Fabric care: Tips for taking care of your upholstery
The upholstery of a piece of furniture makes a huge difference to its appearance, longevity, feel and cost. Fabrics have a great way of working their magic on you. They play an important role in changing the look and feel of your room. If you have an old couch that has seen brighter days, don’t throw it away because a simple change in reaching out a brand new pattern in upholstery will instantly transform your couch into an art deco piece.
Commonfloor brings you the know-how about the fabrics in vogue
House linen Cotton
This excellent fabric is made from 50% cotton and 50% linen. It looks great in any environment, is hard-wearing, and will last for years. It also has the advantage of being fantastic value. Most importantly it’s a very beautiful fabric that has real understated style.
Leather
Genuine natural leather is considered one of the most durable as well as stylish materials used to cover couches and chairs. It is an expensive option but tends to withstand wear from children and pets, plus it’s easy to wipe clean. Synthetic leathers such as vinyl are still quite tough and are less expensive than natural leather, but they may split or crack over time.
Natural and Synthetic Materials
We love the natural and synthetic materials which are blended together to create upholstery cloth. For instance, the natural warmth and rustic beauty of wool is often mixed with synthetic, hard-wearing nylon to add toughness to the upholstery fabric. Canvas is a naturally tough, heavyweight cloth that has an informal, almost industrial or commercial, appeal to it.
Silk
Silk is an elegant, expensive, fairly lightweight, natural upholstery material with a delicate construction. It’s known for its luxurious beauty, but it stains easily and requires professional cleaning. Acetate upholstery fabrics are less expensive and not as luxurious as natural silk varieties. They still tend to show dirt easily, but these synthetic acetate fabrics cost less than natural silk.
Velvet
If you are aiming for a royal touch to your room, reach out to velvet. It has a soft, partially raised or sculpted all-over pattern design that is considered durable. The plush feel of upholstery velvet is quite welcoming and is one of the main reasons that people opt for it. Available in a variety of solid colours and printed styles, it is also double-woven, which gives it a particularly luxurious feel. If the rich feel of a fabric is one of the most important factors to a person, then upholstery velvet may be a good choice for him or her.
Tips to take care of your upholstery
Taking care of your upholstery ensures that your fabric retains the look that made you fall in love with it in the first place.
Avoiding sunlight:
Too much sun can damage your fabric, causing it to fade and even fray. Try to position it so that it doesn’t sit in the sun for extended period of time. This is especially true for silk.
Protecting:
The best form of fabric protection is prompt attention to spills. Blot any spills immediately with a clean folded towel; never rub, but blot gently. Always test in an inconspicuous before you use any product for spot cleaning, and check the manufacturer’s instructions to see if you need water based or solvent based cleaner.
Turning the cushions:
You can extend your upholstered furniture’s life by periodically turning over the loose cushions. This maintenance method allows for even distributions of wear and tear, and they won’t develop indentations right away. Fluffing them after you’ve cleaned them helps keep them in shape.
Dusting:
Use a dry microfiber cloth or the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to dust your leather seating arrangement. For removing stains on leather, use a white cloth lightly wet with lukewarm water. Just allow the leather to air dry. For resistant stains, the best bet is to contact a professional.
Vacuuming:
Vacuum your upholstered furniture weekly for general cleaning and to remove surface soil. This also prevents dirt from embedding itself in the fabrics. You can also use a brush to gently whisk the dirt away. Make sure to always use a soft bristled brush.
Deep clean:
• Once a year, schedule your soft furnishings for a deep cleaning treatment.
• If your cushion covers are removable and machine washable, it’s still best to turn them inside out and wash in cold water to prevent fading.
• If removable covers are dry clean only, strongly consider getting all of them professionally cleaned, even if only one is particularly soiled. This will ensure any fading or colour variation after cleaning with be consistent across all matching fabrics.
• When in doubt, or if removing the upholstery isn’t an option, don’t hesitate to consult a professional. Professional cleaning is also in order if there’s been a large-volume spill.
