Choosing the furniture is one of the most exciting parts of decorating your home. Deciding on the size, shape, and design of pieces for a space and then picking the color schemes and upholstery textures sets the tone. The room becomes as much a reflection of you as it is a place to kick back and relax.
Of course, because you put so much effort into creating the perfect space, you will want to enjoy the fresh look of your new furniture for years to come. Keeping your furniture clean and avoiding everyday spills and mishaps will add years to each precious piece. However, you may wonder how to clean different types of furniture upholstery. Fortunately, we have just the furniture upholstery care and cleaning tips you need.
Cleaning Different Types of Upholstery
Whichever type of material you choose for your sofa, chairs, headboard, or pillows, here’s how to clean furniture upholstery and keep it looking fresh.
Leather Upholstery
Leather offers the best of all worlds. It looks elegant and luxurious and can endure rough-and-tumble wear and tear. Because it resists liquids and odors, leather is perfect for kids and pets. But it does need some maintenance.
Just like your skin needs moisturizing, your leather furniture care should include conditioning. Ask the manufacturer to recommend the proper conditioner. Once a week, wipe down your leather pieces according to the directions, drying them with a cloth. How simple is that?
One exception is suede. Suede is timeless and elegant. It is also very soft leather and is sensitive to moisture. Choose cleaners with care for suede leather furniture. Quickly manage spills by immediately absorbing the wet area with a clean cloth. For older stains, rub them gently with a pencil eraser. After erasing the stain, use a soft brush to remove residual debris.
Fabric Upholstery
Fabric upholstery is diverse, from natural cotton to synthetic velvet or microfiber. Each requires a slightly different cleaning approach. Let’s discuss the best way to clean fabric furniture upholstery.
Removing Stains on Cotton
One of the most popular fabric choices, cotton is exceptionally durable, hypoallergenic, and comes in myriad colors. The one challenge with cotton, though, is that it stains easily.
Attacking the stain as quickly as possible is essential. Dab it with a dyed-free cloth dipped in soapy water and dab until the stain is no longer visible. Then, blot it dry with a paper towel. As for weekly maintenance, vacuuming will keep dirt from building up and ensure your furniture always smells fresh.
How to Clean Linen
Linen is smooth, soft, and 100% natural, making it one of the most comfortable options. Furniture cleaning is easy with linen. You can throw slipcover furniture into the washing machine, and the fabric won’t lose its natural luster.
Linen’s antibacterial properties protect it from mold and mildew, but vacuuming often is recommended to prevent your linen from accumulating dirt and debris. Never scrub or rub a stain if one appears, as it will spread the smudge; blot it instead. And for those stubborn marks? Use white vinegar or mild soap.
Cleaning Velvet Furniture
Velvet is one of the more high-maintenance fabrics. To keep it clean, you could just send it to a professional, but equipped with our know-how, cleaning your velvet furniture yourself is just as simple. As with most fabrics, you must vacuum your velvet pieces regularly and use a cloth to absorb a spill as quickly as possible.
Because velvet tends to compress due to its long fibers, steam it regularly. And if you’re deciding between synthetic or cotton velvet, go with synthetic, as stains don’t soak as deep. The color doesn’t fade as much with this material.
How to Clean Satin
Satin is an ethereal blend of silk and nylon, especially suited to the bedroom. It’s made of filaments and is easy to rip, so take care when cleaning this beautiful material.
If you’ve had a spill, only use cold water, as heat can damage it. You’ll also need a gentle or specialist detergent. Blot gently to clean and press dry using a soft towel. Ensure you don’t pull or rub — let the satin air-dry in the shade.
However, it’s best to avoid stains, as washing satin too frequently can cause deterioration. Instead, keep this furniture out of the way of food, drink, kids, and pets, and dust and wipe it daily.
Caring for Microfiber Upholstery
Choosing microfiber living or dining room upholstery has numerous benefits. These include durability, increased stain resistance, a wide range of colors and patterns, and being hypoallergenic and easy to clean. Start by brushing or vacuuming to loosen any surface dirt. Next, check the tag on your upholstery to understand how to treat stains.
- “W” means you can use water. If your cover is removable, put it in the washing machine.
- “S” means you’ll need a solvent – a dry-cleaning solution or rubbing alcohol. You can also mix water, vinegar, and baking soda. Spray the solution onto the stain, blot lightly, then leave to dry.
- If your fabric is labeled “S-W,” you can use water or a solvent.
- If you can’t find a code, treat it as “S.”
You should have fewer stains to treat with microfiber. However, it’s best to address spills immediately, using a slightly dampened microfiber cloth or baby wipes. You can also spray the fabric with furniture upholstery care protection to help prevent staining.
We hope our guide on how to care for leather and fabric furniture fabric is helpful.
Find Your New Furniture at Home Zone Furniture
Choosing the fabric for your furniture is easy when you partner with Home Zone. We have sofas for your living room, headboards for your bedroom, and chairs for your dining room in many fabric options. We also stock plenty of accents — pillows, throws, and shams — to add to each room. What can be more fun than the creative process of designing the spaces of your dreams?
When you’re ready to journey to a more beautiful home, contact Home Zone or stop by one of our stores. We’ll discuss cleaning your furniture, no matter which upholstery you purchase. We can’t wait to work with you.
