5 Upholstery Cleaning Habits to Keep your Furniture Brand New

Furniture can make or break a house. Not only is it important to have the right type, you need to keep it clean as well. Even a five-thousand dollar couch looks ugly with stains all over it. And those stains can sometimes be impossible to get out, so if you have really expensive furniture, keeping it in tip-top shape should be of the utmost importance to you. If you want to squeeze the longest life possible out of your furniture and keep it looking fresh for years to come, here are 5 upholstery cleaning tips you can use that will work like magic.

 

Dust and Vacuum Frequently

When it comes to upholstery cleaning, this is the best strategy for keeping dirt, grime, and pet hair off of your furniture. You want to get to all of that stuff before it has a chance to get smooshed into the fabric any deeper.  Vacuuming also has the dual benefit of preventing your fabric from becoming agitated the same way sandpaper is. This keeps it from wearing out quickly in the areas that are most frequently used.

 

Flip Your Cushions

No, not after you spill something on them. Flipping your cushions (when they’re clean) has the effect of preventing uneven wear as well as those unsightly butt indents.

 

Clean Spills ASAP

As mentioned above, if you have a spill you want to clean it immediately. That being said, upholstery cleaning is a delicate process and results can be drastically affected by how you approach the problem. Don’t rub it in, just put something over it and press down to absorb as much as possible. After that, use a chemical cleaner to spot treat the fabric where it’s been stained, and put a fan on the area to dry it out quickly. For more about how often you should clean your carpets, read this.

Use a Fabric Protector

This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wear a plastic sheet over every piece of furniture in your house like a stereotypical germophobe in the movies. They actually have spray protectors that you can apply to your fabric now. They require some general upkeep to maintain, but they can do a great job at protecting against spills and wear and tear. This ultimately translates to less upholstery cleaning for you in the future. Meaning you won’t have to learn how to get red wine out of the carpet. Just be careful if you have certain types of fabric like silk or velvet, as these can be damaged by certain fabric protectors.

 

Eliminate Smells

If your fabric is starting to stink from pets or other causes, air it out for a few days and deep clean the house. Also, try sprinkling some baking soda on for about an hour. Then, vacuum it out and lift any stains with a steam mop. You may have to do a few rounds of this, but it should work like a charm eventually.

 

Keeping Your Space Clean 

Keeping your furniture in shape can be tough, but if you know the right upholstery cleaning tips you can handle it with ease. Remember to clean up spills right away, and to dust and vacuum as often as you can. Also, flip your cushions and try using a fabric protector for extra help. If you follow all of these tips you should be able to keep your furniture looking and smelling brand new for many years to come.