Take Away The Burden Of The DIY Sofa Cleaning Process
Here, there are so many things that could go wrong. From spending hours on the task and winding up with low-quality results, to damaging the sofa itself- your time, peace of mind and resources are on the line. it’s worse when the warranty is voided, leaving no recourse for dealing with the liabilities, meaning that you end up having to fork out money to make repairs or purchase a whole new sofa. Blunders that are usually made during the DIY sofa cleaning process include:
- Working with aggressive chemicals
The different materials of the furniture construction need to be taken into account, from the upholstery to the metal and wood parts. Harsh chemicals that can corrode the various parts end up ruining the unit. Some cause the stains to be more permanent, others weaken the fibre of the material, which contributes to reducing the life of your sofa. Common DIY formulations, be it lemon juice, ammonia, vinegar, or even the bleach-based products that one typically turns to when dealing with the stubborn stains can end up wreaking havoc on the sofa. The various materials, from the leather to the fabric sofas, come with their unique cleaning requirements. When the wrong agents are used reversing the effects tends to be difficult, and you can end up permanently affecting the furniture.
- Harsh scrubbing
This can be due to using too much elbow grease as a result of the cleaning formulations not being effective enough, or simply working with hard-bristled brushes for the scrubbing. All that effort does not make a difference if you’re dealing with the wrong chemical, one that cannot effectively dissolve the stains. With the hard-bristled brushes, it immediately damages the delicate materials. This is not a fate that you want for your set. The professional cleaning team have the expertise that is needed to determine the appropriate approach to take when dealing with your particular set.
- Going for the wrong tools
Different items are needed for the various stages of the sofa cleaning. During the DIY process, a common tendency is to use tools that are used for other sections of the routine chores. Some just make things worse. For instance, towels that shed lint and fibres can end up covering your sofa with the material, making a mockery of your cleaning efforts. There are also sponges that can damage the delicate finishes. It all contributes to making it a frustrating process.
- Oversaturating the upholstery
This can be looked at from two angles. First, there are the situations where the sofa has been oversaturated with cleaning solution. Here, the product simply pushes the stains deeper into the cushions, and as the sofa dries the stain gets back to the surface. That results in wasted effort and resources. Secondly, the sofa can be oversaturated with water. This leads to different problems. For starters, the upholstery may shrink. That is certainly not an outcome that you want. In fact, there are types of material that shouldn’t be cleaned with wear at all, since it will ruin the protective treatments that have been applied, or the upholstery itself is very delicate. Then there is the increased drying time. Here, it puts the furniture at risk of developing fungi, whose spores and mycotoxins are a threat to the persons in the household. Then there are also those cases where overwetting the sofa results in the stain being spread more into the material, making it difficult to remove. Why put yourself through all this? Take the guesswork out of it and get quality results by enlisting the help of sofa cleaning professionals.
Myths And Misconceptions About Sofa Cleaning
Let’s debunk some of the myths that relate to sofa cleaning:
- You must use water to remove statins
While it is a universal cleaning solvent, and probably the go-to choice when wiping up spills on other surfaces, when it comes to the sofa, you can end up doing more harm to your unit. This is because the water may cause the stain to seep deeper into the upholstery, making it more difficult to remove. Immediately there is a spill, the first thing that one should do is blot it up with a dry and absorbent cloth, working from the outside to the inside of the spot. Thereafter, the recommended stain remover for that particular spill is used.
- You can use white wine to get rid of red wine
This is risky. It’s not just about the white wine getting wasted- you can end up having a new and more difficult patch on your set. Then there is the resultant smell. No one wants to lounge back on a sofa where the cushions reek like a pub.
- Vacuuming once a week is enough
This largely depends on the amount of traffic handled by the sofa. It’s the most used set in the house, but some spaces have higher levels of usage- especially when there are kids and pets around. From the modern-day busy homes to the high traffic commercial establishments where you have dozens of customers using the sofa sets in the building, more frequent vacuuming will be required- even daily.
- Remove inkblots with hair spray
Some DIY hacks will make a mess of your sofa. Using hair spray in an attempt to remove the ink marks on the upholstery has higher chances of damaging the fibres, in addition to being a dirt magnet- causing it to attract more soiling.
- White vinegar and bleach are safe for modern upholsteries
They are designed to be durable, right? Well, while some of the fabrics can withstand it, it does not apply across the board. For instance, white vinegar tends to soak the stains deeper into the upholstery, spreading it and can end up damaging the fibres. Using bleach on wool sofas will discolour the material, resulting in pale patches. The various kinds of upholsteries, from the natural to the synthetic, have their preferred modes of cleaning, and applying the wrong chemicals will ruin your set.
