Upholstery care

Furniture is one of the most important things in your house. It sets the tone for your décor and also provides family and guest with comfort. Furniture is also one of the largest investments in your house so knowing how to take care of it is vital in keeping it looking as good as when you bought it.

For some reason, after we buy furniture, we place it where we want it and then forget about it. We dust, vacuum and mop around it but we don’t really think about regularly maintaining the couches and chairs. Did you know that upholstery should fit into the regular weekly cleaning? That’s right, slot it into your cleaning schedule but don’t worry because taking care of furniture isn’t very difficult or time-consuming.

Your upholstery should be taken care of similar to your carpets. Couches and chairs should be vacuumed 2 to 3 times a week and professionally cleaned once per year or two. Vacuuming your furniture will keep dust from seeping into the fabric. Depending on the fabric of your furniture, you can also use a soft brush to whish the dirt away.

The arms, seat cushions, upper inside-back, back rests, pillows and skirt area are most susceptible for staining so keep an eye out for those areas so if they do have a stain, you can get it quickly. If your décor permits, arm covers are a good idea for preserving the arms of your furniture. Rotating seat cushions is also imperative in order to prolong the life and appearance of your furniture. Fluffing and rotating pillows is also a good idea.
Depending on the location of your furniture, you may want to purchase curtain, blinds or darkening sheers to prevent the sunlight from frequently getting to your furniture; this will, in time discolor the fabric. Whenever possible, open the windows as much as possible to aerate the house, the will help keep odors and fumes such as smoke and cooking out of your upholstery.

When you purchase your furniture, it’s a good idea to either have it scotch-guarded or to purchase a fabric protector that you can apply yourself. This is especially important for leather and suede furniture. When a stain gets on your furniture, don’t panic just blot it out. See the carpet-cleaning article for tips that can also save your furniture.

Know your furniture and read the manufactures instructions to ensure that you don’t use the wrong products and damage the fabric.