Upholstery Cleaning: Things You Should or Shouldn't Do

16 August 2017
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The costs of hiring professionals to clean your indoor upholstery can add up quickly if you don't take on some of those cleaning tasks yourself. This article discusses some useful tips that you should implement as you clean your upholstery when you want to avoid paying a professional to do that work.

Pretest All Cleaning Products

You can never predict what impact a given cleaning product will have on your upholstery due to the different combination of factors, such as the upholstery fabric and the material underneath the upholstery, which may impact the cleaning process. A wise approach therefore entails spot testing the product on an inconspicuous section of the upholstery before you use it. This pretest will alert you to any adverse effects before it is too late.

Leave the Covers in Place

Some upholstery has zippers that one can use to remove the covers from all cushions. Should you remove those covers so that you can clean them separately? It is not advisable for you to remove the covers. This is because cleaning them separately may cause the fabric to shrink so much that it will become very hard or impossible for you to return those cushion covers to the cushions. A safer step to take is to clean the covers when they are still in place.

Avoid Vigorous Cleaning

You should never use any vigorous cleaning method or substance when you are cleaning upholstery. For instance, refrain from using a pressure washer to clean stubborn stains from the upholstery. Similarly, avoid using hard brushes during the cleaning exercise. Such cleaning techniques and materials are likely to cause serious damage to your upholstery. You should also avoid putting the upholstery into your washing machine unless the manufacturer of that upholstery recommends that cleaning method.

Beware of Stain Removers

Some stain removers are caustic, and they can damage the upholstery fabric. Other stain removal products may cause the upholstery to become discoloured. It is therefore advisable for you to use only water and mild soap to blot away any stain as soon as something is spilt on the upholstery. Refer to the cleaning guidelines of your upholstery in case you are faced with a stubborn stain.

Your upholstery is likely to retain its attractiveness if you implement the suggestions above as you clean it on your own. Don't hesitate to contact professionals at a company like Carpet Whiz for assistance in case you are unable to deal with a particular cleaning challenge. The prompt involvement of those experts may save your upholstery from suffering permanent damage.