Tag: sofa cleaning

  • Sofa cleaning between appointments with the cleaning agency

    Sofa cleaning between appointments with the cleaning agency (2)Sofas get dusty and food crumbs find their way into the deep corners and drinks inadvertently spill onto the upholstery. Fortunately, sofa cleaning is not a tough task if you have a bit of time and the right cleaning supplies. If you don’t want to call your local cleaning agency to clean up for you or you are simply looking at doing a quick clean before the next professional cleaning, our guide will take you through some simple and easy sofa cleaning steps.

    • It is important to know the sofa fabric

    It is important to know the fabric type before you start cleaning. Look for the tag that tells you what material the sofa cover is made of. Most often these tags will provide instructions on which cleaning products can be used and which cannot be used.

    • Begin sofa cleaning by vacuuming

    It is best to start by getting rid of any surface debris, dust and dirt from the sofa. For this you can use a dust-buster or a hose add-on of a vacuum cleaner to eliminate any dust particles. Use the long attachment of the vacuum cleaner to reach the crevices and don’t forget to vacuum the cushions. It is recommended that you start by vacuuming the cushions and then place them aside so that you can work on the sofa. In case you don’t have a vacuum cleaner and want to purchase it; you can visit websites such as omnihomeideas.com/appliances/best-quiet-shop-vac/ to get the relevant information about various vacuum cleaners.

    • Get rid of heavy dust

    If there are spots on the sofa where dirt has been caked in, use a brush to break it loose and release the dirt. Ensure that you rub gently so that the fabric is not damaged.

    • Remove pet hair from sofa

    Your vacuum cleaner will not be able to get rid of pet hair. To get rid of any fur, use a lint roller once you finish vacuuming the sofa. Work in a systematic pattern so that you don’t miss out on any hair.

    • Wipe clean

    Use wipes to clean any hard surface, hand rests and any other exposed surfaces. Alternatively, you can use a cleaning product that is appropriate for wooden or other surfaces that you are cleaning. Keep an all-purpose surface cleaner handy so that you don’t have to scurry around looking for specific wipes. Use a leather cleaner for leather upholstered sofas.

    • Condition

    Leather needs slightly different treatment to fabric. Water will dry it out, causing fading and cracks to appear, which is why only leather cleaner should be used. However, even leather cleaner will cause fading over time, so it’s important to use leather conditioner from somewhere like URAD.com to lock moisture back into it. Conditioner prevents cracking and leaves the leather silky smooth and soft. It will also give it a beautiful sheen, and should remove any of that “old leather” smell that can start to occur over time.

    • For tough stains

    Fabric Pre-conditioner can be used to dissolve dirt and oil from the upholstery. Make sure that you spot test the preconditioner for discolouration on a spot that is not easily viewable.

    • Gentle wash

    If you have removable sofa covers then it is best to toss them into the washing machine for a quick wash, especially if they are extremely soiled. Avoid washing them too often though or you will risk damaging the fabric.

    It is recommended that every six months you get professional cleaners to clean your sofa. This will help maintain the original feel and look of the fabric. The domestic cleaning agency will use professional tools that don’t discolour or harm the fabric. Follow this up with regular cleaning before your next appoint with the cleaning company.

  • Sofa Cleaning for Light Marks

    Getting Rid of Light Marks on your Sofa

    Getting rid of light marks on your sofaaThe sofa is really easy to get marked, simply because it is a much loved spot for the family, and goes through a lot throughout the day. As a place where you are able to sit back and relax in comfort, you will find that it is actually very much the kind of place that gets things spilled on it; whether it is your cup of tea, the kids’ dinner or your friend’s glass of red wine, you will find that there are often little marks here and there, some of which are easy to remove, and some of which are really hard to get rid of! The main issue with a sofa is that only some of them have removable covers, and this essentially means that getting the stained area wet on a sofa that cannot be uncovered is risky, as the wetness can soak in, fail to dry, and cause mold and damp smells! Clearly the last thing that you want if you are trying to get rid of marks on the sofa is more marks, or a nasty smell, so it might be a good idea to look down other options!

    For a start, if you have a light mark, you can often just wipe it away, and allow it to dry out. This is only really an option if you are aware that the staining article is not something that will get worse with drying in to the fabric, as this will mean that the stain is pretty much permanent if you don;t get rid of it completely the first time! For instance, red wine is not going to come out with a wet cloth, it will need more specialist attention. However, a little gravy on a black sofa will likely wipe away with a cloth and then be fine to dry out, as the mark will be unnoticeable.

    Using upholstery cleaners is a good plan, as long as you know how to use them. Each product is different, but most will spray on, or have some sort of opportunity to lather up on the stain. Leave this lather in place so that the chemicals get their full chance to react with the stained area, and then wipe the foam away. You should find that the lather takes on the color of the foam, and that you are able to get a decent amount of the pigment of the stain away form the fabric or the upholstery. Using lemon or white vinegar in the same way can be very useful in that the acid in both will break down the build up of the stain, allowing it to be soaked up with a clean cloth, without spreading to the surrounding area of the upholstery. You should be careful with tougher stains not to allow them to be spread by your scrubbing, making sure to lift things off the surface with a knife or scraper, and ensuring that nothing gets pushed on to clean parts of the sofa.

    Take the vacuum cleaner to the sofa to get up all of the crumbs, debris, pet hair and other bits and pieces that fall on the sofa. These smaller bits of dirt may seem inconsequential over all, but they can contribute to the deterioration of the fabric as the sofa is used, and the cushions rub together. Removing this dirt and dust regularly will ensure that the sofa looks better for longer. You will also find that plumping the cushions has a lot to do with the life of your sofa, as allowing a groove to be worn in to the cushions where people consistently sit will mean that the fabric is stretched in to a set position. Reviving the feather or padding within the cushions and upholstery will mean that this is less quick a process, and you will have your sofa looking a lot better for a lot longer!

    Having a wet wipe ready to clear up any little food spills and other lighter marks that might befall your sofa is a great way to ensure that you are never worrying too much about the way it looks. If you feel like you are in a situation where you are always having to clean things up, it can be a good idea to get a sofa cover that matches the look of the room, that you can just throw in the washing machine in the event of a spillage!

    http://www.carpetupholsterycleaners.org.uk/N1-upholstery-cleaners/islington-sofa-