Upholstery Cleaning
If you consider upholstery cleaning on your own, this article should provide you with some valuable pointers. This is one of those ways to keep your home looking spic and span without having to pay for professional service from an upholstery cleaner. If you can follow a few straightforward steps, you should have no trouble cleaning any fabric that has been badly stained or damaged by animal hair, dirt, or other forms of damage. Bear in mind that if you stain anything, there’s no substitute for a vacuum cleaner.
Here are ten tips for cleaning your upholstery from experience as a professional cleaner. If you are looking for various ways to keep your home or office smelling fresh and looking new without having to break out the bleach every week, then read on!
Understand Your Fabric
The first step is to understand what you have when it comes to fabric. If you have silk or satin upholstery, nothing will work better than a feather duster and dust spray. A feather duster will add a little more weight for deep cleanings, but if this is going to be your go-to method of keeping your upholstery clean, then you should invest in a good duster that will not cause damage to the fibers. You can use either a feather duster or dust spray on suede fabrics, but you are better off with a dry brush for nubuck because it will not leave any lint behind.
If your upholstery is leather, then you should use a dry powder or chalk. If you are working with delicate leather, most cleaners recommend applying the powder before cleaning and then brushing it off after the vacuum has removed all of the dirt. This is an excellent way to get a lot of dirt out without breaking down the fibers in your leather piece.
Of course, you can clean your upholstery with a vacuum cleaner. Vacuums are great because they remove the dirt without causing damage to the fibers, but you will need to invest in a good brush that closely fits or reaches all parts of the fabric. You will also need to decide if you want an upright or canister model before spending any money on a new cleaner.
Don’t Allow the Stain to Set In.
One of the best ways to keep your furniture looking fresh and new is by constantly cleaning up any spills before they have time to set in. To do this, blot the stain with a clean towel until no more liquid emerges from the fabric or surface. Then, remove excess moisture using absorbent paper towels.
Remember not to soak the stain. If a stain has been allowed to sit on upholstery for a long time, it will be harder to remove. In most cases, you should not try to soak up or wet any stains because this can cause mold or mildew build-up, which will make the problem worse and wear out your fabric faster.
In some cases, you may have to use a spray-on fabric cleaner before blotting up the stain. If you do, then again, only soak as much as possible and allow at least ten to fifteen minutes for the affected area to dry. You can then begin applying pressure to remove the stain with a clean cloth or towel.
Surface-level Dirt Should Be Removed
When vacuuming, make sure to use your horsehair brush first. This will loosen up any dirt and dust so that it is easy for you to vacuum the whole piece! If using compressed air works best in getting all those crevices clean. Then go ahead with that too. But be mindful not to miss a single spot. It’s because of its reach when going between shelves or under furniture legs which may take more than just a quick blast from time to time. Also, working on the ‘upholstery’ method instead of just randomly huffing and puffing all over so may not be your best option after all.
Try Spot Clean
When it comes to spotting removal, there are many options. You can try spraying the area with a trusted carpet or upholstery stain remover and following instructions on the bottle for that particular fabric type. Make sure this fits within your upholstery cleaning process.
Another option would be natural methods like hydrogen peroxide, which studies have shown to remove stains. You’ll also find dish soap mixed with freshwater works well when using a spray bottle instead of just one dropper full each time like before!
First, Test A Small Area
It’s essential to test your cleaning method before you get rid of the entire couch. If it works, great! But if not, and things look worse than they did before, then try testing out a smaller area like under cushions or one side facing the wall. Once that part is clean, move onto another spot on more oversized furniture items, or that may have been harder to get to when you were by yourself.
Check That You Have The Proper Tools
If you have been doing upholstery cleaning regularly, then good job, and thanks for reading this article! Just make sure that you’re doing things properly by using enough elbow grease and getting in every nooks and cranny to make sure that it looks better than before.
For instance, if using a steam cleaner will work best in removing stains and getting rid of dirt particles, don’t hesitate to buy one! It’s good to have around, especially when you need something more than your regular vacuum or carpet cleaner.
To make your upholstery look new again, you will also need a few tools that can help with cleaning and spot-cleaning. Here’s what we recommend:
- dish soap
- brush
- good carpet or upholstery solution
- Spray bottle
- clean cloth
- vacuum cleaner
- bucket
- steam cleaning
If you have the money to spend, then consider hiring a professional steam cleaner. These machines use superheated water that can penetrate deep into fabrics and easily remove many different stains. There’s no need to risk your health by applying bleach or other harsh chemicals because, much like magic, these cleaners will do all the work for you.
Get Rid of Crusted-On Dirt
Removing stains from upholstery can be tedious and time-consuming, but having the right tools makes the process quick. Grabbing a spoon with your hands is one of those critical things you’ll need; it allows for an easier way to scrape off any dried food or debris without damaging what was already cleaned before! Be sure not to grab anything flat because if there are still bits stuck between fibers, they will only get worse when vacuumed away – use something pointed instead, so all parts have been gotten rid of at once.
Clean the Entire Carpet
If you’ve removed all of the spots and stains in your upholstery, then it’s time to clean your entire carpet. There are a few different ways to do this but for best results, stick with using warm water mixed with dish soap in this step! If not already done, spray or fill up any continuous misting systems on furniture pieces (or use old-fashioned brushes) before lightly scrubbing them off.
If you don’t have a sprayer, combine about ½ teaspoon dish soap with warm water in a bucket to make suds. Then dip your scrub brush into the soapy mixture and get grotty! Scrub every inch of couch-not soaking it but coating all surfaces lightly; wipe down gently after wiping off excess moisture (soap residue will dry quickly).
Get The Professional Help
It’s always best to call in professionals when you need help with cleaning. You can do everything yourself, but there are some cases where nothing will work, and it’s time for a professional intervention! If all of these steps don’t produce satisfying results- like if the smell lingers after spraying deodorizer on your carpet and upholstery – make sure that they get taken care of by an expert; otherwise, we’ll end up at square one again, which isn’t pleasant.
Upholstery Cleaning Melbourne
To make things easier on yourself and save time, we recommend scheduling a carpet cleaning or upholstery cleaning service in Melbourne, VIC, Australia, with Omega Carpet Cleaning. We are professionals who know how to use the best tools and solutions to remove stains and restore your furniture’s original beauty. Just call us on 0406 996 819 or visit our website to set an appointment now!