Upholstery Cleaning and Care

Upholstery fabric has to face a large amount of wear and tear in the average home; particularly if you have a large family. It is therefore important to keep it clean and well-maintained if you want it to last and continue looking good.Just like carpets, your upholstery should be regularly vacuumed to prevent abrasive dust particles settling and causing damage. Dust settles as easily on upholstery as it does on hard surfaces, and so it should it should be vacuumed at least once a month.Use the vacuum's upholstery and crevice nozzle attachments to reach into every nook. A brush will only disturb the dust and make it resettle elsewhere.Using arm and headrest covers or throws will protect your upholstery from skin and hair soil, particularly in the summer when people wear less clothing. The downside of this being that it inevitably hides the furniture.Rearrange the furniture and cushions from time to time so they retain their natural shape and get even exposure. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from cigarette smoke and cooking areas, as these can all damage the fabric in various ways.Hair, loose dirt and crumbs can be removed from upholstery by using a sticky tape lint remover. The same effect can be achieved by wrapping some sellotape to your hands and then pressing your hands over the furniture. The sticky method is preferable to a lint brush as it pulls up the weave of the fabric and pulls out the dirt, whereas the brush pushes it deeper in.Another way to clean hair from upholstery is to wet a pair of rubber gloves and rub your hands across the furniture. It catches hairs and enables you to roll them into ball to easily dispose of.