Sofa Upholstery: How To Take Care of Fabrics in Your Home

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Bacteria, viruses, mold, oil, and much more live inside your upholstery. Are you cleaning your sofas correctly? Not only can cleaning help you kill bacteria and remove allergens, but it can also keep your furniture lasting longer and continue looking just as pristine as the day you bought it.

Taking Care of Upholstery:

Before doing anything to your sofa or chairs, find the tag and make sure to abide by those cleaning guidelines. To clean your upholstery the best, follow the directions given directly from the vendor- they know your sofa.

cotton/ polyester/ rayon or other upholstery fabric:

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Clean your upholstery from once a week to once every 3-4 months. If you have kids or pets, clean your sofa about once a week. Use a soft brush attachment to vacuum to draw out dust and particles. If your sofa has removable covers- read the tag- you should be able to wash by hand or machine wash the covers. Make sure to avoid heat damage by placing your sofa away from fireplaces, and heaters. If your sofa isn’t foam, after long uses, plump the seat, arm, and back for the cushioning to last longer.

leather sofas:

The look of a leather sofa is gorgeous, but you want to be sure to do what you can to protect the leather from being worn. Too much moisture and too much heat can damage leather. Don’t leave your sofa in the way of direct sunlight, in front of a roaring fireplace, or right below an air conditioning vent. Moisturize your leather, but be careful with what you use. Some moisturizers or even soap made for leather can be damaging if not applied properly. To clean your leather- use saddle soap or leather soap and wash with a damp washcloth. If there are stubborn stains, use rubbing alcohol and cotton swab. Make sure to dry it after washing, and apply leather cream to keep your leather looking lovely.

Velvet sofas:

Velvet can fade in the sunlight. Take extra care when designing your space to not have the velvet sofa in front of a large window. Vacuuming with a soft brush attachment is the best way to rid of crumbs and remove any dust. If you get any creases, a simple handheld steamer will be able to smooth out any wrinkles.

Photo Credit: cocolapinedesign

Some sofas require more care and attention than others. So if you’re looking for you next sofa, find out how much upkeep is needed for a sofa before buying. With all the dust, bacteria and other things living in your sofa- a quick vacuum will not always do the trick. Hire a professional sofa cleaner once or twice a year to keep your home clean.