The fabric on your furniture is the same as your carpet and drapes, it needs to be cared for and cleaned. All fabric can be stained so don’t think that because your upholstery has been stain proofed that it is in fact bullet proof.

What have you got?

The type of care that your upholstered furniture will need depends on the type of fabric that it is made of. Leather and velvet have very different cleaning requirements as do a brocade fabric and a synthetic fabric. Make sure that you are aware of what your furniture is covered with before you undertake any cleaning. If you are unsure, always consult a professional.

The simple things

The easiest way to protect the upholstery of your furniture is to be careful how you treat it and to cover up areas that present problems. If you have young children and a white lounge room suite then you are just asking for trouble, just as you are if you have a navy blue suite and a white cat. Perhaps move the white furniture into a children free zone and chuck a throw blanket on the cat’s favourite spot.

Location Location

To extend the lifespan of your furniture, place it somewhere in the room where it doesn’t get direct sunlight. Sunlight will fade your upholstery and may also deteriorate the stitching. Try to keep your furniture away from smoke caused by an open fire or smells created by cooking. Once a smell has been absorbed it can be hard to remove.

Things to do regularly to increase the life of your furniture

• Turn the cushions – this will increase the cushion’s life span but will also allow it to fade evenly. If you have matching pieces think about rotating them to even out sunlight exposure.
• Vacuum – when you vacuum your carpet give your upholstery a once over as well. Many vacuum cleaners come with an upholstery attachment, use it.
• Pick it up – if you drop something on your coach, pick it up straight away. You may not think the potato chip will do any damage but the fat can be transferred to the fabric.
• Spills – get to spills straight away, and by straight away I mean straight away. Don’t wait until the commercial break; don’t wait to the end of the meal, straight away.
• Don’t rub, dab – remember your mother yelling this at you? I do, and I have to admit she was right. Don’t rub a spill, dab it, gently, and ideally with a high quality paper towel.
• Shoes off! – not just good manners but also good sense. Keep shoes off all furniture but particularly upholstered furniture.

Furniture will always benefit from a professional clean. Many carpet cleaning professionals also offer furniture cleaning and the ideal thing is to have them all done together, it can even be cheaper. When getting your furniture cleaned take into the consideration the cost and the value of your furniture. Getting a professional clean once every couple of years may save you a lot of money in the long run.