Dirty upholstery can make a whole room look untidy. It tends to be easily noticeable as it is often the first part of the room people make contact with. In our view cleaning your own upholstery can be too risky. Unfortunately, we have been called in plenty of times after sofas and couches were permanently damaged due to poor cleaning methods by the owners themselves or inexperienced "professionals".
You need to be sure that the so-called professional upholstery cleaner knows what he or she is doing. If cleaned badly, you may be left with water marks on your furniture. These are virtually impossible to remove once they have dried in.
Furniture Cleaning depends primarily on use. In a busy home where there are young children, teenagers, or pets it may need cleaning every 12 months. For a retired couple every 2 or 3 years may suffice.
That will depend on what kind of upholstery fabric you have. We use different upholstery cleaning methods for different fabrics. The cleaning method along with optional protector application determines the drying time. So depending on which method is used, typical drying time can range from 4 to 12 hours. Ventilation will be necessary for speedy drying times.
Normally between 1 ½ and 2 ½ hours for a 3 piece suite. This may vary depending on the level of soil.
The type of fabric in your upholstered furniture will determine our choice of cleaning method. Our highly trained technician will know upon examination of your upholstery which is the optimum system for the type of fabric in your furniture.
Whenever possible we will use Hot Water Extraction Cleaning. This gives the best deep down clean. For fabric which is not suitable for this type of cleaning we will use Dry Solvent Cleaning, Dry Foam Shampoo or a combination of methods. The important thing is to ensure that the method used is safe for the fabric being cleaned.
We do not recommend washing your cushion covers in a washing machine. Permanent damage can be caused e.g. shrinkage, fading etc. A water sensitive fabric can be ruined in seconds in a washing machine.
Often known generically as Scotchgard, fluorochemical fabric protectors put an invisible barrier around fibres that improves their resistance to dry soil, water-based stains, and wear and tear from everyday use. Since dry soils can cause damage and shorten the life of fabrics, protector helps to ensure that fabrics continue to look as good as possible year after year.
The first thing to say is that having a Stain Protector does not make your furniture bullet proof. It works very well in reducing the chances of spillages becoming permanent stains. It is very important to realise that, even on upholstery with a stain protector applied, swift action is necessary. When the spillage occurs, use absorbent towelling or kitchen roll to blot up spillages in the affected area and do not introduce any other chemical. Be patient in blotting the spillage and you can usually remove all of it. If some residue still remains, call Aqua-Dry on 01-8400799 for help and assistance.
Fabric protectors eventually wear off your furniture with time and use. We do recommend a top up of protector when cleaning takes place. The most used areas (e.g. arms, headrests) in particular will benefit greatly from this.
Yes, after cleaning we can apply a deodoriser to your furniture that will neutralise odours, eliminate them at their source and leave behind a fresh clean scent.*
*Please note – not all smells can be removed; our technicians will advise you as to whether they can be removed prior to cleaning.
If you have any questions or would like to get a quote for upholstery cleaning, please get in touch online via our contact form or call our office on 01-8400799 to speak to Hannah or Charlotte.
For more information on our upholstery cleaning options, see our upholstery cleaning page: aqua-dry.com/upholstery-cleaning/
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