Professional upholstery cleaning will help enhance the longevity and appeal of your furniture.
It is no secret that the better care you take of something, the longer it will last and the better it will perform. This is especially true for valuable household items that see a lot of daily use and can quickly lose their aesthetic appeal and practical merits unless properly cared for. Furniture is an excellent example of how important maintenance is for the longevity of an item – it is an expensive investment that adds a lot of comfort and charm to the interior décor but is so heavily used that it may start showing signs of wear and tear within only a couple of years.
To enhance the life of your cherished furniture pieces and keep them in great condition throughout the years, you need to care for them as much as possible. In regard to upholstered furniture, this means adequate protection and regular cleaning.
You can take some efficient precautionary measures to protect the upholstered pieces in your home:
- Keep them away from direct sunlight and sources of heat;
- Plump, rotate, and turn the cushions on a regular basis;
- Be careful when using scissors, knives, keys and other sharp objects while sitting on upholstered furniture and never leave felt tip pens, highlighters, glue sticks, and pens without caps on the upholstery;
- Cover the upholstered pieces when your kids and/or pets are sitting or playing on them; etc.
What matters the most, however, is to keep the upholstery clean and fresh at all times. And while regular vacuuming helps prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt on your furniture, there eventually comes a time when professional cleaning becomes necessary.
It is generally recommended to have upholstery professionally cleaned every 12-18 months. Certain circumstances (a lot of traffic in the home, young kids, furry pets, etc.), however, may necessitate more frequent deep cleaning. Here are some sure-tell signs that your upholstered pieces need professional care ASAP:
Grubby Appearance
Dust and dirt, pet hairs and smoke particles, sweat and body oils, etc. stick to the fabric and make the upholstery look dingy and worn out. The colors fade and the texture loses its smoothness and shine. Even after a year or two of high traffic use, an upholstered piece may start looking grubby and out of shape (especially if it’s a lighter-colored one, as light colored furniture is very vulnerable to discoloration and darkening). So, if your upholstered furniture appears dull and lifeless, it’s a clear sign that dirt has accumulated within the fibers and professional cleaning is required.
This is not what you want your couch to look like, is it?
To make sure that an upholstered piece has indeed changed in appearance and needs to be revitalized, look between the cushions, under the arms, or at any other area of the furniture that is usually covered, remains hidden, or sees very little usage. If you notice any difference in the color of that well protected spot and the rest of the upholstery, you need to call the experts.
Professional cleaning can refresh the colors and fluff up the fibers of the upholstery, so that your grubby furniture regains vitality and looks like new again.
Persistent Stains
It is inevitable to get the occasional stain (from spilled food or wine, for example) or bit of dirt (from dirty hands or paws) on your upholstered furniture.
If you notice the stain as soon as it happens and clean it immediately, you have every chance to remove it without a trace (just make sure the cleaning products you use are appropriate for the type of upholstery on your furniture).
If you don’t notice the stain in time, however, you may not be able to remove it without causing damage to the upholstery – rubbing at the stain, as well as using DIY cleaning solutions, is likely to make matters worse. Your best option is to contact professional upholstery cleaners.
The specialists have rich experience in dealing with upholstery cleaning, spot treatment, and stain removal. They are familiar with the specifics of different types of fabrics and know what upholstery cleaning products and techniques will be safe to use on your upholstered furniture. Besides, they have specialized equipment (such as high powered upholstery cleaning machines) and industrial strength cleaning products that yield excellent results. Your couch or chair will be free of stains and dirt and will look its best after a professional cleaning.
Pet Hair
This is your furry animal friend’s favorite spot? You may need professional upholstery cleaning more often than you thought.
Pet hair is very difficult to remove from upholstered surfaces. Regular vacuuming helps reduce the amount of pet hair on the furniture, of course, but it is not enough to get rid of it completely. Using a lint roller (or a lint brush) is very effective, but some hairs remain buried deep into the fibers, no matter how carefully you brush the surface.
Using professional upholstery cleaning services is the only way to fully remove pet hair from your upholstered furniture. The experienced professionals use advanced cleaning equipment and effective cleaning techniques that allow them to dislodge ground-in dirt particles and pet hairs from the fabric and clean them effectively, ensuring not only the excellent condition of your furniture, but the safe living environment in your home as well (any bacteria and allergens are also successfully removed from the upholstery).
Unpleasant Odor
Upholstered furniture easily absorbs smells – unpleasant odors from dirt, moisture, and cooking get “trapped” in the fabric and linger in the room long after the source of the smell has been removed. You can air the premises and place bowls of white vinegar, coffee, or active charcoal around the house to neutralize the bad smells, or use scented candles and air fresheners to mask the odor, but such methods provide only a temporary solution. Thorough cleaning is the only way to get rid of unpleasant smells once and for all.
Sprinkling baking soda over the upholstery and vacuuming it after several hours will help reduce the unpleasant smell, but if you want to fully remove the odors from your upholstered pieces, you need to have them professionally cleaned. Once the experts have done their job, your furniture will smell nice and look clean and refreshed – the excellent final result will be worth every penny.
Increase in Allergies
Last but not least, the overall living conditions in your home may deteriorate when the upholstery absorbs too much dirt and harmful substances – the allergens, germs, and bacteria that thrive in soiled furniture fabric may compromise the air quality in your home and cause household allergies.
It is usually dust mites and pet dander (two of the most common triggers of allergic reactions) that accumulate in large quantities on upholstered surfaces. Regular cleaning is not enough to remove these allergens and reduce the unpleasant symptoms you or other more sensitive members of your family may experience – you need professional help.
It’s difficult to believe but your favorite uphostered piece may be the reason you’re experiencing severe allergy symptoms.
So, if allergies flare up without any apparent cause, you’re strongly advised to contact a reliable upholstery cleaning company and schedule their services as soon as possible. After all, professional upholstery cleaning will not only help restore the good condition of your furniture, but will also ensure the healthy living environment in your home.
Remember: If you notice any of these signs, professional upholstery cleaning is your best bet.
