There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes down to cleaning upholstery. We’re here to tell you some that are just flat out myths. Some of these myths that folks believe concern upholstery cleaning and what won’t harm your upholstery and what can. Carpet Care 2000 would like to set the record straight to help you know how to clean your upholstery properly.
Upholstery Cleaning Myths
Myth 1 – Dry cleaning is safest for upholstery. There are a lot of problems when cleaning upholstery in regards to discoloration, cellulose browning, or colors that bleed or fade. Many of these discoloration problems have been associated with water-based solutions. The other leading fabric or upholstery cleaner is dry cleaning solvents which many believe are better. This is not always true. Where some of the myths surrounding dry cleaning are partially true, such as they are least likely to damage more delicate fabrics, the truth is dry cleaning still can cause color to bleed or discolor. However there are ways to stabilize the color or dye of the upholstery even for water based solvents.
Myth 2 – You Should use hot water to clean sofas. One myth that mostly causes more damage than it ever does good is that you should use “hot” water. Hot water isn’t good at all, and it doesn’t clean any better than warm water would. The synthetic fabric such as olefin or polyester fabrics release an oily soil-like residue when being cleaned with hot water. True, hot water does help quicken the cleaning process and lessens the need for a buffer with alkaline to prevent discoloration. However, hot water, even when it isn’t very hot, can cause shrinking and even weaken softer fabrics.
Myth 3 – Believing everything you read on your upholstery tags. There are two types of tags that are commonly found on upholstery. One being fiber content tag and the other; cleaning code tags. Each one can be misleading. The fiber content tag normally describes the material used to either “fill” or “stuff” the furniture. If the tag mentions the percentage of cotton or polyester fill, they are mostly likely saying it is the under fabric you’re cleaning. It is rare for the content tag to list the fiber that you’re actually cleaning. The cleaning code is normally telling you the colorfastness code tags used on furniture. The manufacturers do this to assist the customer in determining which product you can safely use to use clean the fabric. If you see “S” on the cleaning tag, this will indicate the need to use dry cleaning foam only.
Myth 4 – Synthetic fabric is trouble free. Well this isn’t true. Even synthetics such as nylon, polyester, and acrylic are easier to clean but even they have their own rules to follow. A few examples are that synthetic velvets will become discolored if the temperature of the cleaner or equipment is too high. Another fine example is that many synthetics discolor or bleed very easily if not cleaned with the proper cleaning methods.
Sofa & Couch Upholstery Cleaning & More in Tracy, Livermore, Sam Ramon, Dublin, Ripon, Mountain House, Walnut Creek, Danville & the East Bay of California
Carpet Care 2000 knows our furniture is an investment and will get their fair share of stains. We hope before cleaning your upholstery, you do your homework first to prevent any damages or discoloration of your home’s furniture. You can always leave it to the professionals. Carpet Care 2000 can help clean your upholstery with our experienced crew. Contact us today to schedule your upholstery cleaning.