Why You Should Hire Professional Upholstery Cleaning Services
- High-powered sofa cleaning machinery
The effectiveness of the sofa cleaning process is tied to the quality of the equipment that is used. Towards this end, we have pumped loads of capital into getting industrial-grade units, that deliver a thorough job in minimal time. The systems get to the gunk that is buried within the upholstery, and provide a thorough scrub, dislodging the grime that has adhered to the fibres of the upholstery. The suction used during the extraction stage is also powerful, in fact so much so that the water that is used for the rinsing is also removed, leaving the sofa just slightly damp to the touch. The miniscule quantities of moisture that are left behind dry up fast, allowing the sofa to be ready for use in a few hours after the cleaning. This minimises the disruptions to your normal day-to-day activities, and also prevents the growth of mould and mildew.
Sofas come in different constructions and styles. There are the likes of armchairs which have varying designs, including the popular recliner which is basically a luxury sofa for a single person- some even have built-in massage functions; the loveseat that is known for its intimacy- thus the name; sofa beds and futons which are ideal for the residences with limited space, where the sofa can be used as a bed at night- which also comes in handy when there are guests around; Round arm sofas that bring a classic look and feel to the space- even being commonly referred to as “Grandma’s couch”; the hardwedge arm sofas or the sloped arm designs; ottomans which are complementary pieces to larger furniture sets, and can be used as coffee tables or footstools; wicker sofas that are set up outside on the porch; track arm sofas that have square arms and bring a traditional feel to the space; all through to large sectional sofas that are common for the homes with big families, and the modular nature of the set allows you to arrange it in different configurations; plus the English Roll arm sofas to those units with no arms that give you easy access from the side. Whichever unit you have in your home or business premises, our sofa cleaning crew will be up to the task.
- Gets rid of ours
The absorbent nature of the sofas means odours will permeate into it, lingering for long after the source has been removed. From sweaty socks to the occasional food spill, the resultant of odours will make one uncomfortable while using the sofa. No one looks forward to being hit with a whiff of musky smells whenever they lay their head on the cushions. Some odours even get worse with time- such as the case for pet urine stains. Here, due to the uric acid that is formed as the urine chemically breaks down, the stench becomes more irritating, and even rendering the sofa completely unusable. The upholstery cleaning process gets rid of the source of the stench, removing the pet urine stains, the milk that had been spilled onto the unit, those decaying food crumbs, to the sweat and grease spots. It doesn’t stop there. Odour neutralisers are also incorporated into the upholstery cleaning process. These react with the odours at a molecular level, making the smells inert. As such, you won’t find yourself in a situation where the odours recur after the cleaning process. You can choose to have fragranced products to be used, in which case they will leave behind invigorating scents, that accentuate the interior décor of the premises.
We believe in the importance of hiring individuals that smile and actually enjoy their job, working with their colleagues, and creating a comfortable experience for the clients. Moreover, we also understand that you want to be assured of your security, especially when it comes to letting new people into your home to clean your upholstery. As such, our personnel have had their backgrounds checked, and taken through thorough vetting before being brought on board. They will also arrive at your residence on time, ready to deliver on their mandate.
Maintaining Your Sofa
In between the sofa cleaning sessions, there are a couple of measures that you can put in place to protect your set. These include:
- Immediately attend to spills. While the upholstery has likely been treated with protective agents, soiling and water repellents- and even mildew inhibitors in some cases, this does not mean that you allow spills to dwell on the sofa. Blot up any liquids that wind up on it. While on this point, in addition to the sofa cleaning, it will be wise to invest in the protective treatments to replenish the ones that have been lost from the upholstery over time.
- Turn the cushions regularly. This comes in handy to evenly distribute the wear, that way you won’t have situations where permanent indentations are forming on sections of the cushions. Simply fluff them and turn them over. Since some sofas are used more than others, changing the cushions around will enables you to ensure that they are evenly used.
- Vacuuming is also key. This should be done at least weekly, in order to lift the loose dust and debris off the upholstery, reducing the amount that gets embedded into the material. A brush with soft bristles can be used to whisk away the dirt gently. Take note of the fact that the brush should have soft bristles otherwise you risk snagging the fibres of the upholstery. In addition, vacuuming is not a replacement of the sofa cleaning, since it does not get to the grime that is buried within the material. Hence, an occasional deep clean will still be needed.
- Prevent sharp objects, Velcro, and items like buckles and rings from coming into contact with the upholstery. This is because they are a common cause of the fabric getting pulled or tearing.
- Position the sofa sets appropriately. This primarily focuses on issues such as the sun. You don’t want the sofa being exposed to too much sunlight, as it can result in fading- this is especially for materials like leather and the delicate fabrics such as silk upholsteries. In addition, ensure that there is proper ventilation in the interior space, to protect the sofa from pollutants such as smoke and the fumes that come from cooking activities.
Amazing information. What type of stain removers do you use?
Thank you