Getting ready to welcome guests this season? This is the time of year when many hosts start to focus on deep cleaning. Before friends and family gather in your living or dining room, consider the cleanliness of your upholstered chairs. When’s the last time you’ve cleaned them? Learn about some of the factors to consider and common upholstery cleaning questions, including how often it should be done.

Questions to Consider Before Cleaning Upholstery

You may have already wondered, what’s that smell coming from the couch? Is that a stain on the dining room chair? How am I supposed to clean this leather ottoman? These are all valid questions and important in determining the best way to care for your upholstered furniture. But there are some other factors to consider before breaking out the cleaning supplies.

• Fabric type. Different fabrics require different cleaning frequencies, products, and processes. Also, lighter colors may show dirt more easily than darker patterns.
• Household members. Having children or pets may increase the cleaning frequency and even effect the type of fabric you choose.
• Allergens. If anyone in your household is susceptible to allergens, you may want to clean more to make it a more comfortable environment.
• Usage. If you only sit in your dining room during holidays but spend countless hours on the couch, this will effect how often you’ll need to clean these areas.

Once you’ve considered the fabric, family, and frequency of use, you’ll have a better idea of how best to clean your upholstery.

Tips for Cleaning Upholstered Furniture

Once it’s time to clean, the next question is how to go about it? Here are some general guidelines for cleaning upholstered furniture.

1. Spot cleaning. No matter what the fabric type, you’ll want to quickly clean up any spills to help prevent stains. If you’re unsure of using a certain cleaning product on your fabric, always test it in an inconspicuous spot.
2. Vacuum. Regularly vacuuming with an upholstery tool helps remove dust, dirt, and grime that could also set in to the fabric.
3. Surface clean. Wipe down the surface between deep cleanings to remove what the vacuum may have missed.
4. Deep clean. Depending on the fabric, a steam clean can help remove set-in stains, dirt, and odors. Consider deep cleaning more often if you have pets that frequently lay on the furniture.
5. Professional clean. Go beyond a deep cleaning with specialized services from a pro with the equipment and products that can help maintain your upholstered furniture.

If you’re looking for pros who know about the various cleaning techniques for different types of fabric, JDog Carpet Cleaning & Floor Care is just a call away. Our technicians are trained to identify fabric type and use only the safest cleaning methods to get your dining room chairs, living room couches, ottomans and more clean and pristine for you and your holiday guests.