Why DIY Sofa Cleaning Is Laden With Problems

While the prospects of it can be tempting, DIY sofa cleaning is highly discouraged- even by manufacturers of the units themselves. Many include it in the warranty, indicating that the sofa should be cleaned by a licensed professional, otherwise it voids the warranty. What is all the fuss about? Why can’t you just scrub away the soiling and stains? Well, it’s not as easy and straightforward as it looks. Sofas may be large and imposing sets of furniture, but they are sensitive when it comes to the cleaning process used on them. It’s a delicate balancing act, where the goal is to get rid of the dirt and grime that is riddling the unit, without putting its structural integrity at risk. With the DIY process, mistakes are often made, which result in costly ramifications. 

• Wrong procedure

Plenty of oversights can be made here. Take scrubbing at stains for instance. This simple action can drive the stain deeper into the fibres of the upholstery. Excessive scrubbing, or cases where hard-bristled brushes are used, will directly damage the fabric, weakening its structural integrity. Using too much water is also an issue. Here, the DIYer may be looking to remove a mark that is on the upholstery, or dilute a stain. This is ill-advised. Plain water has also been known to leave watermarks on the upholstery if used incorrectly. In fact, there are fabric types where water shouldn’t be used at all, due to their susceptibility to shrinkage. Application depends on the nature of the material that is being worked on. This also applies to the cleaning products themselves. Popular DIY reagents used on other surfaces in the household, like bleach-based products or solutions containing ammonia, can lead to discolouration of the upholstery, corrosion of the fibres, and issues like splitting. Temperatures and pressures also come into play. Fabrics like silk are sensitive, and extreme heat can damage them. The key is developing an approach that will work for your particular situation. One where the dirt and grime is got rid of safely. Leave this to the professionals, to protect your unit.

• Low capacity machinery

Many of the sofa cleaning machines that are rented or bought from stores do not have the same power that the truck-mounted equipment that is used by the professionals. They are usually designed to be smaller and lighter, easier to carry around. This, however, compromises on their power and capacity. You find yourself in situation where the extraction gear leaves behind residue on the upholstery, or drying systems that appear to have removed the moisture, yet there is plenty more that remains within the sofa material. Speaking of which, the excess moisture will increase the drying time of the sofa. This has the negative effect of encouraging fungi to grow. Mould and mildew on the upholstery will have its own set of problems, from the spores that they release into the interior space, ruining the air quality and triggering allergic reactions, to the mycotoxins which can affect organs of the body once they get into the system. You don’t want to put your loved ones at risk. 

Working with machinery that has lower capacities also means that the sofa cleaning task will take longer, where you end up spending hours working on a single unit. It gets more frustrating when, after all that time and energy, the results that are obtained are below par. There are also cases of dealership stores where the rented machines are not properly maintained. Faulty units can cause accidents, damaging your property or result in bodily harm to the user. With regards to purchase- the extra costs involved make it unfeasible, especially since the cleaning is not that frequent. Stocking up expensive machines in your store which may also not be properly used because of inadequate skill to operate them becomes an unnecessary financial burden. 

Trust The Professionals To Handle Your Sofa With Care

You don’t need to struggle with the DIY route. Our trained, certified and experienced personnel are here for you. Before starting the process, the condition of the furniture is assessed- from the level of soiling, the types of stains that are on it, plus the type of material itself. This is to enable them to determine the appropriate method of approach, where the dirt, grime and stains can be got rid of quickly and safely restoring the beauty to your set without risking damage to the underlying material.  Protective measures are also put in place to guard against aspects like cushion shrinkage, colour fading, bleeding out of the dye, and texture damage. Our crew are well adept with the different aspects of the sofa cleaning task, and are up to date with modern approaches to give your sofa specialized care. 

The methods that are used for the cleaning, such as hot water extraction, ensure that a deep clean is provided. The grime that is within the upholstery and cushions is flushed out. The cleaning products themselves are carefully selected. These are used in the different aspects of the task, from pre-treatment, emulsifying those greasy spots, dissolving the stubborn stains, to odour neutralisers- which can be fragranced if desired. After the cleaning and rinsing, powerful suction used to remove the moisture that is in the furniture. The focus here is to cut down the drying time, minimizing the inconvenience in your home and preventing fungi from growing. 

We do all this without forcing you to break the bank. Our costs are affordable, with pricing packages that have been developed to suit the different budgets. You get to have a customised quotation that addresses your particular needs. What’s more, we are big on customer service, aiming to ensure that you are certified with the entirety of the process- from the moment you get in touch with us to make a query or book your sofa cleaning session, the timely nature of our services, to the friendliness of our personnel and the respect and care that they will have while carrying out their mandate. 

Why DIY Sofa Cleaning Is Laden With Problems