Don’t let spots and stains ruin your lovely fabrics! Here are PCC Cleaning’s best proven tips on how to spot clean upholstery fabric!
Tip 1: Blot The Spill Quickly (The Most Important Tip!)
If you’re dealing with a fresh spill, you don’t want it to soak into the furniture stuffing, into the wood or set into the upholstery fabric.
The first thing to do when any spill occurs is to blot (not scrub or rub) the spill with a white cloth as quickly as possible. This will reduce the spreading of the stain and prevent it from setting further into the fabric. Blotting is one of the most important tips when learning how to spot clean upholstery fabric.
Tip 2: Vacuum Your Upholstery Before Cleaning
Before you start working on cleaning your upholstery, vacuum it first to remove any dirt and dust. This makes sure that your cleaning is effective and you don’t rub any existing dirt back into the fabric. Use the vacuum upholstery attachment to get in all the cracks and crevices, and thoroughly clean the cushions. Remove as much pet hair as possible, however if the vacuum doesn’t remove it all, try a pet hair remover instead.
Tip 3: Understand Upholstery Cleaning Codes
There are certain codes created by the furniture industry that indicate how the upholstery should be cleaned when a spill occurs. These tags are typically found hanging in hidden places, often on the side of the furniture or under seat cushions.
Here’s a library of code definitions:
W: Clean the upholstery fabric with a water based detergent.
S: Clean the upholstery fabric with a water free product, such as dry cleaning solvent.
WS: You may clean the upholstery fabric with either a water based cleaner or a water free cleaner, depending on the type of stain. (This is the best type of upholstered furniture to purchase if you plan to remove your own stains.)
X: This upholstery fabric must be professionally cleaned. You should only vacuum and brush it — never use any type of upholstery cleaner on it yourself. (Unless you are extraordinarily rich, you really want to steer clear of buying furniture with this on the tag in the future.)
Tip 4: Know Which Products To Use To Clean A Spill
When you get a spot or spill on your upholstered furniture the first thing you need to do is assess what type of stain it is, which will help you decide how you’re going to clean it up.
First, try using a product that matches the stain if it is compatible with the fabric.
White vinegar — great for wine and mustard stains
Rubbing alcohol — acts as an all purpose cleaner except for vinegar based stains.
Alcohol — good for other oily substances. Orange oil based cleaners are also successfully used on these stains.
Orange oil followed by alcohol — great for sticky things such as stickers, tape residue and gum
Water — effective for removing sugary things. Just wet and blot, rinse, blot repeatedly.
Oxygen bleach solution — good for food colouring stains such as orange soda and Kool-Aid type drinks if treated immediately. Rinse and blot repeatedly.
Biz — wonderful for dirt. Ammonia water is also great – just add a little ammonia and a lot of water. Follow with a vinegar rinse and blot repeatedly with clean water.
Pour & blot method: Use a LOT of white cloths, with slight agitation or tamping of the area with a natural bristle brush, and follow by pouring and blotting.
Always ALWAYS follow with dry cloth blotting, and a weight on a dry cloth will help pull the cleaner out.
When the side or back is involved, you may have to lay the furniture on its side or back for a thorough blot with a weight. This avoids the water ring that forms as it dries.
