To Give Your Sofa Quality Care, Turn To The Professionals
Some chores can be exhausting. With your busy schedule, from your work life to the social activities that you participate in, you already have your plate full. Routine cleaning in the house, however, cannot be overlooked. It has a direct impact on your quality of life. After all, you won’t be comfortable when surrounded by dirt and grime, and you don’t want your family members being exposed to harmful agents that put their health at risk. However, dealing with units like the sofa can put a strain on you. Giving that humongous set that is taking up most of the space in the living room a thorough clean is not an easy feat. Moreover, those free moments, from the evening that you spend making memories with your family members, to the precious weekends where you’re meant to be relaxing and rejuvenating, should be spent on things that you enjoy doing- not scrubbing at the stubborn dirt and stains that are riddling the furniture. You don’t have to take on the task. Free yourself by leaving it to the professional sofa cleaning crew.
After years of operating in the cleaning industry, it’s only natural for us to have come across lots of myths about cleaning upholstery. Our personnel work with the residential and commercial clients to address their queries and alleviate their concerns. Here are some of the myths that are usually being peddled around:
- The professional sofa cleaning services only get rid of the dirt that is on the surface
This couldn’t be further from the truth. The soiling that is visible is just the tip of the iceberg, and the professionals know that a deep cleaning is needed. Toxins, mould spores, allergens like pollen and faecal residue from dust mites, the germs themselves- these cannot be detected by the naked eye, yet still pose a risk to the health of the persons using the sofa. As such, high-powered systems are used to extract the grime that is buried within the sofa, leaving it fresh and truly clean, that way you can lounge back in comfort.
- Routine cleaning makes the upholstery get dilapidated
This myth probably sprung from what is usually witnessed during conventional methods of cleaning clothes, where the fabric ends up getting shaggy. It may also be a result of the mistakes that are usually witnessed during the DIY cleaning process, where the wrong tools of cleaning solutions are used. The upholstery only gets damaged when the inappropriate approach is taken, which you won’t have to worry about when you hire the professionals for the task. A well-trained and experienced personnel will be in a position to determine the safest and most effective method for cleaning your particular set, and scheduling routine cleaning will enable you to ensure that your unit remains in top condition.
- All sofa cleaning agents are the same
Quality of services vary across the scope. Before spending your money, you want to be sure that you’re getting value for every penny. The success of the process depends on the personnel that carry out the task, hence they should trained and come with the requisite skills needed for the task. Aspects such as the capacity of the machinery used also comes into focus. Going for rookie companies that rely on low-efficiency units that are cheaper to procure, as opposed to the industrial-grade machinery that the professionals use, will affect issues like the speed of the cleaning, and how thorough it will be. Insurance also weighs in, since companies offering the cheapest services usually skip this out. It ends up exposing you to liabilities should any accident occur while on your property. Going through the reviews and testimonials of a company, checking out the experience of the previous and current clients, will go a long way in showing you if the company walks the talk.
- DIY hacks are as effective as the techniques used by the professionals
Just as homemade solutions don’t have the effectiveness of specialised formulations- which are developed under strict quality control mechanisms after tonnes of research and careful measurement of ingredients used, the DIY tricks will not be at par with the professional techniques. The training and experience of the personnel, coupled with the investment into their personal and professional development, cannot be attained after watching a couple of videos online. Sure, the professionals make the work look easy, but in truth the sofa cleaning process is an intricate process, with so many balls to juggle. Let’s go further into that:
Costly Mistakes Of The DIY Cleaning Process
Cleaning the furniture to quality standards requires strict processes to be followed, from the sofa manufacturer’s instructions to the developers of the cleaning formulations that are to be used. Handling the equipment itself requires skill, from the scrubbing gear to the extraction machinery. The temperatures and pressures involved for the task are key, since you don’t want to damage the sofa in the middle of cleaning it. However, it is common for mistakes to be made during the DIY process. These include:
- Working with inappropriate cleaning products
When it comes to upholstery cleaning, not all products are equal. The success of a particular solution in removing stains on one material doesn’t mean that it can be applied on another different kind. The chemicals need to be carefully selected. First, the fabric of the sofa comes into consideration. Is it natural or synthetic upholstery? Wool, linen, silk, olefin, microfiber, and polyester- they each have their different requirements. What of the stain being worked on? The chemicals needed to deal with coffee stains and those that are used for pet stains vary. Water-based stains and oil-based stains too have different approaches when dealing with them. Hence, the product needs to be effective in removing the stain, while being safe for the underlying material that is being cleaned. Using the wrong chemicals can result in anything from the stain being made to set deeper into the upholstery, to corrosion and weakening of the fibres, which reduces the life of your sofa. The protective treatments that had been applied on the unit may also be affected, further damaging your set. Avoid these risks by letting the professional sofa cleaning crew take care of the task for you.
