Cleaning Techniques For Different Varieties Of Upholstery
Posted by Michael Griffin on August 22nd, 2019
The problem may be the same, some dust and grime on your sofa, but upholstery, that is the furniture’s cover and padding, which are made of different materials need slightly different methods to clean. For example, while some water and detergent would be perfect for the synthetic, it is a complete no-no for the velvet cover because the solution might damage the material. But each material listed below is simple to maintain by oneself with a few easy steps. Based on what the material is, here are the different techniques applicable for upholstery cleaning in Boulder you should use:
Metal Frame
- Some furniture use metal frames, usually aluminum. The cleaning process is pretty simple:
- Mix some detergent and water.
- Use a cloth, preferably a microfibre one.
- Wipe the frame to get rid of the dirt.
- For stubborn stains, use a soft brush it and brush them off.
Wood Frame
Unlike the metal frame, water is not ideal as this might get absorbed by the wood which would cause it to swell and discolor. This is the process for cleaning wood frames:
- Use a wood cleaning solution and spray it on the frame, then wipe it dry with a dry clean cloth.
- If you don’t have such solutions you can use olive, lemon or linseed oil to polish the wood and then wipe it dry with a clean cloth.
- If those are also not available, try some vinegar instead.
- If water is all you have then mix some water and dishwashing liquid. Dampen a cloth of water, make sure it’s not soggy. Wipe the dirt off the frame. And finally, wipe it dry.
Fabric Upholstery
As long as it is not velvet, cleaning fabric upholstery is pretty simple. Here is how you do it:
- Attach a brush head to the vacuum and vacuum the sofa all over.
- Gently spray some upholstery cleaner on the surface and gently scrub it with a plain dry white microfiber cloth. Colored clothes might discolor and spoil the fabric.
- Stubborn stains can be removed with some isopropyl alcohol. Spray it gently on the stain and lightly wipe it with a cloth till the stain is gone.
Leather Covering
This is how you should handle leather upholstery:
- Attach a brush head to your vacuum and vacuum the furniture all over the place, especially the nooks and corners.
- You can also use a leather cleaner by gently rubbing it to the surface with a cloth.
- You can also use vinegar for the previous step if you don’t have any such cleaners.
- You can also use a solution of a few tablespoons dish soap and a small bucket of water.
- Dampen a cloth lightly and wipe the furniture.
- Sometimes leather gets cracked and dry after days of use. It can be moisturized using a
- mixture of one part vinegar and two parts linseed. Dampen a cloth with it and wipe all over.
- You can also use leather cream.
Synthetic Covering
Synthetic materials are easier to clean than other upholstery. The steps are as follows:
- Mix a few drops of a multi-purpose cleaning agent or dishwashing liquid with some water.
- Take a clean cloth and dampen it with the solution.
- Wipe the wet cloth on all over the synthetic cover.
- Take another cloth and dampen it with plain water and wipe the covering again.
- Let it dry.
- You can also use some nail polish remover to wipe stubborn stains, but don’t rub it hard or it might discolor the cover.
Some materials can’t be handled by oneself and should be left to the experts of upholstery cleaning in Boulder instead. For example, composite upholstery consists of different types of materials which might complicate the cleaning process. Velvet covers are delicate and can be easily damaged if scrubbed a little too hard.
