The Everyday Essential That Will Leave Your Acrylic Furniture Looking Brand New

Acrylic furniture was all the rage in the 1960s and '70s, as it's durable, non-toxic, UV resistant, and timeless. So, if you've inherited a few unique pieces from your parents (or grandparents) and your heirloom furniture looks a little worse for wear, try bringing it back to life with an everyday essential before tossing it out. All you need to do is prepare a cleaning solution with some liquid dish soap and warm water to give your beloved acrylic furniture a deep clean. Even if you recently purchased your acrylic furniture, this material can quickly get covered in fingerprints, dust, and grime. Luckily, liquid dish soap is a mild cleanser that'll leave your piece looking brand new without damaging it.

But before you get out the soap and water, first grab a clean microfiber cloth, dampen it, and gently wipe it along the furniture to remove surface-level dirt and grime. Don't be rough, or you could accidentally scratch the clear surface due to the abrasive dust particles. If you'd rather not risk scratching your furniture, plug in your blow dryer and switch to the cool setting. Position it a couple of inches away from the furniture and run it over the surface at a 45-degree angle to remove the dirt, then vacuum it up off the floor when you're done.

Once you've addressed the surface-level dust, combine liquid dish soap and water in a 1:3 ratio in a small bowl (or a spray bottle). Swish the solution around to mix the ingredients well. Next, insert a microfiber cloth into the solution or spray the mixture onto the cloth, wring it out, and gently rub it along the furniture's length in a circular motion (back and forth works, too). After the furniture looks clean, dampen another microfiber cloth with clean water to get rid of the residue. If you bring the furniture outside, simply pour water on the piece to remove the residual solution.

Let the acrylic furniture air dry before using it again. You can dry it using a clean microfiber cloth, but this might lead to unwanted streaks and smudges. Although the cleaning process is incredibly easy, take care not to use an abrasive sponge or paper towels, as they may scratch the transparent surface and turn it milky or may leave behind small pieces of lint. Moreover, acrylic's glass-like appearance might tempt you to use popular glass cleaners like Windex to clean the furniture. However, this is one of the many materials you shouldn't clean with Windex, as the ammonia in the product would permanently damage your furniture and alter its appearance.