Furniture Cleaning- How to Maintain Your Upholstered Furniture

Whether you are buying new upholstered furniture or already have what you need, here is how you can keep it looking good.

Shop for pieces that match your lifestyle and keep it clean! Lightly brush, then vacuum all upholstered surfaces weekly, including the crevices behind, under and between the cushions, as well as the cushions themselves. Although your upholstery doesn't look dirty, it is still absorbing small particles of dirt, oil and debris every single time anyone, including a pet, sits down.

Remove pet hair using a rubber glove, sticky tape, roller, or lint brush. Plump and rotate cushions and pillows to distribute wear. Air out the cushions or use an odor neutralizer to avoid musty smells.

Clean stains immediately! If it's a wet stain, remove solids with a spatula, use a white cloth or paper towel to blot, then treat with a stain remover, working from the edges to the center to avoid spreading the stain. Blow dry afterward to avoid rings, then gently brush to restore fabric nap. Spot treat any preexisting stains with remover, blotting them out rather than rubbing them in. By the way, baby wipes are great for removing upholstery stains!

With regular maintenance, dirt will not build up and your upholstered furniture will not look dirty. But if you've been lax and your furniture shows it, you will need to do a deeper cleaning. Under no circumstances should you unzip cushion covers and toss them in the wash, unless specifically directed to do so by the manufacturer. The fabric is likely to discolor, shrink or become otherwise unusable.

You can steam clean your furniture with an upholstery attachment, but there are easier, safer ways. Steam cleaning can completely ruin certain fabrics so, unless you are sure that steam cleaning is safe, choose another option.

Your first step is to identify the upholstery fabric and determine what you can and cannot use to clean it. This is very important because different fabrics require different cleaning agents. Check furniture tags beforehand. Once you know the fabric, you can decide what to use.

Upholstery cleaner, appropriate for your fabric, is usually available in spray bottles. In general, a water based cleaner works for synthetic fabrics while a solvent based cleaner works for organic fabrics. Test the cleaner first in a small, inconspicuous area and allow it to dry before proceeding.

Using clean white cloth, work from area to area, following instructions on the upholstery cleaner label. Blot rather than rub, keep moisture to a minimum and be sure to dry thoroughly with a fan or blow-dryer. For especially dirty upholstery try Tuff Stuff, available at Wal-Mart and many hardware stores.

Upholstery tears and holes are easily repaired using iron-on patches. For tears, simply position a small piece of patch under the tear and iron one side. Then, pull the other side into place and, while holding, iron the sides together. Be sure the iron temperature is not too hot for the fabric.

For holes, cut a small piece of matching fabric from an inconspicuous area and iron it to a patch. Trim the patch, leaving a margin around the perimeter. Position the patch behind the hole so the fabric is showing and iron it into place.

Protect clean furniture with stain repellent or Scotch Guard. Washable seat covers and throws can be added to reduce wear, shield furniture from dirt and stains, and help keep upholstery looking clean and new. Close blinds during the day or rotate furniture to avoid sun damage. The sun can actually bleach out some fabrics, causing severe discoloration. Keep newspapers off the furniture to avoid newsprint stains.

If you smoke inside you are asking for trouble. Cigarette smoke deposits a sticky, smelly, yellow substance on everything it touches, including your upholstery, and it can be difficult or impossible to remove. 

If you have a kitty (with claws), you may need to treat some upholstered surfaces with anti-scratch spray to protect against tearing and shredding.