Does upholstery cleaning and maintenance seem a tall order? Well, spare just a few seconds to give this blog a read and save hours of struggle without losing your peace of mind.
Only homeowners know how much they love their upholstery. After all, that classic sofa, plush carpets, and bright curtains add a lot to the home décor. And why just décor? How can one forget the comfort of binge-watching your favorite show while lying on the sofa? Even your pet loves the coziness that your soft carpets or couch offer.
Considering all your upholstery items were brought with so much love and at such high prices, you must pay attention to upholstery cleaning and maintenance.
You cannot deny that the upholstery items are most prone to dirt and stains. It is because your sofa, mattresses, and carpets are the favorite places where you and your family spend most of their time. While most homeowners find upholstery cleaning quite challenging, it is actually just like every other household cleaning chore. You just need to do it right!
So, without further ado, let’s dig deeper at the 7 upholstery cleaning mistakes and what all you must do to avoid them.
1. Discounting the Manufacturer’s Guidelines
Be honest! What do you usually do when you see a coffee stain on your carpet or sofa mat? You either scrub & scour the stain or soak it in water to clean it. As a result, you end up getting a permanent mark on your favorite carpet.
Unfortunately, this is the most common mistake that almost every homeowner makes while cleaning their upholstery. They usually forget the manufacturer’s instructions to clean and keep the upholstery items in tip-top condition.
Every upholstery has its own cleaning guidelines. Follow That!
It is important to realize here that every upholstery is manufactured differently, be it the material or method. Hence, it has its own cleaning and upkeep guidelines. Hence, the way you clean your carpet won’t help you clean your sofa or mattresses.
So, always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when it comes to upholstery cleaning. These guidelines will assist you in maintaining your upholstery and avoid unnecessary damage and hassle.
2. Not Using the Right Cleaning Products
Finding a cleaning solution that promises the best results is quite easy these days. You can find as many ‘promising’ cleaners easily at your local store cleaning aisle. However, not all the products you buy are suitable for your upholstery. Most of these products contain harsh chemicals that can cause permanent damage to your curtains, carpets, sofas, or mattresses.
So, before you choose a product for your upholstery cleaning, you must read the label carefully. Avoid using products that contain bleach which will do more harm than good on your upholstery. You can also consult the manufacturers if you’re unsure about which products to buy.
3. Applying Granny’s Old Time Cleaning Remedies
“Stain on the sofa? Clean it with vinegar or lemon!” You often try using home remedies to clean your upholstery while saving on your pocket. Not a smart move, though! While these remedies may slightly lighten a stain mark on your upholstery but can also harm the feel, look and fabric of your upholstery.
The best way to avoid making such mistakes is to educate yourself! Determine the fabric of your upholstery, the constituents of home remedy, or even cleaning products you want to use to get the desired results without any side-effects.
4. Letting the Stains Settle
Now, this might come as a surprise to you. But you can actually prevent most of the stains on your upholstery, if you take immediate actions. The moment something like nail polish, pet urine, or a beverage hits your mattresses, carpets, or sofa, you must address these areas immediately to prevent significant staining.
Why?
Because, the longer you take to clean such items, the deeper they get into the bottom of the upholstery fibers. This makes it difficult for you to get them out and you may need immediate professional assistance.
5. Not Testing the Products Before Using Them
So, you’ve got a new cleaning product and are trying to use it on your upholstery. Wait! Are you sure it won’t react negatively with your upholstery?
When it comes to upholstery cleaning, you must test the cleaning product before using it. Again, there’s a right way to do that. Always test the solution on the hidden patch of your upholstery item, for instance, on the corners. If you don’t see a reaction that surprises you, you can use that solution to clean the entire upholstery.
6. Believing you’re the Expert!
No, you aren’t! Most people believe upholstery cleaning to be a simple DIY, but it’s actually not. In most cases, it is always recommended to let the experts intervene to clean your upholstery. These are experienced people who can easily get the spots, stains, odor, or other issues out of your upholstery. Also, they are equipped with all the right techniques, cleaning agents, and tools for pro cleaning. And… they won’t take much time for cleaning just like you do!
7. Assuming They’re Clean!
Certain upholstery items like carpets and curtains can “LOOK” clean based on their design and color. However, this isn’t the case, in reality! Every upholstery, regardless of how neat and clean they appear needs regular cleaning. This is especially crucial for homes with pets, kids, and elderly, or even those with respiratory issues. This is because accumulated dust and deep stains can be a breeding spot for microbes, which may cause allergic reactions to those living around.
Regular vacuuming and treating spot stains immediately is a great way to ensure regular maintenance of your upholstery.
The Takeaway
Now that you are aware of the common upholstery cleaning mistakes, you can be careful and avoid them yourself. Remember, your upholstery needs your care and regular upkeep to survive longer and to embellish your house at all times.
Michelle Grazabian
