Upholstery Cleaning and Care


Upholstery fabric has to face a large amount of wear and tear in the average home; particularly if you have a large family. It is therefore important to keep it clean and well-maintained if you want it to last and continue looking good.

Just like carpets, your upholstery should be regularly vacuumed to prevent abrasive dust particles settling and causing damage. Dust settles as easily on upholstery as it does on hard surfaces, and so it should it should be vacuumed at least once a month.

Use the vacuum's upholstery and crevice nozzle attachments to reach into every nook. A brush will only disturb the dust and make it resettle elsewhere.

Using arm and headrest covers or throws will protect your upholstery from skin and hair soil, particularly in the summer when people wear less clothing. The downside of this being that it inevitably hides the furniture.

Rearrange the furniture and cushions from time to time so they retain their natural shape and get even exposure. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from cigarette smoke and cooking areas, as these can all damage the fabric in various ways.

Hair, loose dirt and crumbs can be removed from upholstery by using a sticky tape lint remover. The same effect can be achieved by wrapping some sellotape to your hands and then pressing your hands over the furniture. The sticky method is preferable to a lint brush as it pulls up the weave of the fabric and pulls out the dirt, whereas the brush pushes it deeper in.

Another way to clean hair from upholstery is to wet a pair of rubber gloves and rub your hands across the furniture. It catches hairs and enables you to roll them into ball to easily dispose of.

Deep Cleaning

There are a number of different products available on the market that offer deep cleaning for upholstery. These treatments do not prevent soling and nor do they prevent wear on the fabric, but they do make your maintenance cleaning easier.

Before cleaning your upholstery with any solution, always read the instructions and check the label of your furniture. On some fabrics certain shampoo solutions can be damaging. Always begin by testing a small, unseen area of your upholstery first.

Instead of buying a separate upholstery shampoo, you can wash your fabric with solutions from the home:

To prevent accidental damage during this process, keep the upholstery as dry as possible throughout. Keep the windows open or turn on a fan to prevent water or mixture stains.

Leather Care

Leather is a luxurious upholstery fabric; soft, solid and improves with age. However, to get the best out of your leather and to help it achieve its enduring quality, it must be well maintained with regular vacuuming and cleaning.

As with all upholstery fabrics, always find out the specific type you have and make sure are aware of any specific care instructions. Contact the store or manufacturer if you have any queries.

General Care:

Keep your leather furniture dust free by dusting with a damp soft cloth about once a week, and vacuum with an appropriate soft brush attachment.

For a more thorough clean, invest in quality leather cleaner and sponge the upholstery with it around once a month. This will also keep it soft and supple and provide a protective coat. Dry the finished surface with a clean towel.

Another trick to keep your leather furniture shiny and supple is to polish it monthly with a solution of 2 parts linseed oil and 1 part vinegar. Again, test an unseen area of the upholstery first.

If spillage occurs, it is essential that you clean it off immediately with a leather cleaning solution as leather stains easily. Standard cleaning products may cause damage to the leather.

If the leather has already become discoloured, it may be possible to repair some damage with a matching leather dye.