Upholstery Cleaning: The Eco-Friendly Solution

Cleaning and maintaining upholstered furniture is an excellent way to benefit our natural environment and save money. You may be considering whether to buy new furniture, but as an experienced upholstery cleaning professional, I can say with confidence that many stains and odors that people think are permanent can, in fact, be removed. Upholstery cleaning is a great way to keep fashionable, unique and well-built furniture and reduce waste. At 10,000 Lakes Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, we use products and techniques that reduce waste and minimize water use, so we're looking out for eco-friendly methods too!

Spots, stains, and odors in upholstery

Don't overlook your upholstery when cleaning your home. When you attempt to clean upholstery such as chairs, sofas, loveseats or mattresses, you may not get to the same level of clean as a professional cleaner, so occasional professional upholstery cleaning is important too. Professionals have access to products and the education for use that offers an advantage in the treatment of stains and odors, even for truly unique pieces of upholstered furniture. We also have the tools and knowledge to protect your furniture from damage, with a complete understanding of fiber types and their care. For instance, some material has to be dry cleaned, and using water on the dry clean only fabric can cause browning of the material or leave water marks on your furniture. The products professionals use are made for specific types of material, fibers and fabrics, and we have the supporting techniques to remove just about any spot or odor.

Stain or spot?

Staining is permanent, however spots are just soil in fibers and can be removed. Professionals know the difference, and have both assessment and treatment techniques to apply to even the toughest situations. With staining, the color has fully absorbed into the fabric and set in: some examples of situations that can cause staining are red wine, blueberries, and flavored drinks. These things can stain your upholstered furniture permanently if not treated right away. Some treatments leave both spot and stain, and can be professionally treated or cleaned to remove more color, but possibly not all. Similarly with many paints, the longer the paint has to dwell in the fiber, the lower the chance of removing it entirely.

Maintaining upholstery for longevity

For furniture that is used regularly by 2-4 people in a typical household, it is recommended that you clean your upholstery every 12 to 18 months to keep it looking it's best. If you have pets or small children, regular cleaning can help with allergies, removing pet dander, and everyday spills, as well as maintaining a level of fiber care that will help fabric and material last longer.

Upholstery spill cleanup

Spills in upholstery should be cleaned up right away to avoid staining. Call a professional or check the label if you are unsure how to treat the spill, since the right technique will ensure as complete a removal of both stain and odor as possible. Often, a simple application of a household solution will be enough, and the safest and most reliable are more often simple solutions such as vinegar. Often, we have products on hand that claim to clean stains, but only set the stain in more permanently. Always get fiber care information before treating a spill.