Good furniture gets a great deal of use over time, and that means stains, dirt and dust, unpleasant smells, and general wear and tear. But if you keep your upholstery clean and like new with proper cleaning, it will keep you and your family comfortable for years to come. Depending on the material your upholstery is made of, you may be able to perform deep cleaning with a steam cleaner or homemade solution every year or two. Most upholstery can also be spot cleaned with special cleaners, and all of it can get basic cleaning with a vacuum and brush. Performing regular cleaning specific to your upholstery’s material will help keep your furniture clean, dust-free, and ready to use! Check your upholstery tag. Upholstery can be made of many different materials or blends, and these have different cleaning requirements. Whether you can spot clean or deep clean will depend on the material. Every upholstery tag should have a letter code on it that indicates how to clean the material, and they mean:
W for water: use water-based cleaning solutions, such as soap and water. Fabrics with this tag are often made from materials like polyester, nylon, acetate, and olefin.
S for solvent: clean your upholstery with a solvent-based solution that doesn’t contain water, such as dry cleaning solution. Most upholstery with this code is made from natural fibers like cotton and denim, rayon, linen, silk and wool, velour, and damask.
SW: use solvent- and/or water-based cleaning solutions.
X: use neither solvent- nor water-based cleaning solutions; only clean it with vacuuming and light brushing to remove dirt and soil.
