The upholstery in our homes is susceptible to debris buildup, stains, and odors; much like carpets. Once you have that perfect upholstery, protecting your investment is ideal. With that in mind, we at Leading Carpet Cleaning would like to offer an upholstery spot cleaning guide in an effort to help you keep your furniture clean and crisp.

Guide for How to Clean & Care for Upholstery

1. Vacuum couches. If you are attempting to clean older stains, though fresh stains are so much easier to remove, completely dry the couch, using all the attachments to clean the crevices, cushions, and so on. Any dirt, pet hair, or other contaminates can further stain the upholstery if it is introduced to liquids.
2. Always blot stains on sofas. Avoid scrubbing or rubbing, instead, always opt to blot the spills as quickly as possible. Stain causing agents will only get pushed deeper into the soil and spread out further with the rubbing and scrubbing methods. While blotting, be sure to start on the exterior edges and work towards the center; this technique keeps it from spreading.
3. Research your upholstery fabrics. If you do not already know, find out what kind of fabric was used to make your upholstery. Common fabrics include; linen, rayon, olefin, cotton, wool, silk, acetate, and acrylic and more, additionally blends of these fabrics as well. There is also old upholstery such as antiques as well as luxury and exotic fabrics; these examples should be only cared for by a professional. All the information concerning the upholstery is printed there, if the tags are still intact.
4. Cleaning label and the codes. Typically found hanging in an inconspicuous place on the side of the furniture, or under seat cushions, the furniture industry designed care tags that instruct how upholstery is treated in code. Here are the codes and their meaning:
X: It is recommended the owner vacuum or brush the upholstery, but never use any type of upholstery cleaner on it yourself as professional cleaning is required.
WS: Depending on the type of stain, this code indicates you can clean any stains with either dry solvents or liquid cleaners.
W: Use a water based detergent for cleaning.
S: Use a water free product, such as dry cleaning solvent, for cleaning.
5. Patch test cleaners. If you are uncertain be sure to never skip the test patch of the cleaner in an inconspicuous area. Some chemicals, even natural ones, can lighten colors or damage the fabric.
6. Upholstery stain types. There are more optimal approaches for food and beverage stains, protein based stains, oil and grease stains, and other types of stains; so depending on the stain impacts which method is used.
Liquid: As mentioned before, work from stain from the outer edges towards the center and never use scrubbing or rubbing techniques. With your choice of dry paper towel or cloth, blot as much liquid as possible until no more moisture is being absorbed into your implement.
Semi-Solids or Solids: Scrape up the excess towards the center as you wipe using a blunt edge; a butter knife or a spoon, what you pick up; place it into a paper towel. Treat the liquid residue by blotting.
Dry Spills: Use the vacuum to extract the agents, repeat until gone. Avoid using water or cleaners, as it could cause it to stain.
All purpose stain remover: In a spray bottle, mix 2 parts water and 1 part white vinegar and spray the spots, blot clean. To avoid over saturating the upholstery, blot all the moisture in between applications, and repeat until stain is removed.
Protein Stains: Better treated with an enzyme cleaner if the above formula is ineffective, protein stains can be a challenge.
Greasy or Oil Stains: Generously sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on any oily or greasy stains and leave it for 20 minutes or until dry. Once dried, vacuum the remnants. Follow up with the all purpose cleaner but add 1 tsp of liquid dishwashing soap to blot out any remaining discoloration.

Sofa Cleaning, Stain Removal & More in Orange, Santa Ana, Rancho Cucamonga, Anaheim, Whittier, Riverside, Chino & Fullerton California

We know getting stains removed from upholstery is difficult on many different scenarios. At Leading Carpet Cleaning our experts are well trained and experienced to remove even stubborn stains. Call us today to get started.