If you have any upholstered items around the office, you’ll probably be very much aware of how quickly they can become rather unsightly. Upholstered chairs, couches and so on might be comfortable, but they seem to attract dust and dirt like magnets. Which not only makes them unsightly, but can also lead to their rapid deterioration. Not to mention, less-than ideal conditions for those sitting on them.
So with this in mind, what follows is a brief overview of just a few tips to help you clean and maintain your upholstery more easily and effectively:
Vacuuming
First of all, it’s important to be aware of the way in which upholstery has a habit of trapping dust, food particles and allergens like a giant sponge. Even if you can’t see them, they’re there – and probably a hell of a lot of them, at that. As such, the first thing you need to do is ensure you get into the habit of vacuuming your upholstery on a regular basis. Just as vacuuming carpets can increase longevity, improve appearances and boost overall hygiene, it’s exactly the same case with your upholstery.
Dust Removal
If it is possible to remove the covers on your chairs, couches, cushions and so on, this is something you should be doing on a regular basis. If it’s possible to wash them in the conventional manner, go right ahead. If not, make sure they are taken outside on a regular basis and given a good beating, so as to remove as much embedded dust and dirt as possible.
Clean Underneath
For reasons that should be relatively obvious, it’s also a good idea to focus attention on those areas where dust and dirt may hide away and accumulate. This includes under the cushions, under the item of furniture itself and in any of those cracks and crevices that have a habit of harbouring all manner of nasties. Get to work on them regularly with an appropriate vacuum cleaner attachment.
Blot Spills Immediately
When it comes to those occasional accidents that seem to be somewhat inevitable, the best advice is to get to work on them right away with a gentle blotting action. Rubbing will only ever spread the stain further and rub it deeper into the fabric. Exactly how to remove any given stain will depend entirely on the specifics of the stain itself and the material, so be sure to do your homework before tackling stains with harsh cleaning products. And just for the record, scotch guard and similar products can be great for protecting upholstery from stains in the first place.
Professional Cleaning
Last but not least, it isn’t until you have your upholstery professionally cleaned on a periodic basis that you realise just how fresh and clean it can be. Even if it’s slowly but surely showing its age, you might be amazed what a round of steaming, shampooing and professional polishing can do. And suffice to say, it will always work out considerably cheaper than buying new furniture!