How To Clean Upholstery

Upholstery Cleaning

Upholstered furniture may be|is also comfortable and attractive but they can also be a hassle to keep looking nice and clean. Regular attention and quick action around any staining is the key combined with an occasional “deep clean” which may involve shampooing the fabric.

Process Of Upholstery Cleaning

Dust

This is a common enemy (dust can settle on upholstered furniture just as on hard surfaces) and needs to be tackled on a regular basis, at least once a month. Otherwise, it will solidify into grime that is harder to remove and may leave permanent stains and discolorations.

Use a vacuum cleaner with the correct attachments (the upholstery nozzle and the crevice tool) or a brush, although this is less ideal as it will also scatter dust around the room and into the air. Note, though, that if you’ve got any cushions that are filled with down, only vacuum them if they are lined with a down-proof ticking, as otherwise the vacuum may suck the down out. in this case, it may be better to use the brush.

Shampooing Your Upholstery

Most modern upholstery comes with labels or tags, which explain how it should be cleaned, via “Fabric cleaning Codes and it is best to follow theseinstructions. Sometime, fabric will be marked “Dry-Clean Only” but otherwise, most fabrics can be safely shampooed at home.

Nowadays, it’s possible to purchase specially formulated upholstery shampoos from your local hardware store or even supermarket that are remarkably effective and very easy and convenient to use. However, if you wish, you can also grapple with a homemade version:

Make up a solution of ¼ cup liquid dishwashing or laundry detergent and one cup of warm water.
Whip this up (using a hand mixer) until dry suds form, so that it looks like whipped cream.
Apply the dry suds to a small, inconspicuous test area on your upholstery using a cloth or soft brush. Scrub lightly and then allow to dry. Ideally, the area should look the same but cleaner. If this is the case, you can go on to do all the upholstery.
Work on one small area at a time and once you have worked the suds in, use a rubber scraper or spatula to lift off the dirty suds.
“Rinse” by wiping with a clean cloth dipped in clean water (make sure it is wrung nearly dry) – it is essential that you do not over wet upholstery as this can seriously damage it.
Allow the upholstery to dry completely before use open all windows and keep the area well ventilated through the use of a fan, a dehumidifier or an air conditioner. read more...