Your home is beautiful because of the aesthetics and personal touch you put into it. Among the elements that beautify your home is also upholstery that literally upholds the elegance of your home. Yet your upholstered items are routinely polluted by stains, dirt, dander, and undergoes wear and gets torn due to them being used on a daily basis. As dirt, debris, and other airborne matter settle in your upholstery, it can become matted with a thick coat of dust as time passes. This is something serious and necessitates calling upholstery cleaning Sydney specialists to do a detoxification of your upholstery. Why experts need to be called is that they have the appropriate methods and tools to cause no damage and yet revive the upholstery to form.
As an owner, you would be perplexed about how to really clean your upholstery as they are often intricate and complex in the way they are made with several folds and turns that seem hard to reach. Also, you would not wish to spoil the feel of the fabric or have the dye to run, which could mar and degrade the overall appearance Upholstery like carpets when well maintained can make your ambiance look very bright. Many people buy both to complement each other. Even when carpets or rugs look matted and filthy a good rug cleaning Sydney expert is engaged to eliminate pollutants. So maintenance is needed both for health and overall look. You cannot clean some aspects of your home and ignore others. A well-kept home takes care of all its elements.
Things not to do while you clean your upholstery
You might want to be a conscious homeowner and try making efforts at cleaning upholstered furniture but knowing a few things beforehand can help you save the day and your furniture! Upholstery cleaning Sydney specialists often advise home owners on a few things to avoid which are mentioned below. After all, avoiding mistakes is half the job done!
Do not drench your upholstery: Water can be a savior but also a damager. Any form of extra water can end up damaging your fabric and make it look stained with watermarks. But as you adopt a DIY approach you would be discovering you end up using substantial water while you clean the upholstery making this a risk. Professional cleaning experts including Rug cleaning Sydney experts would always propose minimum use of water. Of course, professional cleaners are trained and have the knowledge to use low moisture hot extraction process to do a thorough clean up. This technique uses less water and a carbonated solution as opposed to gallons of it for removing dirt and stains from the fibers.
Avoid water and use alcohol for stains: In the case of microfiber avoid using water. Spray the alcohol using a spray bottle and use a clean dry white cloth to lift stains when it loosens.
Do not misread cleaning instructions: Please read the manufacturer’s manual well. You can see them as label or tag that is attached to the fabric. Seek information and understand them before making any move. The codes have specific washing instructions that have to follow to prevent spoiling the upholstery fabric. Some of the codes may be decoded as –
S: Use non water-based or dry cleaner detergent only
W: You can use water to clean the fabric
X: Only vacuum it
WS: Both water and dry cleaning detergent may be used
W: You can use water to clean it.
Avoid scrubbing on stains: Accident spills happen and stains are formed. In your haste to save your precious upholstery, you might have rigorously rubbed your stains. It is a natural instinct many do but it sadly damages the upholstery. This pushed the stain further in the fabric spreading it and affecting a bigger surface or area making the stain tougher to remove. The right technique is gently dabbing the stain using a clean white cloth or paper towel. Gently press on the affected area. This absorbs the liquid portion, allowing for easier removal of the stained area. Now that you have salvaged it a bit for an expert removal you can call in expert upholstery cleaning Sydney specialists to completely remove the stain keeping the fabric intact. The key here is a quick dab on first spill can save a lot.
Spot check before you use cleaning agents: Understand that each fabric is sensitive to cleaning formulas and may affect the fabric permanently by over bleaching, leave residues or cause water marks. Before you use any, first spot check in a discrete portion and try it. If the fabric doesn’t seem to be affected, you may proceed. If it does, calling professionals is the only solution. Your upholstery is a prized investment you have made. Prior to the use of any store bought cleaner, practice care and caution. One small act of negligence can cost you your upholstery.
Avoid steam cleaning on silk fabrics: Steam cleaning is a very useful and effective method for deep cleaning the embedded dirt from your upholstery. This is something you can do using steam floor mop if it comes with attachments. Using a low heat setting, first, try out a hidden or inconspicuous area to test whether the fabric is taking the heat well. For silk upholstery, this is to be strictly avoided.
Use the appropriate vacuum attachment: The different attachments of your vacuum cleaner have a specific utility value. The airflow attachment allows the cleaning of small folds and crevices. This helps remove pet hair from upholstery as it has a brush that extracts it while getting off the dirt and other pollutants. The attachment that resembles a lint brush with soft bristles minimizes piling and lifts dust effectively.
Practice care and caution using fabric protectors: You might use stain-repellent sprays to protect your upholstery but sometimes over-spraying can damage fabric due to chemical deposits causing stains and even tears. It might also affect those with sensitive skin when in contact with upholstered furniture.
Do not use fabric softeners: Avoid fabric softeners for all fabrics that can be washed with water. Use those detergents that do not have odors or dyes. Dry them on lines or flat dry and avoid using the dryer.
To conclude upholstery is vital to your home décor and statement and like all things need to be nurtured. While we all do our best to maintain it, a little understanding of the dangers and damaging effects of wrong practices can help us preserve and protect it better and longer.
