UPHOLSTERY CLEANING ARTICLES

How to Remove Liquid Spills from Your Upholstered Home Furniture

House cleaning should be scheduled regularly and must include your furniture. Frequent dusting and vacuuming upholstery will help keep them looking new and odor free. One way of maintaining the cleanliness upholstered home furniture is to immediately remove stains from them. Stains are usually caused by food and liquid spills.

How to remove liquid spills from your upholstered home furniture?

This is a simple chore that can be accomplished easy steps. The first thing you have to do is to check the material of your furniture. Is it upholstered in fabric, leather or vinyl? Afterwards check the manufacturer’s label on how to clean your furniture. If there are special instructions such as dry clean only, you have to use specific products or a homemade solution with ingredients used for the particular material of your upholstered furniture.

Removing liquid stains from your upholstered furniture is simple if you immediately take action after the spill happens. Blotting or dabbing the liquid off is the best thing to do to remove it. Do not rub or scrub because this will only make the stain spread out or seep into the material of your furniture. Use clean absorbent cloths such as cotton shirts or towels. Press the cloth to the stained area and remove as much liquid as possible.

Follow instructions on the cleaning product you will be using to clean the stain or you may use a homemade solution made of dishwashing liquid and water. The solution must be whipped using an eggbeater or mixer until you have produced foam or dry suds.

Using a brush, test it first on a hidden area of the furniture to see if the material will not bleed or discolor. Afterwards, apply the foam using the brush on the stain working from the edges towards the center. Rinse the area by dabbing the fabric with a clean cloth soaked in water and squeezed until almost dry. Let the upholstered furniture dry completely.

Another solution you can use is a mixture of white vinegar and water. Follow the same steps as mentioned earlier. You can then use baking soda to dissolve the remaining liquid stains and to remove odor from the fabric. 

How to Clean Upholstery Using Household Vacuum Cleaners

Cleaning upholstery on a regular basis and properly can help your furniture avoid looking soiled and faded. There are simple ways of keeping them clean and dust free. One method is to use your household vacuum cleaner. Check if your vacuum has upholstery attachments that you can use on your furniture.

The next step is to check the manufacturer’s label of instructions on how to clean your upholstered furniture properly. They might have specified certain steps on how to clean upholstery using vacuum cleaners.

Attach the upholstery nozzle and crevice tool to your vacuum cleaner. Check if the vacuum has an empty bag before using it on your furniture. Instead of removing dirt and dust, it might add to your cleaning chore by scattering more dust on your furniture. Before vacuuming, remove all cushions and pillows. Vacuum surfaces and crevices on the furniture and use a brush attachment if your furniture has loose materials that might be drawn out by the vacuum.

Vacuum clean seat & back cushions and loose pillows. Re-arrange them if necessary to even the wear of your furniture. Clean all non-fabric materials with a clean damp cloth.

If your upholstery needs to be shampooed, follow the instructions on the label of the cleaning product. You may also use a homemade solution made of a mixture of liquid dish detergent and warm water. This preparation must be whipped using an egg beater or mixer to make dry suds.

Now use the fabric attachment or brush of your vacuum to clean the upholstery. Just remember to keep the furniture completely dry while shampooing it to avoid damage caused by mildew.

Clean small areas on the furniture at a time and then wipe clean using a clean damp cloth. Let the upholstered furniture dry out completely.

Open windows and place electric fans directly on the furniture. You can also use a dehumidifier or you may turn on the air-conditioner to help dry up the upholstery. If it’s sunny or warm outside, you can let it dry out under the sun. This may even help eliminate odor and mildew from the furniture.
How to Clean Leather Upholstery
Regular dusting and vacuuming of your upholstered furniture can help you keep them looking as good as the first time you bought it. Deep cleaning upholstery once a year will remove deep seated grime from them. However, before doing any upholstery cleaning, you must first check the manufacturer’s cleaning and care instructions. Make sure that you will be using the correct cleaning products on your upholstery and follow the instructions on their labels.
If your furniture has leather upholstery there are simple ways of keeping them clean and shiny as new. How to clean leather upholstery? Cleaning leather upholstery is easy if you follow these simple tips:
Tip 1: Choose cleaning products that are specifically made for leather materials. It is best to use pure soap products and conditioner to maintain or restore moisture. This will also keep and bring up the leather’s sheen.
Tip 2: If you are on a budget, you can mix a homemade solution to clean leather upholstery. A mixture of dishwashing liquid and warm water can be used to wash your furniture. Whip this preparation using an egg beater or mixer until it forms dry suds. Apply the suds on the leather upholstery and scrub lightly using a soft-bristled brush. Avoid pouring your cleaning solution directly on the leather surface. This will saturate the leather and might seep into the padding of your furniture.
Tip 3: Clean small areas at a time and then wipe clean using a damp sponge. Make sure that you have removed all the suds because they can leave residue that is sticky. This will attract more dirt and will cause you more problems cleaning your leather upholstery. Make sure to let the furniture dry completely.
Tip 4: Apply paste wax or cleaning wax to make the leather upholstery shine. You may use other cleaning products that will give you the same results. Buff the furniture using a clean and dry soft cloth. Using rough material or cloth will scratch the surface of the leather upholstery. Also, avoid scrubbing too hard to prevent tearing or scratching especially if the leather upholstered furniture is not yet dried out thoroughly.