Do-it-Yourself Tips to Keep Furniture Upholstery Clean

Furniture will last longer if properly maintained. Well-maintained furniture adds to its beauty. Give your furniture a regular cleaning if you want to prolong its life. Follow these do-it-yourself modern living room sets furniture cleaning tips regardless if the upholstery is leather or fabric or they are new or heirlooms.

Upholstery gets dirty and accumulates dirt and dust at a certain extent of time and degree. So, it is necessary to know some do-it-yourself (DIY) upholstery cleaning to ensure they stay as beautiful as can be.

Read the Brochure or Tags

The proper technique in cleaning upholstery depends on the type of material. Most modern furniture manufacturers provide their customers with DIY upholstery cleaning tips that are contained in the brochure. The tag also contains information about the upholstery type and what product to use for cleaning. The following will help you maintain the beauty of your upholstery.

If there are no tags or labels, find it on Google. First, find out what furniture products are good for the upholstery type. Be careful, though, with your choice as some cleaning products may damage the upholstery. Don’t choose those with chemicals. Natural-based cleaning products are the best choice.

Observe Regular Cleaning

Regular cleaning will ensure your furniture will last longer and will prevent the buildup of dust and dirt.

Vacuum upholstery on a regular basis. Use the soft brush of the vacuum cleaner to avoid damaging the upholstery. The vacuum is a good tool to use because it sucks up the dirt, dust, hair, dead skin cells, and even the harmful bacteria. Start from the top and move downwards, using short, overlapping strokes and moving the vacuum from left to right.

Remove stains immediately. Don’t wait for the stains to dry up. It is easier to remove fresh stains, reduces cleaning time, and having to use strong cleaning products.

Wash the upholstery if removable. Some cushions are covered with removable upholstery, allowing you to wash them. Don’t wait for them to accumulate dirt and grime. Again, schedule a regular washing of removable upholstery.

Removing Stains on Upholstery

Removing stains are perhaps the most challenging part in cleaning upholstery. The tag will tell you the kind of cleaning product to use when removing stains.

S:  Use a water-free cleaning product

W:  Use a water-based cleaning product

X:  Requires a professional cleaner. Just use a brush or vacuum to remove dust and dirt. Vacuum furniture tagged as “X”.

WS:  Depending on the kind of stain, you can use water-based or water-free cleaning product.

Coffee stains. Mix an egg yolk with lukewarm water. Dip a clean cloth and rub it on the coffee stain, making sure you do not spread it on the other areas of the sofa.

Oil and Grease Stains. Spray baking soda or cornstarch on the affected area. Leave it for about 15-20 minutes, then vacuum.

Fruit and Berry Stains. Make a mixture of 1 tbsp. of white vinegar and 2/3 cup of rubbing alcohol. Soak a dry, clean cloth into the mixture and rub in on the stain.

Beverage and Other Food Stains. Mix 1 tbsp. of liquid dishwashing liquid to 2 cups of cool water.  Use dry cleaning solvent to remove the remaining stain.

Red Wine or Ink Stains. Use hydrogen peroxide. Use a paper towel to absorb the spill. Combine a teaspoon of mild dishwashing liquid with one cup of hydrogen peroxide. Soak a dry, clean cloth into the mixture and rub it on the affected area. Dry it with a new clean, dry towel.

Cleaning modern furniture upholstery is not as simple as it seems. It can get messy if you are not careful. So remember to just focus on the affected spot and to use a clean cloth and follow it up with a new, dry, clean cloth to dry the area.

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