How To Clean The Upholstery On Your Furniture

BY Richard Ribbing

Upholstery cleaning is inexpensive and an often neglected part of general home maintenance. Most people underestimate the amount of dirt contained in their furniture. Does the fabric on your furniture look drab, dull or downright dirty? Furniture is subjected to an array of soils on a daily basis. Understanding upholstery and how to care for your furniture is essential .


Like so many things in your home, every piece of upholstered furniture is unique and requires special care. There are different types of cleaning methods for different fabrics. Different fabrics have different cleaning codes. The best thing you can do when you buy your new sofa or chair is to find out what the manufacturer recommends for all purpose upholstery cleaning. If that is not available you should be able to find out the cleaning code.

Cleaning Codes

W-WATER BASED CLEANER
Spot clean using the foam only from a water-based cleaning agent such as a mild detergent or non-solvent upholstery shampoo product. Many household solvents are harmful to the color and life of the fabric. Apply foam with a soft brush in a circular motion. Vacuum when dry.

WS-WATER SOLVENT CLEANER
Spot clean with a mild solvent, an upholstery shampoo, or the foam from a mild detergent. When using a solvent or dry cleaning product, follow instructions carefully and clean only in a well ventilated room. Avoid any product that contains carbon tetrachloride or other toxic products.

S-SOLVENT CLEANER
Spot clean using a mild water-free solvent or dry-cleaning product. Clean only in a well ventilated room and avoid any product containing carbon tetrachloride or other toxic products.Th use of water-based or detergent-based solvent cleaners may cause excessive shrinking. Water stains may become permanent and unable to be removed with solvent cleaning agents.

X-VACUUM ONLY
Clean this fabric only by vacuuming or light brushing to prevent accumulation of dust and grim. Water-based foam or solvent-based cleaning agents of any kind may cause excessive shrinkage or fading.

If you don't know the cleaning code on your sofa or chair, this is one of the safest ways to clean it yourself. Vacuum your furniture on a regular basis. Try to wipe up any spills as soon as they occur. For a light cleaning use a foam upholstery cleaner, woolite is an excellent choice. When using a foam cleaner you will not get the fabric overly wet. Always try any cleaner on a part of the furniture where it will not be noticeable. This will let you check for color fastness, and to also make sure that it is not going to cause any damage to your furniture. When you are done cleaning the upholstery. Inspect it to see if you have any spots or stains remaining. If there are any you can use a spot remover. I recommend Goddards Spot Remover. This product is easy to use. All you have to do is spray it on the spot or stain that you want to clean. Let it dry completely, usually takes a few minutes. When it is completely dry, it will turn to a white powder. All you have to do is take a brush and brush it off. If the stain doesn't come out completely, you just have to repeat the process until it's completely removed.

In conclusion, regular upholstery cleaning of your sofa or chair is required for long lasting as well as good looking upholstery. In most cases, normal upholstery cleaning is not enough to remove pet urine stains and odors. When overall upholstery cleaning is required, professional cleaning will often achieve the most satisfactory results. To find a qualified cleaning company, I recommend calling your local dry cleaning store. They are in the cleaning business, and can often recommend a qualified upholstery cleaning company.