Upholstery is the fabric that covers your furniture. That’s what makes you feel so relaxed every time you sit on your couch while watching TV. It’s probably one thing in the house that you mostly used yet highly neglected for a long time.
There are so many mishaps that can ruin an upholstery – liquid spills and pet pees are just some of them. Sometimes, vacuuming and other techniques can do the trick. But for persistent food spills or oily stains, you need an effective upholstery cleaner.
Upholstery Cleaning Q and A
If you’re having a hard time choosing between DIY or pro service upholstery cleaning, we will discuss the pros and cons of each method. This way, you will get an idea of which one will work for you.
But before going deeper into the discussion, it’s important to answer the following questions:
Why do you need to clean upholstery?
The apparent reason is to remove dirt and stains which have accumulated there for a long time. In doing so, you also remove allergens and improve indoor air quality. Regular cleaning also harbors the growth of bacteria to keep your family safe from health risks.
How often should you clean your upholstery?
The short answer is it depends. If you have kids or pets, then you should do it at least twice per year. If you’re alone and don’t go out that much, you can do it once a year. However, you can also do emergency cleaning after a house party when your clumsy friends spilled over drinks and food on your upholstery.
Why can’t you just laundry your upholstery?
Upholstery is made from delicate fabrics that can be damaged by washing machines. Most furniture will not allow you to remove the upholstery since it is securely stitched into their mainframe. Upholstery cleaning needs a particular type of equipment and skill.
Pros and Cons of DIY Upholstery Cleaning
You can do DIY cleaning for minor dirt and stain build-up. If you know that the items are not that dirty, perhaps cleaning it yourself is a better idea.
Here are some ways to clean upholstery DIY:
1.Vacuum the upholstery. You can buy a vacuum specially made for fabrics. Take note that you only need to use the low-level mode for fragile fabrics like linen or silk. Run the vacuum in one direction first, then in the opposite direction next to accumulate as much dirt as possible.
2.For better results, you can use an upholstery cleaner right after vacuuming. You can watch a video of the cleaning process to learn how to use an upholstery cleaner.
3.Remove the stains. Put a small amount of carpet cleaner in a clean cloth. Dab the cleaner on the stain and gently rub it until it loosens up. Repeat until the stain leaves no trace.
4.Wash in soapy water. Put a half teaspoon of dish liquid in a pail. Pour some warm water into the bucket. Dip an upholstery brush into the mixture and sweep it into the stain spot. Keep on brushing until you get the desired result.
Pros:
- Cheaper than hiring professional cleaners. If you need tools, you can just renta upholstery cleaner instead of buying one, especially if you will only use them once or twice a year. If you don’t know which model to rent, you can check out https://cleanup.expert/upholstery-cleaners/ for more details on the best upholstery cleaners in the market today.
- You know precisely what and where to clean. You don’t have to give instructions to anybody since you’re doing it yourself. You can achieve the quality of cleaning that you want since you know your standard.
- You can do the cleaning at your most convenient time.
Cons:
- Your standard of cleaning may be under par.
- Laborious and time-consuming. It can take you the whole day doing nothing else.
- If you use too much liquid, it may take forever to dry.
- If you don’t know the right way to clean, the stains may come back.
Pros and Cons of Pro Upholstery Cleaning
Calling for a professional cleaning service is a must if the problem is too much for you to handle. Although you can do some vacuuming and wiping down yourself, tackling heavy dirt and stains may be beyond your expertise.
There is no standard way of how professional cleaners do their job. Each agency follows the various tried-and-tested formulas to clean upholstery effectively.
Pros:
- Safe and healthy environment. Most cleaning companies are compliant with the safety and environmental protection protocols imposed by the law.
- Keep furniture in good condition longer. Pro cleaners use the right tools and chemicals to give your furniture that fresh look without compromising the elasticity and softness of the fabric.
- Removes nasty odors. As you take out the visible dirt and stains, you also eliminate foul odors.
- Proper drying. Since pro cleaners know the right amount of liquid and tools to use, your upholstery will be dry at the expected time.
Cons
- Quite expensive. Even if pro cleaners offer you a discount, it’s still cheaper to do it yourself. Depending on how extensive the cleaning will be, the average rate for upholstery cleaning is between $150-$220. If you DIY, you will only pay to rent the tools and buy cleaning solutions, which is a lot cheaper.
- Not getting the result that you want. Typically, most pro cleaners know precisely what to do with stubborn dirt and stains. In rare situations, however, they may not get the job done right. In this case, you can renegotiate the price of their service as you’re not satisfied with the result.
- Health issues. Pro cleaners may use chemicals that can trigger your allergy or asthma. It’s better if you stay out of the house first while they are cleaning your upholstery to prevent inhaling fumes from the chemicals they are using.
Conclusion
There you have it – the pros and cons of DIY and service cleaner. There is no standard one-size-fits-all approach in terms of cleaning upholstery. It depends on how easy (or hard) the job is and how much budget you have. If you have a small budget and you think that you can do the job, go DIY. Otherwise, try hiring professional upholstery cleaners to get the job done better.
