Flooring: 
- Be proactive with your cleaning practices. It’s a good idea to vacuum your furniture every couple of weeks, taking off the cushions and getting into all the little crevices. Dirt not only makes furniture look dingy but can also wear out the fiber of the fabric. Treat spots immediately, and they’ll be more likely to come out. If you have the fortitude to resist their guilt trips, keep pets off the sofa; if that’s not realistic, you can put on rubber gloves and give the furniture a dry rubdown to pull pet hair out of the upholstery and into an easy to vacuum pile. Every 18 months, the upholstery is due for a good cleaning.
- Check the tags. Furniture comes with codes that indicate how it should be cleaned. A “W” indicates that it’s OK to use water, while an “S” means to use a solvent that doesn’t have water. “X” means that it’s not good to use either one, and you should stick to vacuuming.
- Watch how you wipe. Baby wipes make a surprisingly good cleaning tool for most upholstered furniture, and if you catch stains quickly, it will almost be like they never happened at all. If you opt to use water, be sparing in your application, and never scrub, because it can damage the fabric and may actually grind stains in deeper. Products designed for upholstery cleaning are usually your best bet, and the sooner you treat a spot, the more likely it is to be easily removed.
- Know your opponent. Different stains require different treatments, so be sure you know what you’re cleaning. For general stain removal, club soda often works, as does a little bit of vinegar, which should sit for about 15 minutes before you blot it away with clear water. Sprinkle greasy stains with salt, let sit, and then use soap and water to dab off the salt. You can also substitute rubbing alcohol for the salt in this formula. For coffee stains, try mixing equal parts water and vinegar with just a bit of dish detergent, and for crayon stains, try some non-gel toothpaste. Bloodstains do best when treated with hydrogen peroxide and then water, while red wine stains require a procedure that’s a little bit more complicated: salt blotted with lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide, then dabbed with water to rinse.
- Consider hiring a pro. Does this all sound pretty complicated? It may be time to call in a professional. Professional upholstery cleaning can be costly, but it’s well worth the expenditure to keep your favorite pieces in good condition. Particularly when viewed in light of the cost of replacement, a professional cleaning service is worth the money.
Looking for professional upholstery cleaning from the experts? Father and Sons is a leader in the flooring industry, and we’re proud to offer cleaning services for almost every room in your home. Our professional cleaning can restore your furniture to practically new condition, removing dirt and tough stains, including pet stains. We’re also experts in floor cleaning, and we’ll even clean shower tile, so why look any further? Family-owned and operated for more than three decades, we’re known for our commitment to unmatched customer service. Visit our website to see what we have to offer, or call 772-217-5634 today.
