Upholstered furniture is the backbone of the interior design of a house. There is nothing better than well-maintained upholstery to add to the look of your house. Why not make sure your furniture always looks as good as new? Maintaining your upholstered furniture might sound like a hectic task, but it is effortless to do. Repeating and following some simple steps will add a lot to the fresher look of your furniture. Some of these steps are repeated every other day, and some are to be carried out only after particular incidents.
Maintaining upholstered furniture when you have kids or pets can be a challenge. From couch stains to pet hair, your furniture is likely to face some form of wear and tear throughout the years. Getting a professional cleaner might be your best bet to maintain your upholstery. Still, there are several other procedures you can carry out at home yourself, which do not require professional supervision. Keep reading on to enlighten yourself on some foolproof tricks to maintain your upholstery.
Avoid direct sunlight on your upholstered furniture
Numerous types of fabrics can be used for upholstery; some of these fabrics are sensitive to direct sunlight and heat when exposed for an extended amount of time. There are ultra-violet rays in sunlight that can damage your upholstery’s fabric when they contact it for a long time. The fabric of your upholstery can start to fade and even wear out due to too much sunlight. Little exposure to sunlight every now and then is pretty much harmless, but it is crucial to make sure the exposure is for a short period.
Avoid pollutants
Fumes from cooking, cigarettes smoke, and other unwanted pollutants can easily damage your upholstered furniture. Pollutants can carry harmful bacteria, which can affect your and your family’s health. Most fabrics used for upholstery are also known to absorb odors, so if you or someone in your house smokes cigarettes, your upholstered furniture will most probably smell of it. Having a good ventilation system in your home can avoid odor absorption by your upholstery fabric.
Choosing the right fabric for your upholstery
It is essential to go for the suitable fabric according to your household when planning for upholstering your furniture. Along with easier maintenance, the right fabric can enable an upholstered piece of furniture to last longer.
If your furniture has heavy use, going for a synthetic fabric for your upholstery is your best option. Likewise, if you have pets, try going for a fabric with less texture and loose threads for optimal usage.
Flip and fluff the cushions
Regular or frequent flipping and fluffing of cushions is a straightforward task that can result in a longer life for your upholstered furniture. Wear and tear are inevitable when your furniture is used every day, but ensuring rotations on your cushions can make sure all of your seats are evenly utilized. The life of your furniture can be elongated by following this step.
For example, if you have a three-seater sofa, people are less likely to sit in the middle seat and prefer the edge seats because of the available armrests. Making sure you rotate the center cushion with the cushion of the other seats will ensure balanced wear and tear, which will in result, make your upholstered furniture last longer.
Vacuum and dusting
The chances are that vacuuming and dusting are a part of your everyday household cleaning. Running a vacuum or dusting your upholstery can be a critical step in extending your upholstery’s life and maintaining it. Dust settles on almost everything, including your upholstery; if this settled dust is not taken care of soon, it can embed deeper into the upholstery causing further wear and tear with an additional unattractive dusty look. Dust acts like sandpaper when left on your upholstery, so it is vital to get rid of it as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your upholstery.
Vacuuming or dusting your upholstery can stop dust from settling into the fibers of the fabric. So that, people with dust allergies are safe from their allergy if they end up using your upholstered furniture.
Spot cleaning
No matter how much care you take of your furniture, accidents are bound to happen. Immediate on-the-spot care for such mishaps can be a huge additional part of maintaining and extending your upholstery’s life. For example, if someone spills something on your upholstery, quickly grabbing a towel and blotting the stain can easily get rid of all the liquid and the stain for good.
Try doing your part and blot away any spills or vacuum any debris on your upholstery for top-notch maintenance of the upholstery. Spot cleaning might become a repeated task for you if you have kids or pets at your home.
Buy specialized cleaners and fabric protectors
Buying fabric cleaning supplies or making your own at home can add additional years to the life of your upholstery. From light-duty cleaning supplies for minor stains to heavy-duty cleaning supplies for tough stains, keeping different types of cleaning supplies in your cleaning arsenal will ensure that you are prepared for any kind of cleaning related to your upholstery.
Buying a fabric protector for your upholstery is the ultimate hack for the maintenance of your upholstery. A fabric protector will make your upholstery stain and water resistance by quite a lot. A fabric protector will also make your upholstery fabric dust-resistant, meaning dust won’t get through the fibers of your furniture, calling for easier cleaning.
Know your fabric
Not all types of cleaning equipment and techniques can be used for different fabrics. Some fabrics are sensitive to some of the cleaning and maintaining techniques usually used to maintain others.
It is essential to know what type of cleaning and maintaining techniques are optimal for your specific fabric. For example, leather cannot be cleaning with a vacuum and brush, and it requires gentle cleaning using a slightly damp cloth.
Hire a professional
Getting a professional hand on deck will help you get rid of those stains you deemed impossible to remove. Experts recommend you hire a professional cleaner to maintain your upholstery at least once a year, or you can wait for a longer duration if your upholstery is still relatively clean.
Professionals use thorough cleaning techniques that give your upholstery a deep clean and remove bacteria residing on it. A professional cleaning will leave your upholstery looking more fresher, more cleaner, much more vibrant, and even better smelling than before.
Never wait for your upholstery to be visibly dirty before calling professional help. Calling in a professional hand timely is the best way to maintain your upholstery. Professional cleaning is foolproof and is the last resort to be used if all the other steps fail.
Conclusion
Follow these tips mentioned above to ensure good maintenance of your upholstery. Good maintenance of your upholstery will provide a stunning everlasting look to the interior design of your house and will help you save on a few extra bucks as there will be no need to get new upholstery any time soon. Personal satisfaction is the key goal you achieve after maintaining your upholstery as most furniture in a household is used almost every day, and it’s definitely a bonus if that furniture is well kept.
Knowing about all the ins and outs of upholstery before planning an upholstery project is very important to make sure you make the right decisions. Choosing the right fabric for your upholstery according to your use is essential for the optimal usage of your furniture. Further learn about upholstery and its fabrics by reading our guide on types of upholstery fabric to consider for your furniture.