How to: Upholstery Cleaning

Life is getting ever more complicated as we are getting constantly bombarded with information from every direction. Our brains need to process more data every day than our ancestors had to process in a week (or even more).
Using all of these overwhelming attacks on our minds from every angle, advertisers cleverly try to bypass our natural defenses by offering us what we want and need; and what we want and need is a miracle, whether it’s about losing weight or cleaning your upholstery, there is always that one fantastic product, better than anything you’ve ever seen that will help you achieve everything you’ve ever wanted in half the price.
This is a really clever trick because most people don’t have the time to do research so they will buy what is advertised the most. Advertisement is worth billions of dollars every year so don’t tell me it doesn’t work. However, not all the advertised products are as good as the ads say (imagine that). That’s why I’ve decided to give you a few pointers when it comes to cleaning your upholstery, so you know what to do and don’t have to resort to commercials in order to make your choice.

Vacuum Cleaner

 We’ll start with getting the obvious out of the way. Your vacuum cleaner should typically come with an upholstery attachment. Use it; it’s there for a reason. Using the upholstery attachment on your vacuum cleaner is a great way to deal with dust and hairs on your furniture and is the perfect way to  start the cleaning process if you have a pet. You can use your vacuum cleaner to remove dust, dirt, hairs, small debris and all unwanted particles of the sort from your couch, chairs and upholstery furniture.
If you don’t perform this step before you proceed to the rest of the cleaning procedure, you will only make things harder for yourself further down the road. The hairs, dust, dirt and random particles will lump together when you apply a product or a suggested mixture on them and will be that much harder to remove. So think in perspective and start with vacuuming. Also, you might want to perform this at least once a week or so in order to keep your upholstery looking at its finest.

Solution

 Now it’s time to opt for the big guns. Here you have two choices. You can either go for one of the aforementioned advertised products from the home cleaning aisle or you can make your own. The commercial brands can be expensive and much more ineffective than publicized. They can also contain dangerous chemical and can be hazardous to your health, or at least irritating to your skin.
After all, you are planning on sitting in your furniture, aren’t you? That’s why I prefer making my own cleaning solution. Just pour a cup of warm water and add about ¼ liquid dish soap in a container and mix it when until you get foam. Then wipe your furniture with a microfiber cloth dipped in the solution, but make sure that it’s damp, not wet, otherwise you will end up damaging your upholstery.
It’s a good idea to read the labels, first, just in case your upholstery requires special treatment. You can always experiment in an area of your furniture no one can see. This way, even if you damage it, no one will know. However, if you proceed to cleaning it directly, you risk permanent damage that won’t be hidden. This is, of course, a one in a million scenario, but it’s still worth the mention.
This is a simple way to clean your upholstery effectively and save money in the process.
Connie Jameson has years of experience working for Greenwich carpet cleaners. She knows how to clean properly everything. Her passion is writing and reading articles.