A Few Tips on How to Care For Your Furniture

Through experience and bunch of research… well, not really research, but more to enquiries from experts, I have gathered bunch of useful tips to share with all on how to care for your furniture, in this case the ones that got fabric on it. The thing is, we all buy new furniture and then for the first few months if not all the time we live in fear, worry that we might damage or dirty the fabric. But worry not, because if you follow these tips I’m about to share, your furniture will be safe and last longer.


Upholstered Furniture

• Since this kind has a wide variety of fabrics and fiber combinations, there is no guarantee that these methods will work totally. Therefore I suggest for you to contact professional upholstery cleaner in some cases. However, these simple solutions will keep your new upholstery crisp and clean for years!


• Vacuum at least once a week in order to get rid of the grit that can cause abrasion. Also, don’t forget to dust vacuum the top surfaces as often as possible. Professional cleaning is the best way to make a slightly soiled sofa look new again, but weekly vacuuming could help you from having to retain their services too often. Keep in mind to never brush any fabric with a stiff fiber or metal brush, since they’re destructive to the fibers. Instead, use your vacuum attachments like the upholstery brush or the attachment for dusting draperies and furniture. The latter brush has longer bristles and is less abrasive to your upholstery fabric. It may be your best option if your fabric deserves a softer brushing.


• Reverse the cushions each week after vacuuming. Rearrange the furniture occasionally to ensure even wear of the cushions and other areas.


• Cushions and pillows filled with down or similar cushioning material should be hand-fluffed and reversed regularly to retain their original softness and resiliency.


• Sun is not really your fabric’s best friend. You should not place your fabric in direct sunlight because the ultraviolet light will cause the fibers to degenerate and colors to fade. Occasionally dyes can fade from impurities in the air as well, though protection from the sun is a good way to prevent premature loss of color.


• If you own any pets, keep them away from the furniture. Pet urine and pet body oil can be a pain to remove.


• Use proper care with structural weave fabrics (where the design is created by the weave) to protect against snags. These fabrics may be cleaned by sprinkling dry powder cleaner over the fabric, spreading it uniformly and letting it stand for the recommended period before vacuuming with gentle suction. (However, I do recommend professional cleaning with stains on a woven fabric.)


• Caution those wearing clothing with transferable dyes, such as blue jeans, that the dye could transfer onto light-colored furniture.
  

Fabric Cleaning Guide

Today’s new fabric treatments improve the chances of your fabric’s survival. Fabric protection products are usually applied by the retail store for an additional cost. Most of the various brands work the same way by causing spills and soil to sit on the surface of the fiber instead of migrating to the fiber’s interior.

Fiber protection products are free of ozone damaging chemicals now a day, and most are hypoallergenic and invisible to the eye. Some even provide additional UV protection from color fading caused by intense light. One of the greatest benefits of fabric protection products is that they come with specific written warranties that provide peace of mind.

Whether your new upholstery has been fabric protected or not, you should follow the same basic guidelines in cleaning liquid spills or surface soil that can’t be brushed off (such as newspaper ink).

Fabric Cleaning Codes

Hold it! Do not try to just wing it and try to clean your furniture without identifying identifying the fabric and the correct cleaning method recommended by the manufacturer. This information is represented by a cleaning code (W, S, WS, or X) often found under a cushion, on the bottom of the furniture or on the manufacturer’s tag. If you cannot find this information, contact your salesperson at the furniture store where the item was purchased.

W – Spot clean only with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner.

S – Spot clean only with water-free cleaning solvent. Do not overwet. DO NOT USE WATER.

WS – Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or a mild dry cleaning solvent. Do not overwet.

X – Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic brush. DO NOT USE WATER OR DRY CLEANING SOLVENTS. Do not use a foam or liquid cleaner of any type.

Never apply cleaning solutions to visible areas of your upholstery fabric without first testing on areas that are not visible. It is important to pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility.

Cleaning Instructions

As a general rule, when a spill occurs, it is important to clean the fabric immediately. The longer a spot remains, the harder it is to remove. It may even become permanent.

Always blot, never rub. If the spill is new, simply use a clean, dry and very absorbent 100% cotton cloth. If paper towels are the only material available at the moment, make sure the paper towel or the cloth for that matter is white, as colors in the towel may, when applied to a wet surface, fade onto the upholstery. Color from one fabric can rub off onto another fabric, even when the fabric is dry, which is a process known in the industry as “crocking”.

If blotting with a dry cloth doesn’t quite finish the job and you have cleaning directions from the furniture manufacturer, follow those. If none are available, use the instructions provided here.

There. Isn’t so hard, isn’t it? It may take a little work but hey, it’s way better than living in fear from damaging your own furniture, right? What good will it be if you can’t even enjoy your own beautiful piece of furniture in your own home? Have a nice day!