020 3743 8608
Use these Upholstery Cleaning Tips and Give Your Furniture a Lift
Posted on 23/10/2020
Best Upholstery Cleaning Methods
Ideally, you should sort out your upholstery as soon as you notice a stain or mark. Leave it for a long time, and it may become deep-set and seem almost impossible to remove. Combine this with the accumulation of dirt and dust, and over time, the appearance of your furniture can really go downhill. But there are always things that you can do to rectify the situation. So take our advice and turn your dreary, drab-looking upholstery into some chic and modern looking furniture.
1. First things first, get the vacuum cleaner out.
No matter what type of material your upholstery may be made out of, cleaning your upholstery with a vacuum cleaner should be your first point of attack. Make sure you read the manual first so that you make proper use of all the attachments and bits and pieces that come with your vacuum cleaner. Put on the correct attachment and get vacuuming! The dirt and dust will vanish before your very eyes and give you instant results with a minimum amount of effort.
2. Check out the material.
Before you go off and buy cleaners and stain removers, search for the label on your upholstery and find out what material it’s made out of. This is because, unfortunately, there’s not a universal cleaner that will work on every type of material. Buy and use the wrong product, and you may actually be doing more harm than good, causing the stain to become even more deep set or causing your upholstery to become discoloured. Once this happens, there’s no going back, and your fabric may be ruined for good, so ensure you’re clued up on what to buy and what will work best on your type of upholstery. If you’re unsure in any which way, don’t risk it; instead, go to the store and ask their advice. Alternatively, call your local upholstery cleaning company, and get the problem sorted at a small price.
3. Dab, don’t rub.
When applying a stain remover, it’s vitally important that you gently dab at the stain and don’t rub at it. Rubbing at a stain could cause it to become more deep-set, cause further discolouration and make your upholstery beyond salvageable. Most stain removers come in either powder form or as a cream, requiring gentle dabbing at the problem area. But again, make sure you read the instructions. It’s advisable that you try and use dry based cleaners, which will avoid the risks of any splodges and further work needing to be done.
4. Repair a tear.
It’s not uncommon to notice a small rip or tear in your upholstery fabric. If you do, it’s not the end of the world. Hem tape can be used, which is activated by heat and can close up or help to reduce the size of the tear. Firstly, get your hands on some more upholstery fabric and cut a piece off that’s slightly bigger than the size of the tear. Then, carefully put your piece of fabric into the tear so that it fills in the gap. Cut some hem tape, and insert into the tear, arranging it at the edges so that it’s in contact with the old and new fabric. Iron over the tear which will allow the two fabrics to fuse together, closing the gap.
5. Cleaning agencies are there to help.
Sometimes, taking care of a large stain or tear might not be doable on your own. In this case, call a cleaning agency and use their cleaning services to clean up your upholstery.
