The Ups And Downs Of The Sofa Cleaning Process
It’s widely agreed that routine sofa cleaning is essential – yet there are many homeowners who keep putting it off until it is too late, and their furniture gets irrevocably damaged. Growing “nose blind” is one reason, where the persons in the household get used to the odours that are emanating from the furniture, up until a guest shows up and points it out. The trapped cigar smoke, pet odours, the organic matter that is decaying and producing musky smells – these all contribute to lowering the indoor air quality. The dirt particles accumulating on the fabric upholstery is also abrasive, and when the soiling is crashed against the fibres of the unit, it causes them to gradually wear down. The nap of the fibres also gets flattened over time, ruining your unit as the soiling becomes more difficult to remove and the set loses its comfort. The cleaning process is key, with different aspects having to be considered. Let’s delve into this.
Understanding The Upholstery Cleaning
Sofas come with tags whose purpose is to indicate the recommended cleaning method. These need to be clear before you let anyone touch your sofa. Learning the different methods involved will enable you to ensure that the crew you’ve hired are using the appropriate measures for working on your unit.
W: For these upholsteries, water-based cleaners can be used on them. They are some of the easiest fabric sofas to work on. Note that it does not mean machine washable. Water-based shampoos or methods like hot water extraction can be used here, or even foam upholstery cleaners. The preferred mode will depend on the level of soiling or kinds of stains that are involved.
S: These upholsteries are cleaned with solvent-based cleaning agents. The fabrics here are sensitive to water, and if it is used on them issues like shrinkage can occur, or water rings can be formed.
WS: Here, you can use a combination of water-based cleaners and dry-cleaning solvents for the task. Spot treatment can be carried out with upholstery shampoos or mild detergents. Pre-testing is recommended here, to ensure that the right solution is selected. Leaving the task to the professionals will enable you to rest assured that your unit is in safe hands.
X: Fabric upholsteries with the X code should only be vacuumed or lightly brushed. Water or solvent cleaners can wreak havoc on the units. Granted, they are rare. What do you do if they have been stained? Get in touch with the professional sofa cleaners to assess your particular situation, and recommend a mode of approach that will deal with the stains without damaging the material.
Risks That Come With Using Upholstery Cleaning Machines During The DIY Process
Working with the everyday brush to scrub out the grime from the furniture can end up taking far much longer than desired, hence DIYers opt to rent out equipment from the local dealerships. The goal is to cut down the amount of time and effort needed. However, there are some risks involved, including:
- Applying excessive amounts of water for the cleaning and rinsing, without sufficient extraction power to remove the bulk of the moisture, causes the sofa to remain wet or too long. This increases the chances of mould and mildew growing within the upholstery. Note that the machines that are usually available for rent tend to come with power and capacities compared to the industrial-grade units that the professionals use.
For some cases, the excess water usage also damages the foam of the furniture, and the other materials that are used for the backing and cushions.
- Working with upholstery cleaning machines that have stiff brushes can damage delicate fabrics. Just as is with the cleaning chemicals, one should also be keen on the particular kind of tools used for the process. With the tough-bristled brushes,s they fray the fibres of the upholstery, ruining the furniture.
- The DIYer may also use the equipment improperly, leading to flattening of the furniture fabrics, or even grinding the stains deeper into the upholstery instead of yanking them out.
- Mistakes like letting the self-cleaning machines remain on the furniture for longer than is required, where the brushes will continue rotating all through, can lead to the fabric getting ruined, and the loose thread being pulled on.
Schedule Routine Upholstery Cleaning Sessions
Having your upholstery cleaned professionally at regular intervals ensures that it is well maintained and that it lasts you for the long haul. In fact, you can schedule the sofa cleaning and carpet cleaning at the same time, that that way you won’t find yourself overlooking either of the services. For this, the companies providing the services usually have flexible scheduling options, that way you can go with the plan that will be convenient for you.
There are those who need to have the units worked on as part of the spring cleaning – especially with all that dirt and snow that was brought into the residence over the winter; there are those who choose to have them worked on before the winter kicks in since they will remain holed up in the house for a longer duration, and don’t want to spend all that time in a soiled environment all surrounded by allergens and contaminants. Are you gearing up for the holidays where you will have family members coming over? Calling in the professional cleaners will ensure that you have your home ready.
On the other end of the spectrum is the grime that accumulates over the holidays, with so much soiling and dander on the furnishings in your household, that deep cleaning is needed to restore things to normalcy. Emergency upholstery cleaning sessions, realtors and property managers preparing the spaces for open houses – it can all be done. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, hence the recommendation at you speak to your local sofa cleaner to work up plan that you’ll be comfortable with. Note that the sofa cleaning process also vary from one situation to another, with factors such as the type of the furniture upholstery, and stains to be removed, all through the level of soiling having an impact on the final quotation.
I cant see a lot of “downs” if you are using a proper sofa cleaning specialist