Having kids and pets in your home means your upholstery has seen better days. If you want your upholstery to look good, you need to take care of it, and vacuuming from time to time isn’t enough.
 

Upholstery Should Be Cleaned as Soon as You Bring it Home

This may seem sort of strange, but it really is a good idea to thoroughly clean your furniture when you bring it home. This will prevent possible allergic reactions that can occur with the out-gassing process that furniture goes through. New furniture can also have an unpleasant chemical smell. Any discomfort can be minimized during the first few weeks you have your new furniture if you clean it when it’s delivered to your home.
 

Don’t Let Liquids Sit and Soak into Upholstery

Anytime your furniture experiences a spill, it needs to be taken care of right away. Whether it’s red wine or a pet accident, the longer a spill sits on your furniture, the harder it will be to remove. It can penetrate to the upholstery stuffing, spread and become almost impossible to neutralize any odors. You may even need to replace the stuffing if you can’t get rid of the smell. Getting to a stain right away will give you the best chance of success to remove a stain.
 

Some Fabric Sofa Materials Needs Specific Cleaning Methods

Upholstery can be made with many materials. You will need to know what kind of fabric your upholstery is made of before you start any cleaning, otherwise you can damage it. Proper cleaning agents and effective methods will need to be used. You will need to be even more careful with natural materials like leather, that may need care after cleaning to replenish the oils in the material. All furniture has a tag on it that will let you know how to clean it:
• WS: Use a mild detergent with a steam vacuum or a dry-cleaning detergent.
• S: Use a dry cleaner detergent only.
• X: Use a vacuum only. No water.
• W: Use water to clean it.
 

Baking Soda Absorbs & Removes Odors from Couches

There is one ingredient that you probably have in your home that’s all you might need to clean your upholstery- it’s baking soda. It’s the ingredient that will get your upholstery looking and smelling great again. It’s great at neutralizing smells and it’s a powerful, natural cleaner. Why is it so powerful? This product reacts with foul-smelling acidic scents. Unlike fabric sprays or air fresheners, baking soda actually absorbs smells, rather than masking them. Even though it’s a powder, baking soda has abrasive qualities. It’s gentle, but slightly gritty and works to exfoliate stains by lifting dirt and debris. It’s also a great at getting deep down into your upholstery. First, you’ll need to remove stubborn marks or stains with diluted dish soap and a clean cloth or sponge. Blot and allow it to dry. Vacuum the upholstery with the brush attachment and sprinkle the baking soda. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then vacuum one more time until you no longer see any of the baking soda.
 

Sofa Cleaning & More in Tracy, Livermore, San Ramon, Dublin, Mountain House, Walnut Creek, Danville & the East Bay of California

If you have any concerns about they way your furniture should be cleaned, call the professionals at Carpet Care 2000 for assistance. We can handle all your floor and upholstery cleaning needs!