Fabric Sofa Cleaning

A fabric sofa is an excellent addition to your home, not only because of its aesthetics but it also provides ample comfort to the whole family. Its design is entirely customisable, with options ranging from a traditional plain-coloured motif to a contemporary asymmetrical style, hence it will go along with any furniture, carpet or wall design. Fabric is also generally gentle to skin, compared to other materials like leather, making it the material of choice for a living room couch.

Hot Issue

However, the hot weather in Singapore does not always agree with the up-keeping of fabric sofas. Summer all year round with air humidity reaching a maximum of 96% can cause residents to break a sweat, sometimes excessively. This can cause your fabric sofa to change into an unsightly hue, and when combined with accidental spills or dirt from your pet, you would then rather cover it with an external cloth just to avoid the sight of it.

Clean It Like You Mean It

Fret not, cleaning your soiled fabric sofa is not a Herculean task. Logically, you should know your sofa first. If available, read the tags which are usually sewed onto the sides or bottom. Here are a few pointers to help decipher your tag:

• W — Water-friendly
• S — Solvent-based cleaner only
• WS — Both water- and solvent-friendly
• X — Strictly vacuum only

These instructions are meant to be followed strictly, lest you wind up with worse than what you began with or even a permanently damaged sofa.

Let’s Get Started

Begin with vacuuming your couch to remove macroscopic dirt particles. For a vacuum-only fabric, that is all you have and need to do, as you have no other option but to use a vacuum cleaner alone. However, make sure you have the right upholstery attachment to prevent inadvertent tears and holes.

For sofas marked W or WS, you can proceed with a water-based solution. Using a microfiber cloth which does not leach out any colour, dampen the cloth with the solution and gently dab the stains. It is imperative that you do not rub nor scour the surface harshly, or else you risk separating the fibres. Repeat the above step first with a cloth soaked in distilled water, followed by a dry microfiber cloth.

For the S-class of fabric sofas, it is important to adhere to the instructions that come with the solvent-based cleaner. This differs from cleaner to cleaner and can get a little complicated.

Steam Cleaning

Some selected sofas with W or WS markings can be steam cleaned. As with all aforementioned cleaning procedures, vacuum your sofa first before steaming. Using an upholstery steamer set at a level suitable for your type of fabric, run over the entire surface. Your sofa should now be clean and stain-free. Remember to allow your sofa to dry completely under a fan before use.

We Are Here To Help

Does the above process sound too much for you? Don’t worry, we at SGcleanXpert are here to assist you in all things cleaning. We are the cleaning experts in Singapore and we offer an eclectic range of products and services that will definitely suit your every need. Come over to SGcleanXpert.com to experience our superior service.