Quick Tips: Choosing & Cleaning Furniture Upholstery

What To Keep In Mind When Choosing Upholstery Materials

Velvet: This is a great material for upkeep and cleaning, especially as spills often sit on the surface rather than soaking in. The only caveat is that some, but not all, velvet fabrics attract and stick to dust, hair, and fluff very easily. This is especially noticeable in navy and grey colours, and is not a great option if you have shedding pets.
- To avoid the above problem: choose a non-synthetic option, as synthetics build up static electricity that attracts dust. Also consider stain and static resistant coatings.

Leather: can be a good option for allergy sufferers, as the lack of texture ensures allergens cannot be trapped within fibres and weaves. However, scratches cannot be easily fixed, so leather would not be suited to households with pets that may scratch it.

Faux leather: I don’t recommend furniture of this type as it doesn’t hold up well,
easily cracking, peeling, and tearing over time. From a cleaning and durability perspective, this is not a material I generally recommend.

Something I highly recommend making sure cushion covers are removable. This is because every couch will become stained at some point, which leaves you a headache as to how to clean it. Being able to remove the covers and wash them saves a lot of time and effort from hand cleaning, and potentially a lot of money as you don’t need to spend it on a professional upholstery clean.

It’s important to pay attention to upholstery colour, especially if you have kids or animals, as upholstery will get dirty much more easily. The best colours for someone conscious about cleaning and upkeep are darker colours such as grey and charcoal.

Brush in the direction of the pile after you have finished cleaning to prevent uneven shaded marks.

The first thing I always do is check the manufacturer’s care label. Many sofas and chairs have a tag under the cushions or on the base that lists the fabric type and cleaning instructions. If the tag is unavailable, looking up the make and model of the furniture is an option. Even if you don’t have receipts, alternatives such as image searching the web are a great option.

If things are still difficult to identify, it’s good to do a water test to check the absorbency of the fabric, as generally natural materials will soak it in while synthetics will resell it.

If you are unable to determine fabric type but still want to attempt cleaning, do a spot test with your intended product on an inconspicuous or hidden area.

Sofa cushion covers are an excellent protective solution. This is extra good for pet owners, as claws will gradually affect and tear fabric as animals walk across, even if your animals don’t directly claw at them. These are also great as there are many options of colours and fabrics, and they’re easily washed. For a lower effort solution, you can also keep throws in your pet’s preferred sleeping spot.

Schedule upholstery cleaning at least every 1-2 years. This will ensure a deep clean where dirt is removed directly from upholstery fibres. This cannot be achieved with vacuuming. Many companies will also provide discounts or package deals, so this is also an excellent opportunity to also tackle carpets.

If fabric casing cannot be removed to be washed, vacuum it regularly using a detail attachment to manage dust and dirt. For a deeper clean, I recommend purchasing a home unit or hiring a professional that can provide upholstery cleaning with specialised machines.