Commonly Ignored Sofa Upholstery Cleaning Tips
Selecting a suitable sofa is perhaps the most challenging part of furnishing an apartment. For example, you must choose the right colours, patterns, and sizes that match your apartment's interior design. However, a majority of people do not think much about maintaining and cleaning upholstered sofas. If you do not know what is required of you, the chances are high that your couch will not last as long as it should. This article highlights upholstery cleaning tips that apartment dwellers should take seriously.
Read Cleaning Codes for Fabric
When you buy new clothes, the first thing you do when you get home is inspecting the cleaning codes for the fabric used. The codes instruct you on what you can and cannot do to the material when cleaning. Unfortunately, most people do not bother to look at the cleaning codes on their sofas. However, it increases the chances of using the wrong products and procedures when cleaning a couch. Some of the cleaning codes you will find in sofa labels include W and S/W. Code W means that you should only use a water-based cleaning technique. On the other hand, S/W means that you can use solvents and water-based cleaners.
Start From the Edges
Leaving spills on a sofa upholstery leads to stubborn stains; hence, it is advisable to act fast. Notably, most people attack fresh upholstery stains from the centre. While it might seem the right thing to do since most spills are concentrated in the centre, it is the wrong approach. If you start cleaning a stain from the centre, you only spread the spot and make the task challenging. Instead, it is advisable to attack stains from the edges and work your way to the centre. The strategy prevents a stain from spreading and leaves you with a small spot to clean.
Dab Gently, Do Not Rub
When you spill brightly coloured beverages, such as red wine or juice, on sofa upholstery, you might be tempted to rub a dry cloth vigorously into the fabric. However, fight the urge to do so because rubbing stains forces the liquid deep into fabric fibres. In addition, it results in stubborn stains and accelerated wear of the fabric by distorting weave patterns. The best solution is to scoop whatever liquid remains on the material then gently dab the spill using a blotting paper or cotton cloth. Most importantly, be patient as the spill wicks away from the fibres since it is your best chance of preventing deep stubborn stains.