How’s your upholstered furniture doing these days? Chances are, after years of wear and tear, it’s not looking as bright and clean as it once did. Luckily, as long as you know how to safely wash upholstery in Orangeburg, SC, you can restore it to like-new condition. Put this on your spring cleaning to-do list and enjoy the benefits of cleaner, fresher furniture the rest of the year. Here’s how to clean your upholstered furniture.
What you’ll need
Before you get started, get a clean bristle brush and your vacuum. You should also gather baking soda, warm water, vinegar, castile soap and disinfectant wipes. Getting these tools together before you start cleaning will keep you from scrambling for supplies when your hands are full.
How to clean upholstery
Here’s an overview of the steps involved in how to clean your upholstery in Orangeburg, SC:
- Vacuum: First, use your vacuum to thoroughly go over the entire piece, including underneath the cushions, in the arm rests and all the nooks and crannies. Look for bug or rodent droppings—if they’re present, you might want to set appropriate traps or call an exterminator. Try to remove all the crumbs, dust, dirt and other unwanted debris from the furniture before moving on.
- Wipe down: Next, take your disinfectant wipes and wipe down the hard surfaces. Make sure the wipes you’re using do not contain bleach, or you’ll ruin the upholstery. You don’t need to disinfect the fabric itself, since the rest of the cleaning process should do the trick.
- Baking soda and brushing: Next, sprinkle an even layer of baking soda over the entire piece of furniture. (It’s wise to patch test this first to ensure that it won’t bleach the furniture.) Use the brush to help coat the upholstered fabric evenly. Let the baking soda sit for a few hours to remove set-in odors. Keep your children and pets away, unless you want hand and paw prints all over the rest of your house. After enough time has passed, use your vacuum to get all the baking soda back up. If the furniture is still stinky, spray it down with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Let it dry completely.
- Remove stains: Finally, you’re ready to tackle stain removal. Mix together a cup of warm water, a quarter cup of white vinegar and a tablespoon of castile or mild dish soap. Apply the mixture to the stain, taking care not to oversaturate the stain. Then blot the stain with a clean, dry cloth and let the furniture dry naturally.
Following these steps will help keep your upholstered furniture looking clean and smelling great. If they’re not enough to restore your furniture, consider hiring a professional cleaner. Professionals are skilled at getting ground-in dirt and bad stains out of all types of fabric.
Looking to buy your own upholstered furniture in Orangeburg, SC, now that you know how to safely wash it and keep it clean? Call or visit Orangeburg Furniture Exchange today.