Upholstery Cleaning at Your Home or Business
In the last 25 years, upholstery cleaning tools and equipment have changed dramatically. Upholstery cleaning equipment is designed to produce high heat and lower water pressure, which helps to clean heavily soiled fabrics more safely and efficiently. Today, the ability to precondition with neutral or acidic upholstery cleaning products and rinse with clear water, acidic rinse agents or special dye stabilizing agents has combined hot water extraction's (steam cleaning's) effectiveness and residue removal benefits with the safety of the most popular methods in the past--dry foam or dry solvent cleaning. It is simply a fact that most soils that need to be removed from upholstered fabrics require water-based solutions. Delicate fabrics which require dry-cleaning must be cleaned in a more controlled environment (such as ABC's cleaning plant) for a longer period of time.
In Your Home or Business or At Our Plant
It is very important to take care to determine whether or not a piece of upholstered furniture must come to our plant to be cleaned properly. Our general policy is to clean synthetic fibers in your home and clean natural fibers in our plant. However, some synthetic fibers or weaves need special attention that will require them to be cleaned in our plant as well. Some examples are white fabrics and velour, which should be in our plant so the proper time and attention can be allotted to the cleaning, drying and after cleaning care. Natural fabrics should be cleaned in our plant for the same reasons.
A complete inspection can reveal the age of an object, cleaning history, consumer spotting, special problems, irregardless of the primary reason for the cleaning. It is important to check the arms, skirts, cushion shrinkage, pilling, buttons, bleeding, color loss, holes, rips, tears, spots and stains, quilting, zippers, platform, wood trim, hair, oil, foam, subfabric, ink on the fabric, latex, color differences and other hidden and surface areas of the upholstery. The care taken before the cleaning process begins reduces mistakes and losses that could occur otherwise.
Cleaning Codes
Cleaning codes are listed on some upholstered items, usually on the decking under the cushions. These codes help identify the type of cleaning process recommended by the manufacturers to be used on the fabrics. (Please note: do not confuse this with the white "do not remove" tag found on many pieces. This tag describes the inside stuffing of the item, not the fabric covering). While the codes serve as a general guideline for cleaning, they may not always be the optimum solution.
Four common codes can be listed by manufacturers which represent cleaning instructions and colorfastness of the dyes:
1. "S" code assures that dyes are stable to dry solvent-based spotters or cleaners. These should be cleaned in our plant with a dry-cleaning solvent method.
2. "W" codes mean the dyes are stable to water-based spotters and cleaners. Most of these can be cleaned on location in your home or business.
3. "W/S" signifies dyes are stable to water or solvent-based spotters or cleaners. We can sometimes clean these pieces on location.
4. "X" indicates dyes are not stable to either water or solvent-based spotters or cleaners and should only be thoroughly vacuumed on a regular basis.
Care of Upholstered Furnishings Between Cleanings
Upholstered furnishings can accumulate soil rapidly. Soil buildup is due to oils, dander and soil from contact with human and animal skin and hair. Dander and soil can be removed by vacuuming the furniture regularly. Areas that receive heavy soiling are typically cushions, arm rests, skirtings and headrests. Frequent attention to these areas will reduce the chances of excess soiling.
Spots and spills should be addressed as they occur using only the proper spotting chemicals and pro-cedures. Click here for our Spotting Guide.
Rotating cushions and utilizing arm covers will prevent premature wear and prolong the fabric's life. Combine tips from the Spotting Guide with regular professional cleaning and the application of a stain protector and your upholstery will be protected from permanent damage.
