We’ve all been there; you spill a plate of barbecue on the brand new rug… or a glass of red wine on the new couch… It’s well known, spills happen quickly and so too should your response time to clean it up or those spills will turn into permanent stains. EEK!

Rick Griesheimer, owner of Inside Homes Cleaning and More has years of expertise in upholstery cleaning and has a few tips for us to make cleaning our upholstery a little easier.
Even if you have never spilled anything on your upholstery, dirt and dust can still accumulate as part of normal use. Sometimes furniture has tags that contain a letter code which explains what is needed to clean this type of upholstery. Here are some of the following the letter codes you may see:

• “W” means you can spot-clean the item with water-based cleaning products.
• “S” signifies you need to clean the furniture with a solvent or water-free product, such as a dry-cleaning solvent.
• “SW” or “WS” denotes you can use either water based or a dry-cleaning product.
• “X” specifies the item should be professionally cleaned.
• “C” implies a Crypton upholstery cleaner is needed.

However, most of us will find that our furniture did not come with tags, so you will have to use your best judgement when it comes to the cleaning method you choose.

The single most important step that you can take when cleaning upholstery is to vacuum it first. This will remove the dirt and dust which, when wet, can further dirty your couch if it is not removed. For our pet lovers, use an upholstery cleaner attachment on your vacuum to ensure you have removed as much pet hair as possible. Rick Griesheimer suggests using a rubber glove back and forth to pick up any excess hair that won’t come after vacuuming it. The hair will jump onto the glove due to the static electricity created by the friction and the rubber.

If you have a fresh stain, the first thing to do is blot the spill up with a white cloth as quickly as possible to lessen the spread of the stain. Blotting is perhaps the most crucial part of how to clean upholstery. As with all cleaning methods and solutions, you should test a small, inconspicuous area before trying to clean the whole piece. Inside Homes Cleaning and More offers a free bottle of spot remover, we like to call it “Ricks Pro Spotter,” simply stop by our office, or ask for it during your appointment.

We are here to help! If you are unsure of how to clean a particular piece of furniture you have, feel free to give the professionals at Inside Homes Cleaning and More a call for a free quote!