like to do away with all that is damaged or old and bring in something refreshing into your home. Ushering in the new year by throwing a party for friends and family is common.

But, when the partying dies down and everybody ambles homes late the next day, it is often you, the owner of the house who is left with the humungous task of cleaning up. And here’s a look of what you can expect. While some of you may have a solution at hand, for others it may just be the right time to bring in that replacement.

Revamp wooden furniture

Let’s start with the living area, where most of the partying often happens.  Take a good look at your wooden furniture or tables. Notice a scratch or a chip?

A common problem with wooden furniture in the aftermath of any party is scratches, dents and wet rings. Here is how you can tackle these issues.

The first thing you have to be sure of is whether the scratch is superficial or actually right down to the wood. If it can be seen only from certain angles and is not discoloured then it is only the finish that has been damaged, which is good news. To rectify this you can:

- Apply some wax in paste form over the affected area.
- You could also brush a coat of varnish or a finishing agent.
- Another option is to mix lemon juice and any vegetable oil in equal parts, use a very clean cloth and gently rub the mixture on the scratch in the direction it is formed. This should help resolve the problem.

Bid goodbye to wet rings

A common problem are those terrible damp rings that are left behind on a wooden table. These are caused when guests do not use a coaster to place their drink in, resulting in wet rings.

Some of the easiest ways to get rid of this is to dig into your cupboard for some basics:
n A small amount of white toothpaste gently rubbed on the stain can work wonders.
n You could also use a wee bit of ammonia rubbed on the stain using a clean cloth.
n A bit of wax and some soft steel wool will also work.
Mending curtains
Party-time assault results in damaging curtains of the house. Affected by stains, cuts and rips, these problems can be definitely treated.
Guests especially children, might use them as napkins while other guests, who smoke too close to them result creating holes due to burning.
Also, a sharp edge can cause a rip in your curtain.
But don’t despair, as many a times, your curtains can be salvaged with a little bit of sewing experience.  
While minor rips can be easily darned, bigger ones will need patch work, thereby giving your curtains and room a whole new look.
You need to keep in mind that you match the thread and the patch that you are going to use, perfectly with the curtain. In addition, are a few tips that you can use when you select your stitches:
n The back stitch is the hand alternative of the sewing machine straight stitch.
n A slip stitch can be used to repair a seam from the top.
n An overhand stitch is useful for re-attach fabric parts.
n The cross stitch will hold patches securely in place.
Rescue your walls
Walls end up defaced by children and adults alike at the end of a party. Although, you need to be rest assured that a little effort and they will look brand new again.
Smoking is common at a party and can leave some really nasty stains on your wall. Grab a bottle of vinegar from the kitchen and apply it over the stain with a clean cloth (a little more vigorously for stubborn stains).  
Kids will be kids, especially when they decide to use your walls as their drawing board! If you have some choice crayon artwork on your walls, use some toothpaste or some ammonia on a cloth and clean out the stain.  
If you happen to get crayon stains on your cloth-backed furniture, then put a paper bag, preferably something with no design over it.
Run a medium heated iron over the bag till it absorbs the stain and Voila!
In due course of time, you will come up with your own set of techniques to handle the post party trauma your house undergoes.
Just remember, you should first attempt all you can to salvage a piece of furnishing before you decide to do away with it totally.  
Over and above these  suggestions, here are a few more tips to bid goodbye to those decor disasters:
n Hair spray kills flies.
n A bowl of vinegar placed in a room can absorb the smell of smoke.
n Sprinkle some baking soda at the base of your dustbin to prevent any smell from rising up.
n Polish mirrors with talcum powder.
n To treat scratches on your wooden furniture, use a same colour shoe polish.