Upholstery Care Tips

 

Your furniture plays an important part of the look and feel of your home decor. Understanding upholstery and how to care for your furniture is essential.

Before attempting to remove a stain from your furniture, it is helpful to know what type of fabric the furniture is covered with.

Most furniture companies provide standardized cleaning codes and instructions which list the preferred spot cleaning method. If these codes aren't available, you should first contact the service department of the company where you purchased your furniture to obtain more information prior to cleaning your upholstery.

We suggest that you first test any cleaning product in an inconspicuous area.

Upholstery Cleaning Codes

• S: Clean the fabric sparingly with a dry cleaning solvent that's water free. Test for color fastness, use sparingly.
  
  
• W: Clean fabric with a water based solution, such as mild detergent and water or foam upholstery cleaner. Avoid over wetting.
  
  
• WS: Depending on stain, use a water based solution, dry-cleaning solvent or upholstery shampoo.
  
  
• X: Fabric should be professionally cleaned only. Vacuum or brush lightly to remove any accumulation of dust, dirt and debris. Do not use cleaning solvents or water based products on fabric.

Furniture can be an expensive item, and you can permanently damage it if you use the wrong cleaning materials. Many furniture companies also offer warranties for upholstery and will clean your furniture or upholstery free of charge if it becomes damaged while under warranty.

If you are not sure about how to clean your furniture, or the codes are not available, it may be best to call a professional cleaner. You can also purchase upholstery protectors to keep your furniture from becoming stained or dirty. If you buy your furniture brand new, the fabric is generally pre-treated. However, over time this protection will wear off, and used furniture will likely not have it.

It is also important to deodorize your upholstery on a regular basis. Many odors can be tough to remove, and they make using your furniture an unpleasant experience. Deodorizers can be purchased which uses enzymes to destroy odor which is caused by urine or other materials. It does this by consuming the matter which causes the smell. This will give your furniture and upholstery a pleasant scent.