Upholstery is everywhere. It’s on your living room couch, your car, your curtains, your mattress – the list goes on. It plays an important role in keeping us comfy throughout the day, but since upholstery gets so much use, it’s no wonder it gets dirty easily. Body oil, sweat, moisture, pet hair, dust and debris all penetrate the fabric over time and ruin its strength and appearance.
While it’s important to keep upholstery clean, let’s be real: most people don’t have the time, mental headspace or professional tools to properly clean it. Anyone can grab a cloth and an all-purpose detergent to wipe an armchair or mattress, but that doesn’t address the stubborn build-up that lies deep within the fibers. You can either buy commercial-grade detergents to handle deep stains or reach out to a professional cleaning company in Knoxville for a thorough clean-up.
Top 5 Reasons Why Upholstery Cleaning Is Important
Out of all the objects in our houses, upholstery gets the most use. Cleaning upholstery is not important for cosmetic appeal, but for keeping your indoor environment sanitized and healthy as well.
Here are the biggest reasons why it’s important to maintain your upholstery:
Prioritizing Health and Hygiene
Think about it, you have breakfast on your dining room chair every single day, you’re on your car seat and you read a book on a mattress every night before falling asleep. These surfaces become ‘dirt magnets’ in a way, as they’re constantly in touch with our bodies, clothes and environmental elements. That makes regular upholstery cleaning important.
Eliminating Harmful Bacteria
If you, or anyone else on your property, are getting more allergies or health problems than usual, it’s possible that you haven’t cleaned your upholstery in a long time. Dirt, microbes and allergens in your furniture may be spreading diseases without you knowing. By keeping your upholstery clean and sanitized, you keep germ concentration at safe and healthy levels.
Improving Physical Appearance
The phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” applies on a lot of things, but not on your upholstery. Imagine hosting a party at your apartment, only for guests to be left agitated by how unclean your sofas or curtains are. Professional upholstery cleaning services don’t just remove stains on the surface, but bring their original beauty, elegance and stylishness back.
Saving Your Money
With the rising costs in Knoxville, it probably isn’t the best idea to invest so much on upholstery or furniture replacements. You can avoid the need to do so in the first place by properly maintaining your upholstery. Regular cleaning and sanitization can even make a low-end sofa last for decades. This means you wouldn’t have to spend so much on buying a new sofa.
Reducing Environmental Waste
Sustainability is not just about using natural materials but taking care of our belongings as well, including upholstery. Cleaning upholstery increases its lifespan, which means that you’re less likely to dispose of your furniture prematurely. It may seem like a small step, but it’s an important action towards responsible consumption and environmental preservation.
The Most Effective Cleaning Techniques for Upholstery
There’s no standardized approach to follow when it comes to cleaning or sanitizing upholstery. It all comes down to how dirty your upholstery is and to what extent you want to clean it. Here are some of the best upholstery cleaning techniques you can keep note of:
- Regular Vacuuming: Vacuum cleaning your sofas, mattresses, curtains and other upholstery on a weekly basis goes a long way in maintaining them.
- Spot Cleaning: What do you do if you accidentally drop coffee on the bed? Quickly get a microfiber cloth, apply a fabric detergent and blot the area gently.
- Steam Cleaning: Steam cleaning is preferred for synthetic fabrics like polyester. It uses hot water to loosen the dirt buildup adhering to the upholstery fibers.
- Dry Cleaning: Dry cleaning is mostly used for delicate fabrics that cannot handle harsh cleaning methods. This includes silk, linen, wool, velvet, and leather.
- Fabric Protection: What do you do after you’ve cleaned upholstery? If you want to maintain the fresh new look, consider applying fabric protectant.
How To Keep Your Upholstery Clean for Longer?
Things get dirty sooner or later, and upholstery is no exception. That said, there are many things you can do to keep your upholstery clean for a longer period of time. Here’s what you need to know:
- If something spills on the upholstery, clean it immediately. Don’t wait for too long, or the stain might become permanent on the fabric.
- If you have pets, consider buying pet furniture or creating cozy spots in your home so that they don’t use your main furniture very often.
- Avoid keeping upholstered furniture near direct sunlight. This is because exposure to harsh UV rays can permanently damage the fabric.
- Hire professional cleaners instead of trying DIY cleaning methods, especially when you’re dealing with tough, stubborn stains on upholstery.
- While cleaning, always make sure to follow the care instructions. A detergent designed to be used on leather will be way too harsh on silk.
- When leaving your house for an extended period of time, consider covering your furniture with plastic sheets to prevent dirt buildup.
Schedule a Professional Upholstery Cleaning Today!
We get it, your upholstery just doesn’t look or feel the same. You miss when your furniture used to be spotlessly clean, and you could flaunt it to your neighbors. But before you give up, try professional upholstery cleaning services.
At 5 Star Carpet Cleaning, we specialize in the latest, eco-friendly techniques for upholstery cleaning, designed to remove stains from a microscopic level. Contact us to schedule our cleaning services and get your upholstery cleaned within your budget.
