The upholstery in our house or office is something we come into contact with daily. However, many of us never think about cleaning our upholstery.
Why is this the case? One factor might be simply ignorance—we avoid upholstery cleaning because we are unfamiliar with it. If you’re unsure what upholstery cleaning comprises or if it suits you, we’ve got all the answers. Continue reading.
What Is Upholstery?
Upholstery is the fabric and cushioning that covers the furniture in your home or office, including sofas, couch seats, armchairs, ottomans, stools, and more.
What Is Upholstery Cleaning? How Does It Function?
Upholstery cleaning is, as the name suggests, the act of washing the cloth that covers your furniture. However, the procedure is more complex than it appears at first.
For one thing, upholstery is often made of delicate natural textiles like cotton. Another problem is that most furniture does not allow you to remove the upholstery to wash it. Upholstery cleaning needs upholstery cleaning tools and knowledge.
First, the upholstery is examined for rips or other damage. The cloth is then vacuumed, conditioned, washed, and dried. Another approach is to use hot-water extraction, sometimes known as “steam cleaning.”
Again, this is done with specialist equipment; don’t attempt a do-it-yourself job with a shampoo bottle and an ordinary vacuum cleaner. You’ll be sorry later.
Advantages of Upholstery Cleaning
Upholstery cleaning solutions are comparable to carpet cleaning and other routine duties such as air duct cleaning: better indoor air quality, elimination of allergens, dust, filth, grime, and more.
Keeping things clean is, in short, the proper (and healthy) thing to do.
Removes germs:
Even if you thought you cleaned the spill off your furniture well, bacteria might still be present. This seeps into the threads of your furniture fabric and can damage people who have respiratory difficulties or allergies. Your house might be making you ill without you even realizing it! With frequent upholstery cleaning, your furniture will keep its beauty and be an important part of your clean house.
Reduces allergies:
Since your furniture absorbs what’s around it, it might get contaminated with allergens that are making you sick. The dust, pet hair, and mildew that have been crushed into the fabric can aggravate your allergies and make breathing difficult in your own house. Regular upholstery cleaning may eliminate allergens and enable your furniture to circulate air properly without harming or dulling the fabric. It can alleviate allergy problems and make everyone in your family healthier.
Eliminates unpleasant odors:
Your furniture can trap scents, making the smell of your house uncomfortable. Spending on regular upholstery cleaning may help eradicate unpleasant odors from your furniture and enhance the air quality in your home as a consequence of food stains, mildew, smoking, or pet dander. This will help you to breathe comfortably and avoid any unpleasant odors that can put you or your guests off.
Improves sanitation:
Your furniture is an ideal environment for filth and bacteria. This is kept alive by the fabric of your furniture and might lead to an unclean living environment for you and your family. Regular upholstery cleaning may assist in removing dirt and food particles that have been embedded in it. This will not only make your furniture glitter, but it will also leave you with a cleaner house to enjoy.
Enhances air quality:
With so much dust, filth, and allergies on the surface of your furniture, cleaning the fabric may do wonders for the air quality in your house. When someone sits down, these particles no longer fly into the air, polluting the air you breathe at home.
Upholstery Cleaning Products
Upholstery cleaning products are crucial to maintaining the appearance of fabrics such as sofas, chairs, and other furniture with cloth coverings. They are available in aerosol form as scents, foaming scents, and liquid scents appropriate for use on cotton, leather, and artificial fabrics. They work to eradicate dirt, stains and even smell since they only take washing grime without destroying the furniture.
Over-the-counter products like Scotchgard upholstery cleaner, Woolite upholstery cleaner, and Resolve Upholstery Cleaner can be used to clean the upholstery, and they are effective in eradicating dirt, food stains, and pet dander.
Also, some environmentally friendly products clean immensely but cause no harm to the environment. Before selecting an upholstery cleaning solution, one must determine the type of fabric used in the upholstery and any other conditions that may cause the cleaner to react incorrectly with the material. Regular use of these cleaning products can help maintain the functionality of your furniture and help it last longer.
How often should your upholstery be cleaned?
The answer to this question is dependent on a few factors. Do you have any children? Do you have any animals? And do you routinely work outside or track in dirt and grime?
