Upholstery furniture does not just make a functional addition to your interiors but induces a luxurious feel to space.The upholstery furniture isquite expensive and that means the quality of maintenance should be equally good. Whether it iscleaning your upholstery sofa, armchair, or anything, you have to take a lot of care about your methods.
Calling upholstery cleaners will be good, but how many times can you do that? Maybe two times a year and after that,it’s just one of the expenses you want to avoid at any cost.
Let’s say you have a Beige Linen Chesterfield Sofa in your living room and it needs cleaning. Just a month back you had professional upholstery cleaners, but again you saw some dirt and stains.
The question is will you call the professionals again?
Then, as said earlier it’ll be a burden for you. But there is a solution to this. Suppose there is a fresh spill then you can clean it at home without spending a dime. But before doing that, here’s something you should know about upholstery cleaning.
First Look for the Manufacturer’s Instructions
Normally, the upholstery furniture will come along with a cleaning tag that explains what you shouldbe used for cleaning the furniture piece. This is to make sure that you are not using the wrong or unsuitable cleaning solution for the upholstery fabric.
The tag comes with four letters that explainthe cleaning agents you can use for the upholstery fabric. The list goes like this,
- X–You can vacuum only.
- W– You can use water for cleaning the upholstery fabric.
- S– You should not use water, instead have to use special solvent-based cleaner.
- WS – You can use either water or solvent-based cleaner for the task.
It’s necessary to follow this instruction if you want the cleaning to end on a good note. Using unsuitable cleaning methods or solutions you can leave your sofa permanently damaged.
Now, coming back to where we left earlier, about cleaning a spill, here’s what you have to do.
Steps to CleanStained Sofa Upholstery
- Vacuum First
If there is a food spill, remove the crumbs or the loose food particles using a vacuum cleaner. By doing so you’ll avoid more oil or the color from settling on the fabric surface.
- Look for the Cleaning Codes
As explained before,check for the cleaning codes before you proceed with any of the cleaning solutions. If you do not find any tag and unsure about the cleaning procedure then call professional upholstery cleaners.
It’s better to call experts than making expensive damage.
- Do Spot Cleaning
Do you see a stain? Then get started with the spot cleaning process and continue until you do not see any visible stain.
Note: Make sure there is no surface dirt or food particles before you blot the stain. Use good absorbent cloth for the task.
STEP 1:Prepare a dilute solution of warm water with any non-chemical cleaner. Before using on the sofa, test the solution on an inconspicuous area.
STEP 2:Spray the cleaning solution on the stain, use a microfiber cloth and start workingon it. Do not rub. Gently work on the stain from theoutside towards the center.
STEP 3:Repeat the process until the microfiber cloth or the sponge doesn’t pick any morecolor.
STEP 4:To remove any stickiness from the spot, spray warm water and repeat the cleaning process.
STEP 5:For quick drying of the fabric, you can place thick and clean cotton towels over the spot and place some heavy object.
Pro Tip:
- Not any time use bleach or harsh chemical cleaners, the upholstery fabric will experience discoloration.
- Use mild detergent solution or vinegar for spot cleaning.
- Always clean the dirt beneath before tackling the stain.
The Upshot
If you are attempting to clean your upholstery sofa always take necessary precautions that are required.If the stain is older, then it is recommended you take services from professional upholstery cleaners. As the upholstery fabrics are sensitive, you may end up damaging the material.
Apart from that, regularly vacuum and do spot cleaning immediately after a spill. Removing the stainis a lot easier when it’s fresh.
