A Guide to Good Furniture

Care

 by:

Holly Linington

During my long career in the furniture business I've often been asked,

"What is the proper way to care for my fabric?" After all, you've

purchased your dream furniture piece but you're terrified to use it out of

fear of damaging it. But you don't have to live in fear! After extensive

research and testing I have found the following guidelines and suggestions

to be helpful.

Upholstered Furniture

Because of the wide variety of fabrics and fiber combinations, there is

no guarantee that these methods will be completely successful and I

recommend that a professional upholstery cleaner be contacted in

particular cases. However, these simple solutions will keep your new

upholstery crisp and clean for years!

. Vacuum at least once a week to remove grit that can cause abrasion,

and be sure to dust vacuum the top surfaces as often as possible.

Professional cleaning is the best way to make a slightly soiled sofa look

new again, but weekly vacuuming will make professional cleaning a less

frequent event. (Never brush any fabric with a stiff fiber or metal brush,

since they're destructive to the fibers. Instead, use your vacuum

attachments like the upholstery brush or the attachment for dusting

draperies and furniture. The latter brush has longer bristles and is less

abrasive to your upholstery fabric. It may be your best option if your

fabric deserves a softer brushing.)

. Reverse the cushions each week after vacuuming. Rearrange the

furniture occasionally to ensure even wear of the cushions and other

areas.

Cushions and pillows filled with down or similar cushioning material

should be hand-fluffed and reversed regularly to retain their original

softness and resiliency.

. Protect fabrics from the sun. Fabrics should not be placed in direct

sunlight because the ultraviolet light will cause the fibers to degenerate

and colors to fade. Occasionally dyes can fade from impurities in the air

as well, but protection from the sun is a good way to prevent premature

loss of color.

. Keep pets off the furniture. Pet urine and pet body oil can be

difficult to remove.

. Use proper care with structural weave fabrics (where the design is

created by the weave) to protect against snags. These fabrics may be

cleaned by sprinkling dry powder cleaner over the fabric, spreading it

uniformly and letting it stand for the recommended period before vacuuming

with gentle suction. (However, I do recommend professional cleaning with

stains on a woven fabric.)

. Caution those wearing clothing with transferable dyes, such as blue

jeans, that the dye could transfer onto light-colored furniture.

Fabric Cleaning Guide

Today's new fabric treatments improve the chances of your fabric's

survival. Fabric protection products are usually applied by the retail

store for an additional cost. Most of the various brands work the same way

by causing spills and soil to sit on the surface of the fiber instead of

migrating to the fiber's interior.

Today's fiber protection products are free of ozone damaging chemicals,

and most are hypoallergenic and invisible to the eye. Some even provide

additional UV protection from color fading caused by intense light. One of

the greatest benefits of fabric protection products is that they come with

specific written warranties that provide peace of mind.

Whether your new upholstery has been fabric protected or not, you

should follow the same basic guidelines in cleaning liquid spills or

surface soil that can't be brushed off (such as newspaper ink).

Fabric Cleaning Codes

Before attempting to clean a spill or spot on your furniture, you

should identify the fabric and the correct cleaning method recommended by

the manufacturer. This information is represented by a cleaning code (W,

S, WS, or X) often found under a cushion, on the bottom of the furniture

or on the manufacturer's tag. If you cannot find this information, contact

your salesperson at the furniture store where the item was purchased.

W - Spot clean only with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery

cleaner.

S - Spot clean only with water-free cleaning solvent. Do not overwet.

DO NOT USE WATER.

WS - Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or

a mild dry cleaning solvent. Do not overwet.

X - Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic

brush. DO NOT USE WATER OR DRY CLEANING SOLVENTS. Do not use a foam or

liquid cleaner of any type.

Never apply cleaning solutions to visible areas of your upholstery

fabric without first testing on areas that are not visible. It is

important to pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility.

Cleaning Instructions

As a general rule, when a spill occurs, it is important to clean the

fabric immediately. The longer a spot remains, the harder it is to remove.

It may even become permanent.

Blot, don't rub. If the spill is still "fresh", use a clean, dry and

very absorbent 100% cotton cloth. Should you have to use paper towels to

blot out spills, be sure the paper towel (or cloth) is white, as colors in

the towel may, when applied to a wet surface, fade onto the upholstery.

Color from one fabric can rub off onto another fabric, even when dry -- a

process known in the industry as "crocking".

If blotting with a dry cloth doesn't quite finish the job and you have

cleaning directions from the furniture manufacturer, follow those. If none

are available, use the instructions provided here.

I hope this information has been insightful. Use these tools when

necessary, but most importantly, enjoy your upholstered piece -- it was

meant to be used!