Care Guides

 

After Care for Upholstery fabric

Regular cleaning

Carefully vacuum clean your upholstery at least once a week using the upholstery attachment, dust removal may be improved by pre-brushing with a soft brush. Pay particular attention to arm fronts and pleated sections. Accumulated dirt will accelerate wear, dull colours and cause fading.

Care of cushions

If your furniture is in constant use, all reversible cushions should be turned daily, constantly switching positions where possible. This will prevent excessive soiling, uneven wear and keep the interiors in shape. If the fillings are of the foam or fibre type, there may be some initial loss of density through normal wear and tear. This is by design and does not imply a fault with the seat interior. If the cushions are not reversible, or if you find the seams twisting, reset by stroking the cover back into place. If the cushion interiors comprise of a fibre or feather-filled combination, then a regular dressing programme must be practised, as these fillings do produce a lived-in appearance, presenting a soft loose design. This involves the “plumping up” of all applicable cushions (as you would with pillows) on a daily basis, in order to fill out the cushion casing.

If the fibres of the interiors are allowed to settle and matt together, the comfort and appearance will be substantially affected, giving the cushion a flat or uneven appearance. This can be corrected by a vigorous shaking and manipulation to separate the fillings. For best results open the zip of the cushion to allow air into the fillings. Always smooth out the fabric / leather surface to prevent permanent creases being formed.

Useful hints

** Because of television your upholstery probably gets more use than ever. Sit in your furniture in the manner in which it has been designed.

** Do not sit on the edges of cushions or the arms as this may cause permanent wear and distortion on the padding and fabric.

** Do not use the arm pads to leaver yourself out of the furniture.

** Rather than having a favourite seat, use your whole suite equally. This will keep your suite looking the same all over and equalise any wear.

** Avoid rubbing your hands along the arms as this is where the first signs of misuse appear.

** Protect your furniture from damaging hair products.

** Please note that animal coats contain quantities of abrasive oils that accelerate wear.

** Avoid allowing sharp edged toys, buckles, jewellery and domestic pets to snag or pluck the fabric. ** If these occur, however, carefully cut off the loose ends with scissors or tuck back in, under no circumstances pull them.

**Do not allow your children to use your upholstery to demonstrate their gymnastic abilities.

Spillages / spot cleaning

Deal with spillages quickly by mopping with nothing wetter than a damp colour-free cloth or sponge. Soaking any fabric can cause the colour to bleed and may well leave a permanent mark, cause shrinkage or damage the filling.

Prompt action will always improve the likelihood of success.

• Never use detergents, only a mild solution of soap, e.g. Lux or Dreft.
• Do not try to wash or rub minor spills as this will affect the fabric structure, maybe causing pilling. Always mop up a spillage working from the outside of it inwards to avoid it spreading.

Prolonged sunlight / heat exposure

Upholstered furniture should not be exposed for long periods to direct sunlight as this may result in the fabric fading or even rotting. Protect it by drawing your curtains or blinds.

In addition, keep your furniture well away from direct air conditioning or heat, e.g., radiators and fires, as it can cause joints to dry out and creaks to develop in the frame. Allow a gap of at least 20-30 cm from such appliances.

General cleaning

It is difficult to give instructions on cleaning your suite yourself due to the variety of different fibre and fabric constructions, each of which require specialist cleaning techniques. We would therefore recommend that you contact professional upholstery cleaners.

The effectiveness of any specialist cleaning treatment will depend on the degree of soiling. It is therefore advisable to have this done before dirt becomes too ingrained.

Do not wash or dry clean your suite covers unless the manufacturer’s label indicates that you can do so. In all instances, carefully follow all the instructions on your manufacturer’s labeling.

When cleaning your suite, clean all the items together as slight colour changes can often occur.

Do not attempt to remove cushion covers unless clearly stated.

Light coloured fabrics

A strict cleaning regime is particularly important on lighter coloured suites. Discolouration can occur through dye transfer from dark clothing, especially denim, if allowed to build up this can cause unsightly problems.

 

 Fringes / Ruching

If your upholstery is fitted with decorative fringe or ruching, its appearance will be maintained by avoiding damage. It is designed to be decorative and not to withstand scuffing or snagging. Things to guard against are vacuum cleaners, sharp objects such as toys, shoe buckles, and heels, and domestic animals, such as cats.

Zips

Where zips are fitted, this is often to assist in the ease of manufacture and does not necessarily mean that the cover is removable for separate cleaning. Care should be taken when undoing the zip to avoid damage to the “teeth”. Please never force a zip open / closed.

Armcaps

Armcap covers will help to protect the lighter weight fabrics on those areas where heavy build-up of soiling is common, and material can be purchased for this purpose.

Jeans

It is important to note that denim fabrics will wear upholstery much quicker than any other fabric. Dark coloured jeans can experience “dye transfer” onto your upholstery fabric and the studs / zips can lead to “pulling” of flatweave fabrics.