Upholstery & Furniture Care Tips
Vacuum dust & dirt from all fabric, cracks & crevasses so it does not cause abrasion to the fabric.
- Dust and dirt accumulate quickly on upholstered furniture. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there!
Rotate all loose cushions frequently to assure even wear.
- Most couch cushions are reversible. Flip your cushions over every few weeks. This will spread out the wear and make your furniture last much longer.
Use arm covers.
- This will prolong fabric appearance in frequently used areas.
Keep pets off of furniture.
- Pets have body oils that rub off onto fabric and can be difficult to remove. Not to mention, dander, hair, fur, germs, odor, possibly bugs from outside… these are all things you want to avoid accumulating on your furniture.
If your pets shed, regularly remove pet hair from fabric furniture.
- Options for removing pet hair include wearing a rubber glove and rubbing your hand over the fabric. The hair will form clumps, making it easy to vacuum up. Other options include wrapping tape around your hand, sticky side out, using a clothing lint remover, or using a clothing brush to collect the hair.
Use caution with clothing such as blue jeans.
- Fabric dyes can transfer onto upholstered furniture, especially with brand new blue jeans. Consider covering the furniture with a sheet or slip cover or wash blue jeans at least once before sitting on furniture to remove the excess dye that can transfer to upholstery.
Protect your upholstery from the sun.
- Ultraviolet light can cause deterioration or fading. Avoid sunlight or heat sources to avoid fading or drying of leather.
Use a fabric shaver to remove small fuzzy balls of fabric, known as pilling.
- This condition is not corrected with cleaning, it must be physically shaved off.
Apply fabric protector when your furniture is brand new and after each professional cleaning.
- Applying fabric protector will help your upholstered furniture stay cleaner longer. Learn more about fabric protector here.
How do you know if it’s time for a professional, deep cleaning?
- Try this test at home: Take a black towel or black cloth (it can be a pillowcase, sock, or whatever you have that is a solid dark color). Place your black cloth over a vacuum hose and place it on your fabric so that it extracts the dust and soil from your fabric surface. Turn the cloth over to investigate. If you see a white residue, that is a build up of dead skin cells, pet dander, dust, dry soil, etc. That is a very good indication that it is time to have your upholstered furniture professionally cleaned. Depending on the usage of the piece, we recommend an annual cleaning of your upholstered items.
Call Distinctive.
- Learn more about our Upholstery Cleaning Services in Fort Wayne. Call Distinctive at 260-250-4664 to clean your upholstered furniture.