Upholstery Cleaning All You Need To Know

There is no doubt; your upholstery goes through a lot of wear and tear, just like your carpets. There are lots of factors that can change the look and condition of your nice looking sofa, such as pet urine, food crumbs, pollen and dust from the air, mucky hands and feet, and as well as pet hair, drink spills and many more. Fortunately, the majority of these issues can be easily removed, if you know how to do it.

Cleaning of your upholstery regularly is as essential as regular carpet cleaning because you also spend much time around your furniture. However, many people care more for their carpet than the upholstery, while some don’t even bother, not knowing that their upholstery health is as important as that of carpet.

This means that your chairs, ottomans, couches, sectionals, and any other items with fabric must be cleaned the same way you clean your carpets. You can do your sofa a favor by cleaning it after using all through winter.

You can opt for the service of the Clean House Melbourne for stain removal or vacuuming of crumbs hiding in your furniture. We know exactly what will work for your unique upholstery, as we have tested many vacuums, stain removers, fabric steamers, upholstery cleaners as well as sanitizing sprays. Before you think of hiring us, let’s discuss how you can handle your upholstery cleaning by yourself, if you have the time and equipment.

What is Upholstery Cleaning and how is it done?

Upholstery Cleaning, just as its name implies, is the process of cleaning the fabric that covers your furniture. However, the process is not as easy as it sounds. Firstly, upholstery is usually made of very delicate natural fabrics such as cotton. Another thing is that, not all furniture allows removal of upholstery to wash in the washing machine. You need special equipment and knowledge to perform upholstery cleaning.

You first have to inspect the upholstery to be sure of any tears or other issues. You can then vacuum the fabric, condition it, rinse and vacuum dry it. You can also perform steam cleaning using hot water to extract dirt. We are committed to giving you DIY cleaning tips and also to help you remove those stubborn marks from your precious upholstery.

Expert Tip: Contact professional upholstery cleaner if your stained furniture is of high value or a precious antique to avoid worsening the case. 

How to clean Upholstery like a Pro

Many people work more on preventing stains from getting to their upholstery. The best way to prevent stains from getting to your upholstery is to know exactly how to get rid of them when it happens, as it is unavoidable. You will find it easier to handle the cleaning when you know your fabric, clean it regularly, and be committed to its cleanliness.

Below is our expert advice on how to clean upholstery. You might be amazed at some of the tips here!

Step 1 – Check for recommendation, if any.

Before you start cleaning your upholstered furniture, make sure you check the upholstery care label on the particular furniture to see the recommended steps by the manufacturer. It might be possible to just remove the upholstery and run it in the washing machines (make sure you treat the stained spots before you wash in the machine). Wash fabrics that have lighter colors with hot water and cold water for fabrics with darker colors when washing cushion covers in the washing machine.

Step 2: Identify the material

Follow these tips to identify the right equipment and methods of cleaning to use:

  • To know the type of material used to make your fabric, find the tag on the couch. The majority of couch manufacturers specify how to clean the furniture using letter codes. Cleaning your couch using water-based detergent is denoted by a “W”, an “S,” meaning that the couch must be cleaned with a water-free detergent or dry cleaned. “WS” means you can use any of the water-based cleaner or water-free detergent (dry clean) to clean the couch, while “O” means that you should use cold water to wash the couch because it is organic material, gotten from natural fibers.
  • Buy the right type of cleaner for your couch, like conditioner and leather cleaner, water-based upholstery detergent, or upholstery dry cleaner solution.
  • Use a bristle brush to remove any dried dirt from your couch. Pay attention to the armrests and the headrest on the couch, these are usually the dirtiest parts.
  • Use a vacuum with an upholstery brush attached to it to remove surface debris like dirt, dust, food crumbs, and pet hair from the couch. Remove the cushion to have an ease cleaning of the seat using a vacuum machine to remove food crumbs and other debris from their hidden place. Vacuum the bottom of the couch to get rid of any dirt.
  • Tip: Enlist a friend’s help for lifting and turning of the couch over.  

Step 3 – Test your solution before application

Make sure you test your solution on separate linen or piece of furniture. Since there is no 100% safe solutions for upholstery cleaning, make sure you test it somewhere else before applying it on your beautiful couch.

Step 4 – Remove particles using vacuum cleaner

Make sure you carefully vacuum the stained part as well as its surrounding area to make sure any hiding particles are picked up, so they don’t disturb the stain removal process. Make sure you are very careful with the fabrics to avoid tearing it while cleaning. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any particles hiding away in those hard-to-reach spaces.

Step 5 – Make use of dishwashing liquid

Pour little clear dishwashing liquid into a bucket of warm water after removing all the debris. The quantity of water you need is about half a gallon to one teaspoon of liquid soaps.

Step 6 – Upholstery cleaning

Apply a little amount of the solution prepared above to the upholstery brush. Just a small quantity of the liquid mixture will do. Use a towel to pat your wet and dripping brush to make sure it’s barely damp before using it on the upholstery. You can then carefully remove the stain using the soaped brush. Avoid soaking the fabric in the process.

Step 7 – Dry-clean the upholstery

Leave the upholstery to dry, and then repeat the step once or twice as needed.

