Upholstery and special fabrics must be cleaned with great care. Most manufacturers, even on fabric labels, will state the need for regular, professional, cleaning. The frequency depends, but every 4-6 months is recommended for furniture and fabric that sees a lot of use.
Among the problems dirty fabric can cause are the following:
- Dirty upholstery feels different than clean upholstery.
- Unclean upholstery can emanate odors.
- Appearance can be dull and dingy.
- The fabric simply won’t last as long.
Professional cleaning solves those problems by doing the following:
- Longer furniture life.
- Cleaner and brighter appearance.
- Easier and more frequent inspection for damage and other fabric or structural issues.
- Clean and fresh smell along with removal of odors.
The first part of any upholstery or fabric cleaning is a thorough inspection. We look for damage, stains or heavily soiled areas, problem areas, and any manufacturer recommendations. Often, this will include light testing of the fabric in an out-of-the-way area to ensure a safe cleaning.
Method of cleaning will largely depend on what was found during the pre-inspection, fabric testing, and the condition of the fabric. Commonly, steam cleaning with a portable or truck-mount unit using the appropriate chemical cleaning agents is the method of choice.
Once the cleaning is done, fabric protector can be applied to help ensure stain and soil resistance in the future. This step is optional but recommended.