Upholstery Care and Cleaning Tips
Upholstery, especially the fabric based ones readily absorb dust, dirt, pet hair and a lot of other allergens. This defeats the very purpose of house cleaning that is done to rid the home of dust and dirt and keep the indoor air clean. You may be unknowingly exposing yourself to the dangers of respiratory diseases caused by these allergens and dust mite. The presence of dirt, food particles and other foreign substances inside your upholstered furnitures encourages the growth of harmful bacteria, mildew and god knows what other type of dangerous pathogens might be lurking in their interiors if the upholstery is not cleaned regularly.
Another reason for regular upholstery cleaning is that dust is highly abrasive and its presence on the surface increases the wear and tear of the upholstery material and your furnitures age faster. Every time someone sits on the furniture the dust will wear down the fabric a little bit. Many people fail to take advantage of the arm covers that come with the upholstery. Many furnitures are supplied with tailored arm covers and you should take advantage of them. The arm rest area is exposed to a lot of wear and the arm covers will help prevent this. Don’t keep them away and forget about them like many people do. Another care tip is to rotate the cushions regularly. Some parts of the cushions are sat on more frequently so rotating the cushion and flipping them over will spread out the wear. Some cushion covers are reversible, in which case you should use the other side also. To prevent the color of upholstery from fading keep your upholstered furniture away from direct sunlight.
Regular cleaning of upholstery is an important part of its care. It has been observed that regular cleaning of upholstery increases its life by two to three times. Hence regular vacuuming of the upholstered furniture at least once a week is important. There are some attachments that come with the vacuum cleaners that people never seem to use. These are the ones meant for cleaning upholstered furniture. Clean the upholstery surface on all sides, the crevices, back and the undersides of your furniture with the upholstery attachments of your vacuum cleaner and your job will become very easy. Avoid putting your cushions into the washing machine or dryer as their shape can get distorted. If there are many small children or if your family is very large you can use nylon covers for your upholstered furniture as they are long lasting and stains can be removed easily from them.
Upholstries especially those made from fabrics are prone to staining and one must know how to clean upholstery properly to be able to remove the stains without causing any damage. Cleaning upholstered furniture can be quite expensive especially if it is heavily stained and regular cleaning has not been done. This may need professional cleaning which can be very expensive. Hence you must weigh this cost against the cost of replacement. It is easier and less expensive if you clean your upholstery regularly. Stains will inevitably happen and more so if you have kids and pets at home. The secret of dealing with stains is to act immediately when they happen. If you wait then the staining substance will soak deep into the upholstery and harden making it difficult to clean. Don’t rub the stain into the upholstery. Immediately try to blot out the spillage with a soft cloth or paper towels. After as much as possible material is soaked out you can dab the spot with a damp towel by applying a gentle circular motion over it. Don’t spray water directly on the spot as it may leave an ugly water mark. For dried out material scrape the material out and then clean.
Before attempting to clean your upholstery you must take into consideration the type of material it is made from and how it will react to the type of cleaning or cleaning chemicals you are planning to use. If in doubt it is prudent to ask the supplier for advice. Different type of upholstery will require different methods of cleaning. Whatever method you use you must thoroughly vacuum the upholstery first to remove dust and loose grime and hair. The cleaner you choose must be effective and safe for the upholstery material. Fabrics can be easily cleaned at home. You can either use a cleaning product available commercially or if you want to save money you can use a home made cleaning product made by mixing 1/4 cup of the dishwashing liquid you normally use and 1 cup of warm water. Apply the cleaning solution with a soft bristled brush and wipe it clean with a damp sponge taking care so that the furniture doesn’t get too wet. Avoid using detergents for leather upholstery, use only pure soap products. Occasionally rub a conditioner on leather upholstery to keep it soft and to make it last longer. Vinyl upholstery can also be cleaned with soap like leather. However using a conditioner or oil on vinyl will harden it and it will crack.
Whatever cleaning solution or stain remover you use, make sure that it is safe by trying it out on an inconspicuous area. If there are any cleaning instruction labels then follow them. Different types of stains require different methods of removal. For removing mold mix 1/4 teaspoon color safe bleach and 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide. Dip a portion of a clean cloth in this mixture and rub it over the mold stain lightly. Finally wash the spot with warm water and let it dry. Many other stains on upholstery can also be removed with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. It is also useful for cleaning vinyl furniture. The arm and headrest areas get most soiled because they get stained by oil from the skin and hair. It is more so during summer months. These areas will need extra attention during cleaning. It would be a good idea to use washable throws on your upholstery during summer months to overcome this problem.
For removing coffee stains you can use a dry cleaning solvent or a home made mixture of dish washing liquid, vinegar and water. Apply lightly over the stain as dabbing to hard might damage the fabric. You must try to remove grease stains when they are fresh. Sprinkle talcum powder or corn starch and salt over the stain and rub the spot with it. Wait for sometime until the grease is absorbed and then brush off the powder and wipe the spot clean with a damp cloth. The older the stain the more difficult it will be to remove. These upholstery care and cleaning tips will help you to keep your upholstery in good condition for a long time.
