It has become a home decorating craze, finding decorating treasures at flea markets, sales and even in your own attic to give your place a new look. Don’t pass by these great finds because of a little dust and grime. Use these tips from the cleaning experts at The Maids Home Services to fluff your stuff.

• Coffee and side tables with light wood scratches can be fixed by rubbing the meat of a pecan or walnut into the scratch. Wax crayons that match the wood shade can be a quick fix too and can be found at your local hardware store.
• Vases look fabulous as center pieces or on mantles. In the sink, clean the inside of a vase by filling it about two-thirds full with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide to water. Then add one teaspoon of baking soda. Let the bubbling action set overnight for a clean, fresh vase.
• Don’t discard a great piece of china with a hairline crack. Soak the piece in warm milk for 30 to 60 minutes. The milk fat penetrates the cracks and makes them disappear. Wash and dry as usual.
• Old photographs or papers can make great framed art. Place on a clean, old towel and brush lightly with a clean, dry, soft paintbrush from the center of the photo or paper toward the edges. This insures you don’t catch an edge and cause damage.
• Books and baskets can quickly collect dust but can look great in a number of rooms in your home. To clean these, vacuum on low suction, using the round brush attachment. To dust regularly, use a clean, dry paintbrush.
• For small decorative objects like ceramics or frames, dust carefully with a paintbrush with soft bristles.
• If an oil painting has been neglected, clean it by lightly dusting it with a soft sable brush. Before you begin dusting, examine the painting to verify there are no areas where the paint is flaking, as brushing can displace loose pieces and ruin the art.
• Do you have toys time forgot? Try to remove the dirt and dust with a soft, dry brush. If necessary, you can use a cotton swab lightly dampened with water on ceramic or plastic dolls, and then pat dry. Do not use harsh cleaners. For teddy bears, use a vacuum with a wand attachment, covered with a nylon secured with a rubber band, and remove dust by blotting the object with the vacuum attachment. The nylon will insure small features like button eyes aren’t lost.

For more information, call your local office at 1-800-THE-MAIDS (843-6249) or visit www.maids.com.