How to Clean Upholstery
Do you want to save some of those hard earned dollars? Learning how to clean upholstery is a great way to keep your piggy bank intact.
We all have them – those pieces of furniture that read “professional clean only.” The only problem is that a professional cleaner can be quite expensive. Unless you have the budget to hire a cleaner every two months, you will have to learn how to clean upholstery on your own. While the thought of cleaning your own furniture may throw you into a panic, it’s really not that difficult (promise). To begin, all you have to do is know a thing or two about the fabric you are dealing with.
Keep in mind that excess moisture is your fabric’s enemy. While many people may think that wetting fabric as much as possible will remove stains, this process will only ruin your furniture. So, keep that moisture to a minimum. Rather than soak the whole thing, pre-soak those bad stains with a mild fabric cleaner. Then, using a steamer, try to get as much water off of the furniture as possible. During this process, be very careful not to wet any metal parts (they will rust).
The other thing to keep in mind is the type of fabric your furniture is made from. Synthetic materials (polyester, etc) tend to be easier to clean, while materials that are more than fifty percent cotton may be a bit trickier. In fact, if you have a piece of furniture that is made from Haitian cotton, it is best to cough up the extra dough to have it professionally cleaned. However, most modern furniture is made from some type of blend. Now that you know how to clean upholstery, you can start fixing nearly every piece of furniture in your home with ease.
Chances are, you can easily remove any spots that your sofa has without too much trouble. All you really have to do is follow the advice listed above. Remember not to clean anything that is made from pure cotton on your own, and never soak the fabric too much.
Learning how to clean upholstery is as easy as reading this article, but it can save you lots of money in the long run. Start with a small patch working your way around the furniture with you steam cleaner in hand... soon enough, you will be running around the whole house until it sparkles.