How to Clean Fabric and Upholstered Furniture

Getting a dirty sofa or chair can be a pain, especially when you don’t know how to clean the specific fabric that is covering your piece of furniture. The fabric on these kinds of pieces of furniture captures all the airborne dust, and dirt as well as absorbs body oils and cooking odours. Learning how to clean your fabric furniture is a must when owning one.

Whenever there is fabric on a piece of furniture then it will be reflected onto the code on the tags of that piece of furniture.

The usual codes will include:
W – When cleaning water can be used
S – When cleaning use a dry cleaner detergent
WS – When cleaning you can use a dry or mild cleaning detergent and a steam vacuum can also be used
X – You can only use a vacuum when cleaning, no other forms of cleaning are allowed

Deeply embedded stains and dirt will need a deeper cleaning rather than just basic maintenance.

Before you do anything, it may be best to test the fabric. For the removal of embedded dirt baking soda may be able to help as it is safe for most upholstery. Use the baking soda to test the fabric in a hidden area just in case something goes wrong.

Next is a must, you need to use a stiff brush to remove any dust, crumbs, and debris.
If your fabric is safe with baking soda move on to this next step. Sprinkle the fabric with baking soda and let it sit for about half an hour. If you want a better quality clean, then you may want to mix the baking soda with a dry carpet cleaner.

After this, if any stains are still present then you should use a solution that will work with your specific type of fabric with a clean cloth to dab away any stains.

If you have upholstery that is a fabric it can be cleaned using a solution of ¾ cup of warm water, ¼ cup of vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of dish soap. If you have synthetic upholstery then you should use a solution of 1 whole cup of warm water, ½ cup of vinegar, and ½ tablespoon of dish soap.

Lastly, you should combine the ingredients that you’ve gathered into a spray bottle so that you can spray your mixture onto the stains that are present on your furniture.

If you want a deeper clean then you’re going to need a steam or carpet cleaner, this is how you’re going to shampoo your furniture. Do not use a steam cleaner on suede but other than that a steam cleaner can be used on practically everything else.

First, you’re going to want to add the fabric brush attachment to your chosen vacuum to remove any dirt from your furniture.

Next, with your chosen machine either a steam vacuum or carpet cleaner. You’re going to want to put in some water and detergent or some cleaning solution that works best for your fabric.

Begin to clean your furniture and make sure to pull the brush back in straight and even motions with the grain of the fabric (if your fabric has grain).

After this, you can place back the cushions once they are dry as well as the furniture.

If the cover of the cushions is removable then check the tags, it will indicate whether you can wash them in the washing machine or not. The washing machine is the easiest way. If this doesn’t apply, then take those cushions outside and wash them in the sun.

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