Upholstered Furniture

Upholstery is a great way to give a fresh new look to an old piece of furniture, such as a loveseat, an ottoman, or a sofa. If you want to re-decorate in any room of your house, you might not necessarily need to get new furniture; all you have to do is consider re-upholstering your current furniture with different fabric. However, if you do choose to re-upholster your current furniture, you become responsible for keeping your furnishings looking clean and fresh. Upholstered furniture is fairly easy to clean. Just keep in mind the following three steps.

How To

The first step is to prevent any possible damage to your upholstery. This may not always be possible, as accidents do happen. But there are some things that you can do to extend the longevity of your furnishings. Use a vacuum with a special attachment to clean upholstered furniture once a week. You can use the angled attachment to suck up dirt and dust that gets trapped in some of the corners and crevices of the furniture. Make sure to beat cushions on a regular basis to remove dust and rotate or flip cushions as needed so that they don’t fade or wear unevenly. Finally, consider making a “no eating” rule in your living room if you have young children who are especially prone to spills. Be wary of letting pets use the furniture too, as this can cause extra wear and tear that will show later.

Secondly, when something does get spilled, you need to clean it right away. Use a paper towel to blot the area, as sometimes rubbing can make the stain larger or press it into the fibers of the fabric. If that technique doesn’t work, read the label on the upholstery to find the right product to use for cleaning.

Apply a recommended cleaning solution with a wet washcloth. Try to blot with excess water to remove the stain, but be careful not to use too much water as that will make the stain spread. If you get your furniture too wet, mold can grow. To dry an area that you have cleaned, blot with a fresh paper towel.

Tips & Takeaways

If you apply a cleaning solution to the fabric, you should always test it beforehand to see if it damages the color of the furniture. Try it on a small corner of the upholstered fabric where no one will see it. Blot it with a white wet wash cloth and then check for evidence of color on the cloth after 30 seconds.

When it comes to stains, there are a few good products which you can try to help you remove accidental stains. Some people recommend baby wipes such as Huggies because they are gentle and don’t contain any harsh chemicals. Dryel Dry Cleaning Cloths are another suggested product which can sometimes be an effective replacement for taking a piece of upholstery to the dry cleaner. One product made especially for cleaning upholstered fabrics is Woolite Fabric & Upholstery Cleaner.

It’s a good idea to schedule a deep clean for your upholstered furnishings on a yearly basis. In some cases, covers can be thrown in the washing machine but be sure to check the label beforehand. Never put cushion covers or upholstered fabric in the dryer; you will have to hang whatever you wash out to dry.  You can also consider dry cleaning in order to keep your furniture looking new.