With their beautiful patterns, soft fabric, and intricate designs, upholstered sofas bring style, beauty, and luxury into a home. However, like every other piece of furniture, the upholstered sofa can develop wrinkles and stains with consistent use. If you fail to clean your upholstered sofa, it will lose its glamour and value.
Having your upholstered sofa cleaned occasionally by a professional cleaning company will save you replacement costs and increase the lifespan of your piece of furniture. However, before picking a cleaning company to work with, you must ensure they are close to you. For instance, if you are a resident of London, you must ensure that they serve all of London.
In case you want to follow the DIY approach for your upholstered sofa cleaning, you can follow the tips listed below.
Vacuum Upholstered Furniture Regularly
Vacuuming upholstered furniture helps to keep it clean. The goal here is to remove all the dust and dirt that has accumulated in the upholstery. You can use a soft brush attachment on your regular vacuum cleaner. Below are steps to follow when vacuuming your sofa:
- Choose The Right Tools
Using a vacuum with the right filter helps you remove all the dust and hair from pets. A vacuum with the right UV light will also help you eliminate viruses, dust mites, bacteria, and bedbugs.
- Vacuum The Sides
If you use a couch that has a cover, ensure you remove the cover and vacuum the sides. You must also go deep between the couch frame. A crevice tool will help make it easier. If possible, you can also vacuum the bottom of the couch.
- Touch Everywhere
While you’re vacuuming, you must ensure that no part of the upholstery is neglected. Remember to touch the hidden areas and lower sides. This will help you eliminate dust
Clean Upholstery According to Codes
These days, upholstered sofas come with tags. Before you start cleaning your upholstery, it’s essential to read and understand the tag. This will give you an idea of what products are suitable for your furniture. Generally, manufacturers use the codes “S,” “W,” “S/W,” and “X” to describe the products that suit each sofa.
- Code “S” means you can only clean your upholstery fabrics with non-water-based solvents. Therefore, using water may destroy the fabric. Ensure you clean such fabrics in a well-ventilated room without open flames.
- Code “W’ means you can only clean your fabrics with water-based solvents and can be cleaned anywhere.
- Code “S/W” means you can use either water-based or non-water-based solvents.
- Code “X” means you can only vacuum your fabrics, as using any of the solvents can make the couch shrink.
Prevent Stains on Upholstered Furniture
While some furniture comes with a pretreated fabric protector that helps to repel stains, others don’t. In such cases, you can ask professionals to treat yours for you and ask for its duration. Most times, the treatments lose their ability to fight stains after some years, and you have to reapply them. This way, you can improve the quality of your furniture and make it last longer.
Clean Upholstered Furniture Gently
While cleaning your upholstered sofa, ensure you do it gently. Allow the stain remover to sit in, then gently dab it with a soft microfiber cloth. Scrubbing your furniture with a bristled brush or strong fabric can lead to further damage.
Use Little Amounts of Water
Contrary to the opinion of many, cleaning your furniture with too much water does not guarantee its cleanliness. Using specific water-free solvents removes stains easily and is also inexpensive. However, if you must use water-based solvents, ensure the water is not too much.
Clean Throw Blankets and Pillows
Throw blankets and throw pillows are also important parts of your furniture that must not be neglected. Ensure you wash them gently and dry them properly. Returning them while still damp can cause mold. You can also spray it with water mixed with essential oil, then dry it.
Remove Pet Hair from Upholstered Furniture
If you live with furry pets, it’s important to look out for pet hair when cleaning your upholstered furniture. Hairs hide at the edge of the furniture, but you can use a static spray to attract the hair, then wipe the hair off with a soft cloth.
Cleaning your upholstered sofa does not have to be difficult. However, it’s always best to seek professional help. This way, you can rest assured that your furniture is in safe hands and you’re getting the best results.
