CARE OF UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE
Upholstered furniture does not like dust, which settles invisibly in the surface of the fabric and can in the long-term lead to a grey film. Any dampness in the air will then bind the tiny particles and cause them to stick to the fibres of the fabric. The best treatment is to regularly vacuum the upholstery with the upholstery nozzle of your vacuum cleaner, preferably every two weeks.
The power level of the vacuum cleaner should be set at low in order to clean the fabric with care.In general the cleaning recommendations on the label of the fabric should be followed.
Regardless of what disaster has happened to your upholstered furniture you should first try to absorb any liquids with paper towels or a soft cloth, dabbing the liquid without exerting pressure. Avoid using solvents, which can have a negative effect on the fibres of the fabric and its colours. For anything which sticks to the fabric, bits of food for example, it is advisable to clean the upholstery with a mild detergent or soap solution.
Removing spots and stains from fabric covers with upholstery cleaning foam
Apply the upholstery cleaning foam to the stain, allow it to penetrate into the fabric for 10 minutes and then gently brush it out.
After that it is advisable to clean the entire couch in this way so that no water stains or similar marks remain. Spray the entire upholstery, allow the spray to penetrate the fabric for five minutes (if upholstery is really dirty for 10 minutes) and then brush out again with a soft clothes brush. Make sure you brush in only one direction, so that the upholstery has a uniform appearance after cleaning. Dab away any foam remnants afterwards with a paper towel.
Stubborn stains in fabric covers
Cleaning foam is generally not sufficient to get rid of especially stubborn stains. In such cases you can use soda, which is available from drugstores. Put on rubber gloves and then apply the soda to a damp sponge or cloth. Follow the instructions for
application on the package. Soda will also clean older and very dirty upholstered furniture, but it has a slight bleaching effect, which means that you should first test it on part of the furniture which is not directly visible. If the area you have cleaned does not appear to be lighter in colour it is advisable to treat the entire article of upholstered furniture in this way.
Microfibre fabrics
Microfibre fabrics are easy to clean. All stains can be cleaned with water and a little soap. If possible you should use distilled water because this does not leave any chalky deposits.If the area of the fabric you have cleaned looks as if it has been flattened, you can use a clothes brush to brush the nap of the dried area up again.
Flat-woven fabrics
(smooth upholstery fabrics in contrast to velour or chenille textiles) KARE offers a wide selection of covers for upholstered furniture and there are no tips on care which apply to the entire diversity of fabric types. One exception is vacuuming, which is good for all textiles, and for cleaning you should only use fabric care products which are suitable for the selected upholstery material. Our staff will be happy to advise you, and professional cleaning companies also offer useful advice.
Velour fabrics
You first remove any dirt and dust with a brush or vacuum cleaner. After that you check the colour fastness of the upholstery and the suitability of the cleaning product by applying it to an area which is not directly visible. If no visible traces are produced you can begin with the treatment. Use a soft and clean white cloth. After soaking it in the stain remover you carefully rub the stain until it is no longer visible.
Special care for wool, cotton, linen and silk
Vacuum the material and occasionally treat it with furniture shampoo or a foamed mild detergent. For cleaning you should only use distilled water. Silk should always be dry cleaned because otherwise water stains could form!
Treating soluble stains such as blood or egg
Blood and egg stains should only be treated with cold water. Because egg white clots, hot water would only do more damage. If treatment with water is not successful you can treat the stain with a solution of water and shampoo. In the case of dried blood stains a citric acid solution can be applied, with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 100 ml of cold water. With this solution you moisten a soft cloth and then, without applying pressure, dab the stain, gradually working from the edges towards the middle.
Treatment of non-soluble stains such as fat, paint, lacquer or shoe polish
Fat, paint, lacquer or shoe polish can only be treated with commercially available solvents such as cleaner‘s naphtha or alcohol.
Solvents can have a negative effect on the fabric and should therefore be tested on an area which is not in direct view. In case of doubt you are welcome to consult our staff.
Removing stains from microfibre fabrics
In order to remove stains from microfibre fabrics you can use the following technique: First use a sponge to soak the stain for a short time with soapy water. Avoid rubbing too strenuously, otherwise the stain could grow larger. After that you simply scoop up the dirty water together with the stain by drawing a spoon with light pressure towards a towel.
Removing animal hair
In order to remove the hair left behind by your dog or cat you simply brush your upholstered furniture with a rubber brush.
Absorption of smells
In order to absorb unpleasant smells (e.g. in the drawers or cupboards) you can fill a bowl with ground coffee and place this in the relevant location. The coffee neutralises any smells. Alternatively you can use slices of lemon placed in water, or a bowl of warm milk.
Ballpoint marks
Simply spray the mark with hairspray, allow it to dry and then wipe it clean. Your upholstered furniture will no longer show any traces of ballpoint ink. If the mark doesn‘t disappear completely during the first application, simply apply a second time.
Cleaning upholstered furniture completely sometimes requires several treatments.
Changes in the nap of velour fabric
The effects of pressure, moisture and warmth as well as the type of base upholstery and cover may lead to more or less visible changes in the nap, which are generally referred to as ‚shiny areas‘. Depending on the way the light falls on them these areas can have the appearance of stains, in particular with velour materials. Such changes in the nap are typical for a certain type of fabric and do not represent any reduction in quality. Experience shows that they can‘t always be removed, even by treatment.
Wax stains
If candle wax has dripped onto your furniture it should first be allowed to go completely cold. You can then crumble the wax deposit and try to remove the individual pieces with care. If necessary you can subject the wax to several treatments with cleaner‘s naphtha (after first checking its suitability in a place which is not directly in view!). A tried-and-tested method is
to iron out the wax using lots of blotting paper, but without the steam function of the iron. Repeat the ironing process until no more traces of wax appear on the blotting paper.
Damp stains
You should immediately apply salt or talcum powder to damp stains and then allow it to take effect so that the moisture doesn‘t spread. Allow the stain to dry and then brush well. Water stains will disappear if you moisten a brush with white vinegar and brush the stains, and then rubbing them with a moist household cloth.
Indentations on the carpet
Articles of furniture leave indentations on many carpets with their feet and edges. These are easy to remove: all you do is take a few ice cubes from the freezer and place these on the indentations. As a result of the moisture which is released by the melting ice cubes the nap of the carpet gradually rises again.Hot steam will also raise the nap of the carpet again. For this purpose you
should ideally use a steam cleaner, but an iron will also do the job. Place a towel or tea towel on the indentation and iron the section of carpet under the towel at a low temperature. As the moisture penetrates the carpet the nap will begin to rise again. This trick works especially well with carpets made of natural materials such as wool.