- Working with the wrong techniques
Renting sofa cleaning equipment and using it appropriately are 2 different things. It’s not just about scrubbing the gunk off the seat. For instance, when you work with brushes that have hard bristles, you may end up fraying the fibres of the upholstery. Applying too much water can cause colour bleeding. Basically the dyes that the upholstery had been treated with get leached out. Oversaturation is another mistake that is common with the DIY sofa cleaning jobs. Here, the upholstery looks clean at the onset, but in reality the dirt and stains have simply been soaked deeper into the fabric, even getting into the foam that is underneath. When the upholstery begins to dry, the stain gets pulled right back up, taking you back to the beginning since the task will need to be redone. Failing to rinsed properly is also an issue. This results in the soapy residue being left behind in the material. This traps dirt, making the unit get soiled at a fast rate. Residue being left in the sofa may also be attributed to the extraction machinery operating at low capacity. This is common with the rental units, which ends up consuming more of your time and energy. Let the professional sofa cleaning crew take the burden off your back.
- Improper water usage
One common error during the DIY sofa cleaning is overwetting the upholstery. Perhaps one was attempting to flush out the grime, dissolve the heavy build-ups of soiling, or it was during the rinsing stage. Overwetting the upholstery causes different problems. The most immediate is leaching out of the dyes that the sofa had been treated with. This causes it to become discoloured. Then there is the case of prolonged drying time. This can also be caused by the machines that were rented for the DIY sofa cleaning not having adequate suction power to extract the moisture after the rinsing. The longer the sofa remains wet, the higher the chances of mould and mildew developing on it. These, in turn, release spores, adding to the health risks that the persons on the premises will be exposed to.
Water, while useful for most cleaning operations, can get dicey when it comes to the sofa cleaning. There are materials that are particularly sensitive to it, and can be discoloured or shrink when cleaned with water. These are the likes of silk and silk-blends, wool, rayon, linen sofas, and the Haitian cotton fabric upholstery. These require specialised cleaning solutions that will get rid of the dirt and grime without risking the material being worked on. With leather sofas, the water also tends to break the bonds between the oil molecules that had been used to nourish it, thus weakening the protective treatment. In fact, the water itself can cause staining on the leather. Avoid these scenarios by ensuring that your set has been cleaned by the professionals.
Preserving your style
Each sofa tells a tale, based on its upholstery and construction. Take English roll arm sofas for instance. Here, they portray an image of one who likes a classic look and feel, yet not so formal. While it has a sophisticated vibe, it also encourages one to lean back and be cosy in it. The tuxedo sofa, on the other hand, is more formal. It is not one where one can take a nap on, or for the casual lounging. Tuxedo sofas, with their finely tailored condition are designed for the more scintillating social situations, and exude class- though you can always enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine with your guests on it. With Lawson sofas, you have the picture of a family setting, those afternoons lounging back with a novel or the day’s newspaper. It sets a casual tone, and you can even take a nap on it- just bring a pillow for your head. It is designed with emphasis on comfort and relaxation. With sectional sofas, guests are more than welcome. Your house is basically where your friends and family enjoy coming to hang out, and there is enough space for them to be comfortable. From brunches, book clubs to movie nights, the sectional sofa is one that enables them to kick back and relax, even putting their feet up as they enjoy your hospitality. The Chesterfield unit, like the tuxedo sofa, also has a formal vibe. Its button tufting and Victorian-era look and feel indicates one who has a touch for the antiques. In fact, getting a Chesterfield with bold colours is one sure way of making a statement. Knole sofas aren’t common, and if you’re lucky to get one of these antique designs you no doubt want to ensure that it is well maintained. They have a distinct look and grand construction, and portray you as one who appreciates the fine art and classic designs. Camelback sofas bring together different tastes- here, one wants a finely crafted construction, while still having a living room that has a formal tone. Casual activities, like watching TV, game night, and hanging out with friends takes place in the other rooms. There are dozens more designs of furniture, each bringing out a different tone. However, what is constant across the board is that proper care is needed. With routine sofa cleaning by the professionals you get to maintain the stylish nature of your set through the seasons.
Dial Us Up
Our professional sofa cleaning services are just a phone call away. Get in touch with us today, and let a qualified team give your upholstery a thorough top-to-bottom clean, that will restore the lost charm and enhance the health standards of your home. Our services are flexible, and can be scheduled to the timing that is most convenient to your residential sofa cleaning needs.
