Upholstery furniture cleaning as the name suggests means to clean the fabric of your furniture which upholds it. There are multiple steps to do it. Cleaning upholstery is essential so that the furniture always looks clean and is in proper condition. Stains and dirt make the furniture dirty. Leaving the stain and mess for a long period on the furniture can lead to germs which may bring health issues. Regular cleaning of the furniture ensures hygiene.
Furniture cleaning can be done at home or with the help of professionals. The very first thing which is important before cleaning furniture upholstery knows the material of the fabric. Different fabrics have different methods of cleaning to ensure that the fabric does not get damaged.
The fabric tags are coded as to which cleaning agents should be used on them. For example:
- W: Only Water-based cleaning agents can be used
- S: Only solvent-based cleaning agents can be used
- WS: Both Water-based or Solvent-based cleaning agents can be used
- XS: Water-based or solvent-based, both the agents cannot be used. Vacuum cleaners are used for such fabrics.
There are different methods of cleaning upholstery. They are:
- Using a Vacuum cleaner: A vacuum cleaner can be used to clean as much as dirt present on the furniture. Sofas and bean bags can be cleaned effectively by going over the area which has dirt on it.
- Using a dry brush: A dry brush can be used to get rid of any dirt or dust present on the fibres of the furniture.
- Using a blotting paper: A blotting paper can be used for moist stains to absorb the stains from the fabrics.
- Baking Soda: A mixture of baking soda with water can be used as a paste on the stains in a circular rubbing manner. A moist cloth can then be used over it
- Club soda: Club soda helps to dilute stubborn stains and absorb them. A clean cloth can then be used over it.
Furniture upholstery cleaning should be done regularly. This is because the stubborn stains or dirt can be very difficult to get removed and also makes the appearance of the furniture dull. Regular cleaning ensures a longer shelf life of the furniture.
If you haven’t cleaned your furniture for a long period or you don’t have time to clean it yourself, a professional upholstery cleaning company can be called for this. They make sure to clean everything efficiently and also guide you to maintain your upholstery. It is advisable to invest in a good upholstery cleaning service to make sure that the work is done properly.
A good upholstery cleaning service uses these professional methods of cleaning:
- Steam Cleaning: This is a method in which steam subjected to a high temperature is used to get rid of any dirt, dust or any particles. It also removes any extra moisture from the fabric. It is usually used for fabrics of sofa, bean bags etc and is a very effective way of cleaning.
- Cleaning by using the carbonation technique: A carbonating solution in very less quantity is used. The rapid evolution of bubbles happens to perforate the fibres and remove the dirt.
- Cleaning by using chemicals: Chemicals that are relatively safe for the fabrics are used which helps to remove the dirt and debris. It takes very less time for the furniture to dry out using this technique.
- Cleaning by foam technique: A solution of foam is spread over the stains and left for a while. After this vacuum cleaning is done resulting in squeaky clean furniture.
- Dry Cleaning: A powder which is a cleaning agent is spread on the stains and left for a while. Then vacuum cleaning is done. This is identical to foam cleaning except that foam cleaning uses water.
The cost of professional upholstery cleaning services depends on the company and its position in the market. It usually takes a few hours or a day for the upholstery to dry depending on the method of cleaning.