If you responded yes to any of these queries, you should have your major living rooms’ upholstery cleaned at least twice a year. If not, it should be done at least once a year or every 18 months.
Here’s a quick way to know whether you’re overdue for a cleaning:
- Take a piece of clean white cloth.
- Make it wet with some water.
- Aggressively brush it over the armrests and back of your couch or chair.
If dirt is coming off the upholstery with the rag, it is the right time to clean it.
You cannot claim to have a tidy house unless you have clean sofas, chairs, and other furnishings. Clean upholstery not only improves the look of your home but also improves health and safety. Moreover, It extends the life of your household accessories.
So you have two options: Either hire professional upholstery cleaning services or do it yourself (DIY).
Tools/Machines Used for Upholstery
Apart from normal cleaning, upholstery cleaning entails the use of specific apparatus and equipment needed to accomplish the necessary cleaning operations. Key among these are:
Upholstery Steam Cleaners:
McCulloch MC1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner: This device is a steam cleaner that cleans furniture by using high-temperature steam without any chemicals— ideal for removing deeply embedded dirt and odor from the furniture.
Portable Carpet Cleaners:
Bissell SpotClean ProHeat: It is a small and compact scrubbing machine that has the capability of heating water using HeatWave Technology to ensure that the water reaching the upholstery is at the right temperature. Although this machine is small, it fulfills its role of removing as many spots and stains as it possibly can to the best of its ability.
Professional Grade Carpet Cleaners:
Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner: It has extremely large dirt lifter brushes, and there is a long hose that comes with an upholstery tool, hence making this machine suitable for both carpet and upholstered furniture cleaning.
Pet-Specific Cleaners:
Hoover Power Scrub Elite Pet Upright Carpet Cleaner: The cleaner is designed for homes with pets, and it features the SpinScrub to simplify washing and scrubbing of upholstered furniture for pet hair and smell removal.
High-Suction Cleaners:
Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner: This type of machine comes with high suction power and is accompanied by two cross-action brushes that enable it to clean upholstery by picking dirt from it. It should be noted that these tools are indispensable for cleaning and preserving upholstered furniture, as well as for sanitizing it deeper than is possible using only hands and other means.
Upholstery cleaning misconceptions
People have illusions about the expense and hassle of professional commercial upholstery cleaning, but the truth is that professional cleaning is not only more convenient but also more cost-effective in the long term. Professional washing not only thoroughly cleans but also maintains heavy textiles. This extends the life of the upholstery. DIY fabric cleaning may be less expensive or more handy because you can clean upholstery whenever you want. However, you may wind up abusing the upholstery when cleaning, causing more damage than good.
FAQs:
Does Upholstery Cleaning Work?
Yes, upholstery cleaning eliminates dirt, stains, allergens, and even odors from furniture items that have fabrics covering them. There are professional setups for upholstery cleaning and high-quality cleaning equipment that can remove even ingrained stains and improve indoor air quality, thus increasing the lifespan of the furniture. The upholstery looks new and lasts longer when cleaned frequently.
What is the Best Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Machine?
When it comes to purchasing carpet and upholstery cleaning machines, there are several good machines that can be purchased on the market, with each having special features that may suit a particular consumer. Here are a few notable ones:
- Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner
- Hoover Power Scrub Elite Pet Upright Carpet Cleaner
- Bissell SpotClean ProHeat Portable Spot and Stain Carpet Cleaner
- McCulloch MC1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner
How Long Does It Take Upholstery to Dry After Cleaning?
The drying period for the upholstery following its cleaning is dependent on a number of factors. Some of these include the type of fabric used to create the upholstery, the method used in cleaning it, the temperature in the room and also the humidity levels. The usual time for carpets to dry after cleaning is around 12 hours. To quicken the drying process for wet carpets, professionals typically recommend using fans or opening windows (or using a dehumidifier). These help in removing moisture from the air that would otherwise prolong the drying time for the carpet.
Conclusion
A clean and sterilized house or office creates a safe and comfortable living environment for your family and employees. Keeping your property in good condition shows customers that you care about your staff, clients, and the products and services you offer. So, hiring expert cleaning services is the best method to ensure that your furniture is cleaned and kept efficiently.