Truly there are many products on the market that you can buy even before you have a stain on your upholstery. That is a very great step, as it will enable you to remove the stain before it stays longer. There are different kinds of effective solvents on the cleaning product market as well. It is also possible to see that a clean microfiber cloth can get rid of the stain without the use of chemicals or solutions.

  • Pro Tip: Wash the used microfiber cloth in your washing machine with only detergent and not fabric softer. Then proceed to air dry or tumble it on low heat.

Additional Tips on Do-It-Yourself Upholstery Spot Removers

Treating a spot earlier increases your chance of getting rid of it. You may be able to remove it by blotting it using a microfiber cloth at the early stage, as stated by experts. There are varieties of DIY upholstery cleaning techniques available if it is safe to use water on your upholstery. Consider the additional tips below:

  • General stain removal:Begin with club soda. Use a clean, white cloth to dab it gently. You can also place a little vinegar on the spot for about 15 minutes before you blot with clean water or use water and plain old soap.
  • Grease/oil stains: Sprinkle salt on the stain and then dab with soap and water. You can also rub alcohol on the stain instead of salt.
  • Coffee stains: Mix water and vinegar of the same measurements with a little amount of dish detergent to blot the stains.
  • Crayon stains: Dab in a non-gel toothpaste and rinse with clean water.
  • Bloodstains: Use hydrogen peroxide to blot the stain then rinse with water.
  • Red wine stains: Sprinkle the stain with salt and blot using lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide. Rinse by blotting with water.

How frequently should I Clean my Upholstery?

Few factors determine the answer to this question, and this includes the number of kids you have, pets, where you work, and how frequent your upholstery track in grime and dirt. Cleaning of the upholsteries in your living area should be done at least two times annually if you have any of the previously mentioned factors. If not possible, you can do it at least once per annum. This simple test will let you know if your upholstery is due for a cleaning – moisten a clean white cloth with a little clear water; rub it thoroughly on the arms of your sofa. Be ready for cleaning if you can see the dirt coming off the upholstery together with the moisten rag.

DIY Upholstery Cleaning – Warning

If you have not been maintaining routine cleaning culture of your upholstery, we strongly encourage you to avoid cleaning your upholstery by yourself at first. Due to the many risks involved in cleaning your carpets and upholstery, such as damage to your rugs and furniture, professional carpets and upholstery cleaning service work effectively to make sure such issues are prevented.

Not many of the cleaning machines available at the stores can extract water from your upholstery. This is only available with water extraction equipment and is available with professional upholstery companies. With this in mind, you might feel like there is no water left in the upholstery, but there might still be more but far from coming out.

Advantages of Professional Upholstery Cleaning

Below are some of the advantages of using professional upholstery cleaning services for your furniture:

   Removes odors

Not only visible stains hid in your upholstery, there are also invisible odors as well. In most cases, getting rid of such can be very difficult and not achievable with common cleaning you do. Yes, you can always apply air freshener, but it will only mask the bad smell for a while. However, professional upholstery cleaning service will remove the debris from your furniture as well as get rid of the odors; making sure your furniture looks great and smells nice.

   Getting rid of lengthy stains

Getting rid of stains becomes simple and easy when it’s done earlier and professionally. However, if allowed to enter into the fibers of the upholstery, it can form a sticky residue which gives room for dirt and dust. This will then cause a dark patch on the upholstery, which can be so obvious on lighter fabrics. A professional upholstery cleaning service will perform a deep clean that will eliminate any lengthy stains.

   Increases furniture life

Did you know that cleaning your upholstery regularly and professionally can increase its life span? That’s very true. Having a dirty ground can cause damage to the fibers under the furniture because they act like sandpaper and weakens the fibers. You might be doing your furniture a huge favor by sweeping the specks of dirt before they accumulate, as it will make your furniture look great and also last longer.

   Allergen reduction

When you flip over your couch on a sunny day, chances are you will see tiny particles floating all around the room. These are known as allergens. They are normally not harmful, but for people with health issues like breathing problems, asthma, eczema, or smaller kids, they can cause issues if allowed to accumulate. You can reduce the number of allergens and dust particles in your furniture when you regularly and professionally clean your upholstery. This is capable of giving you great peace of mind.

   Appearance

Almost everyone has those stains in their upholstery covered up in blankets as it embarrasses them whenever visitors come into their home. We all use our furniture daily regardless of the reason; they look so dull and unattractive, maybe as a result of activities of animals, kids, or just aging. Regardless of how clean your home and carpets are, having dirty upholstery on your furniture will still render the whole house unclean. The easy step here is to include upholstery cleaning in the service of your professional carpet cleaning company.

Upholstery Cleaning Services

Just as we mentioned before, the cleaning of upholstery is best done by professionals. Although you have access to cleaning machines rentals from any appliance or hardware rental stores, we recommend you let professional cleaning service handle this task, as they have the right equipment and the relevant experience. Those in Southbank, Australia and its environs should feel free to contact Clean House Melbourne for their affordable and reliable professional upholstery cleaning services. Contact us to make a reservation as soon as possible.

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