How to have stain and odor-free upholstery

Most of us have upholstered furniture that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Keeping the upholstery clean is essential for our health and helps it last for the longest time. Dirty upholstery with stains and spots invites microbes such as fungi and bacteria, causes respiratory issues, allergies, skin rashes, and various health issues. Additionally, stained upholstery can alter the indoor air quality and your overall comfort at home.

In a nutshell, it’s crucial that you keep stains and foul odours away from your upholstery for as long as possible. Professional cleaners can come for deep upholstery cleaning whenever suits you best and you should try to hire them once or twice a year. Sil All Services Northampton is one of the most dependable companies that provides you with deep cleaning services of many kinds: end of tenancy cleaning, one-off cleans, spring cleaning, after builders cleaning, move-in/out cleaning, etc. Upholstery cleaning is on their task lists when providing such services.

Even if professional upholstery cleaning services are excellent for deep cleaning, you should also take all measures to protect your upholstered pieces as much as possible.

How should you use off-the-shelf products to clean your upholstery?

Since upholstered furniture is made with many kinds of materials, you don't just apply the first cleaner you see in the store. Here are our recommendations:

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning

Every reliable upholstered furniture manufacturer should provide with instructions for cleaning the pieces. Details about the cleaning products for removing stains and spillage should be present too. You should get the recommended cleaning tools and products. Should the staining be severe, you need to hire professionals for cleaning. The cleaners at Sil All Services Northampton are experienced, knowledgeable and use the methods and products that work best for your upholstery materials.

Is the upholstery coated or sealed?

Some upholstery fabrics are easier to clean and maintain than others. Regardless, most upholstery is sealed or coated with specially formulated products. Check out the manufacturer’s guide to see if your upholstery items are protected and how often you should renew the coating.

If your item is under warranty, don’t apply any stain protector and contact the manufacturer for further guidance.

How to have stain and odour-free upholstery

When you take care of your upholstery, you should take time and not skip any detail. Being meticulous pays off when it comes to cleaning and maintaining upholstered furniture.

Shake off the unpleasant smells!

Most sofas are made with fibres that catch smells from pets, spillages, and natural gases. After some time, they all become lingering scents that make a space unwelcoming and unsightly.

You can permanently hide the smell with an upholstery deodorizer, but that’s not a permanent solution. Instead, we recommend you make and use a natural fabric cleaner to get rid of the unpleasant smells.

The best general upholstery cleaner

No matter the fabric used for your upholstery, this one will give impressive cleaning results:

• Mix ½ cup white vinegar, 1 cup of water/soda water, and ½ cup dish soap. Pour them all in a spray bottle
• Spray onto upholstery until it feels lightly soaked
• Use a clean cloth/furniture brush to scrub lightly
• Use clean water to rinse it
• Vacuum until dry

Read also: How to Remove Most Common Summer Stains From Your Clothes

The best cleaner to brighten the colours

• Add 1tbsp of dish soap to 1 cup hydrogen peroxide (3%). Mix them in a spray bottle.
• Let the mix rest for several minutes
• Use a furniture brush to scrub upholstery. Use gentle moves.
• Spray clean water and vacuum until dry

The best dry upholstery cleaner

• Mix ½ cup of cornstarch with ½ cup of baking soda. Add water until you get a paste.
• Add few drops of your favourite essential oils
• Spread the mix over your upholstery
• Let it work for half an hour and ever overnight if the smell is very intense
• Vacuum until you no longer see traces of the mixture
• For upholstery made with fragile fabrics, it's best not to use water but only dry ingredients. Add ten drops of essential oils after vacuuming it.

How to care for leather upholstery

Leather sofas need a bit more attention than upholstery made with fabrics. You don’t want to saturate it with water or vinegar, which can ruin it, but use castile soap instead.

• Mix lavender castile soap in a bucket of warm water
• Dip a soft cloth in the solution and wring it until it becomes damp
• Wipe stains on the sofa with the wet cloth. Never oversaturate the material
• Use a clean, wet cloth to wipe the upholstery.
• Dry the sofa right away with another fresh cloth and work in small sections. Leather shouldn’t stay wet for more than a few seconds.
• Sprinkle some baking soda on the couch, but test it before on an inconspicuous spot. Baking soda could be too abrasive for some leathers.
• Call the professionals when you’re not happy with the results

Need professional upholstery cleaning?

Sil All Services Northampton executes deep cleaning services in the Northampton area at competitive rates. We include upholstery cleaning on our checklists when we come for the end of tenancy cleaning, deep cleaning, spring cleaning, after builders cleaning, after party cleaning, move-in/out cleaning, etc. Call us for more information about our work and get a free quote for the job.