Stains on any surface, whether carpeting, fabric, or upholstery, are always best resolved when treated immediately. But, let’s face it, sometimes stains get overlooked or we only notice them after they’ve set. If you’re the owner of a set-in upholstery stain—fear not—you are not alone. Here are some professional upholstery-stain busting tips to resurrect fallen furniture.
1. Vacuum the stain
Upholstery should be vacuumed regularly to maintain the fabric and keep crumbs and particles from settling into the body of the furniture. When dealing with set-in spots, vacuuming is actually a fairly simple way to aid in the fading of the mark. This should always be the first step when dealing with upholstery stains.
2. Look for upholstery cleaning codes
Most furniture comes with handy maintenance literature in the form of either a tag or care packet, usually secured to the underside of the furniture. When dealing with stain removal, it is good practice to consult this literature. Sometimes water is all that’s needed to clean a piece, other times you may need a specific solvent.
In the case of antique or vintage furniture, you may lack those cleaning codes, and in those cases it’s good to test water, vodka, and vinegar—the more innocuous cleaning solutions—before running to grab a chemical-laden stain remover.
3. Steam clean it
Steaming your furniture is oftentimes enough to loosen the stain and leave it more responsive to treatment. This can be accomplished with as much as a steam cleaning machine and as little as the steam setting on an iron.
4. Clean & Assess – Phase 1
This is the portion of the cleaning process where you cross your fingers and hope the stain lifts with minimal effort and without the use of harsh chemicals and cleaners. Mix some dish soap in cool water and use a cloth to gently blot at the stain. Rinse the cloth and use only water to blot out some of the soap mixture and press dry with a cloth or paper towels. If water is showing little effect move on to vodka or vinegar to blot at the stain. Rest assured the odors will dissipate once the area is dry.
5. Clean & Assess – Phase 2
Okay, so you attempted phase 1 to no avail—the stain persists. The next step is to move on to Phase 2. Spot test the stain using a cleaning solution of your choice. Many people have achieved good results using Resolve, Tuff Stuff, Folex, or Wine Away. If you see favorable results in the spot test move on to the rest of the stain.
6. Repeat
Be patient. Some stains are tough and require multiple passes to eliminate. If after this process of testing and cleaning, the stain is still visible, repeat the procedure again until the stain eventually lifts.
N&A Commercial Cleaning is dedicated to providing you with the utmost in cleaning quality and service. Our highly trained and experienced technicians use the latest technology and techniques to achieve exceptional results.
