Before: what you can do before you get the fabulous furniture
Before you buy upholstered furniture for your home, consider your lifestyle. It might not be a great idea to put upholstery in your kid’s bedroom because it can be more difficult to remove stains from upholstery, for instance. If you are thinking of buying an upholstered chair for the most popular room in the house, you may want to choose synthetic fibers over other fabrics to minimize wear-and-tear. And lastly, remember that upholstered furniture is sensitive to light, so you probably don’t want to put an upholstered piece in a window.
Side note: always check the tag on the upholstered furniture for cleaning instructions before buying— you may change your mind about the purchase after reading its tedious upkeep instructions.
During: what you can do today to keep your upholstered furniture fabulous
To keep your upholstered furniture looking fabulous you should clean it often. Optimally, upholstered furniture should be cleaned weekly. A quick and painless way to clean upholstery is to simply remove the cushions and vacuum the entire area before vacuuming the cushions themselves, top and bottom. A good vacuum brush is essential for upholstered couches. Another important, yet wince-free way to extend the life of your furniture is to flip and fluff the loose cushions regularly as this will evenly distribute use, and therefore minimize indentations and other unavoidable wear-and-tear.
For a more time consuming yet more thorough clean, you can try laundering the upholstered furniture. Again, check the tag first. This instructional manufacturer’s tag should tell you what type of products you can and cannot use on your furniture when cleaning day rolls around. This step is essential. In fact, some upholstered furniture can be ruined by all solvents, causing shrinking, staining, or other problems that may or may not start with an “s.”
So what happens if you can’t find instructions? Find the most elusive spot on the chair or couch (a place hidden by a cushion or other apparatus works) and dap a small bit of upholstery shampoo to “test” how your furniture will react. If nothing happens, it should be OK to clean your furniture with that shampoo. If the cushions on your furniture have removable covers, it is normally fine to machine wash. However, always wash on cold and hang dry. To minimize the damage when a spill occurs, you can also treat the furniture with fabric protector.
After: what you can do after you stain your fabulous furniture’s upholstery
Stains are an inevitable, yet exasperating, fact of life. Kind of like gnats. Or teenagers. But there are several ways to remove stains from upholstered furniture to keep it looking fabulous. If you see the stain occur, immediately blot the spill with a freshly washed, folded towel. Sometimes blotting the stain immediately will completely remove it. If not, spot clean the stain. Again, check the manufacturer’s tag before using a product on your upholstered furniture. If no instructions are given always go with a mild cleaner, and test it out first on a hidden spot on the cushion somewhere. After you’ve chosen a cleaner that won’t damage your goods, use a soft brush to work the product into the fibers in a slow, circular motion. Wait for the fabric to dry, then vacuum for a job well done.
For more helpful hints on cleaning upholstered furniture check out this article by Deborah McDougal. She suggests using everyday products to clean fabulous upholstery like baby wipes, Dryel dry cleaning cloths, Mr. Clean, Mean Green or white vinegar.
