DIY Upholstery Cleaning From Couch to Curtains

DIY Upholstery Cleaning From Couch to Curtains

Let’s face it. Your lobby sees a lot. 

From food delivery drivers to sticky-handed children to party-all-night residents, all of who use and abuse your lobby’s furniture and drapery.

Whether it’s bubble gum stuck in your ultra-sheer window panels, grease from the bottom of a takeout bag left on a cushion or dirty boots scuffing armrests, your couch and curtains are screaming “clean me” from the top of their lungs.

How are you going to answer their cries for help?

 

How to Clean Your Fabric Sofa

To keep your furniture feeling like new, you’ll need to clean the fabric every 3–4 months for high-use items and a minimum of 6 months for lower use items. 

Follow these steps to get past all of the grime on your couch and return it to its former glory. 

 

Prepping 

  1. Check under your cushions for any items left behind like loose change (win-win!)
  2. Use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum and suction in overlapping strokes from left to right
    • This lifts the fibres to get the dirt stuck in between the fibres
  3. Use a can of compressed air to blow out anything stuck in your buttons or seams and then run the vacuum over it again

Cleaning

  1. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the wood or metal areas
  2. Check your label (usually found under the cushion) for what type of cleaning your material can handle
    • WS – use a mild detergent with a steam vacuum or a dry-cleaning detergent
    • Anything that contains W (SW, W, WS, WW) — use water-based cleaners 
    • S – use dry cleaning (solvent-based) detergent only (we recommend calling a professional for this one)
    • X – use only a vacuum
  3. Test your chosen cleaner in a hidden spot 
  4. Tackle any set-in stains with a stain remover. Spray or sprinkle (depending on the cleaner you choose) on the stain, pat with a dry cloth and vacuum it off
  5. Next steam clean the whole couch if your material can handle the treatment

 

Drying

  1. Use a clean towel to soak up any excess water and let dry
  2. If damp, use a fan to help dry it out and avoid mildew
  3. Repeat for removable cushions on the second side once the first side has dried


If stains don’t come out or your fibres are starting to look strained, call a professional to help you maintain the integrity of the fabric. 

 

How to Refresh Your Curtains

While curtains might not see the same use as your couches, they do collect dust and dirt which can shorten their lifespan, especially when they’re exposed to direct sunlight. Cleaning them at minimum once per year or every 6 months if they’re close to a high-use doorway will keep them looking fresh year-after-year. 

 

Prepping 

  1. Take down your curtains from their hooks, detach any weights
  2. To remove the dust, choose one of the following:
    • Shake them outdoors
    • Put them in your dryer on a no-heat cycle to remove surface dust
    • Or use a vacuum brush attachment 

 

Cleaning

  1. Wipe your curtain rod with a damp cloth
  2. Read your cleaning labels carefully as the outer fabric may wash well in a washing machine but your liners could shrink
  3. Wash your curtains by following one of the following options:
    • If your material and the size of your curtains allows, you can put them in your washing machine, just don’t overload the machine
    • Rehang your dry curtains and steam clean them 
    • Or have them professionally dry cleaned to avoid shrinking, pilling or any other damage to the fabric.

 

Drying

  1. If wet, allow your curtains to dry out on a flat surface
  2. Rehang your curtains keeping an eye on the bottom so it doesn’t drag on the floor and attach your weights to hold them in place
  3. As needed, stretch them back to their original size and shape

 

To help reduce the times in a year you need to clean your curtains, GoJaxon vacuums them regularly as a part of our cleaning schedule. 

Learn more about a regular cleaning schedule. 

Request a free consultation.

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