With furniture you love, an ongoing upholstery cleaning commitment not only makes sense but it saves cents too!
Next to a mortgage or rent, one of the highest costs of home ownership is the furnishings we put inside our homes. And the most expensive category of furniture is often the upholstered pieces we choose.
That said, today’s upholstery is not just for sitting anymore. Take our sectionals and sofas. Whether we’re zooming, gaming, napping, eating or snuggling, these surfaces are seeing more action than ever. That means our furnishings are absorbing spots, spills, odors and ickies. And let’s be honest, no matter what kind of mileage we’re putting on it, our upholstery is not something most of us can afford to replace every year.
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, the cleanliness and maintenance of these valuable investments can sometimes take a backseat. However, investing in upholstery cleaning can prove to be a game-changer for the overall health of your home and the longevity of your furniture. In this blog, we will delve into five compelling reasons why upholstery cleaning is a savvy and proactive strategy for homeowners looking to lengthen the life of their furniture, ensure a healthier living space, and so much more.
Kill Bacteria and Eliminate Allergens
Do you ever collapse into your sectional? Just imagine the cloud of dust, skin cells and hair dander that explodes into the air as soon as you land! Or maybe you regularly fall asleep on your favorite sofa. Ever considered what you breathe in, during that drool-worthy nap?
Upholstered furniture is a magnet for allergens, dust mites, mold spores and bacteria. Unfortunately, this sort of home pollution is invisible to the naked eye. But rest assured, it is there.
The more you use a piece of furniture, the more likely it is to retain everyday contaminants. Regular upholstery cleaning helps eliminate these hidden intruders, promoting a healthier living space, especially for those with allergies and asthma. By investing in upholstery cleaning, you’re investing in the well-being of your loved ones.
Remove Unpleasant Odors
The phenomenon of “nose blindness” is a real thing. Its a natural adaptation that allows our brains to filter out the common smells and odors in our homes to make it easier to detect abnormal and possibly dangerous odors. But the flip side of that adaptation is that, sometimes, we do not register the everyday stink of our own furniture, rugs and carpets. Unfortunately, people who visit our homes are not nose blind to those aromas. Usually, they are just too polite to mention them.
Like rugs and carpet, upholstery absorbs our home’s worst odors. That includes pet, food, and other smells. Over time, these odors all contribute to an unpleasant home atmosphere. And you can bet, if something is stinky, it is also icky in other ways. The good news is that a deep cleaning of home furnishings can minimize the smell and the contamination.
Instead of nose blindness, imagine the satisfaction of coming through the door to a space that not only looks clean but smells clean too. Professional upholstery cleaning is highly effective in removing stubborn odors, leaving your home fresh and inviting.
Keep Your Upholstery Looking New Longer
The most obvious advantage of regular maintenance is that it removes old stains and grunge and keeps your upholstery looking fabulous. You may not be able to see the bacteria and allergens or the source of smelly substances. But when you look closely, the stains and built-up grime are hard to miss.
Don’t believe us? Zoom in on the arm of your favorite upholstered chair or the back of your family sofa. Hair and skin oils accumulate in these high-use areas over time, greying and soiling the fabric. Another problem zone that gets a lot of abuse is where the sofa or sectional meets the floor. This surface is regularly exposed to pet traffic and the scuffing from dirty shoes.
What’s more, accidents, like accumulated grunge, are inevitable. And spills or stains on upholstery can be a source of frustration for any homeowner. The key to worry-free furniture is timely and professional upholstery cleaning. It can work wonders in removing stubborn stains and lightening dingy zones. Whether it’s a wine spill on the sofa or smudging on your favorite recliner, specialized cleaning methods can target and eliminate these concern areas, restoring your upholstery to factory condition.
Keep in mind too, professional maintenance can prevent permanent fiber damage to your furniture by removing the sharp, sandpapery particles that abrade and permanently discolor the fabric. Essentially, looking new is as much about long-term performance as it is about an attractive appearance.
Choose Sustainability
The children of tomorrow will be living with the choices we make today. With sustainability becoming a key consideration, upholstery cleaning aligns with environmentally conscious living.
Even if we had the means to trade out our sofas as often and as easily as we change our shirts, that kind of disposability would wreak havoc on our environment. As it is, we are already junking approximately 9.6 million tons of furniture waste annually, which is nearly 5% of all the items sent to landfills, according to the EPA. That’s why buying quality and planning for ongoing maintenance is a green strategy and ultimately saves the ‘green’ in our wallets too.
Rather than replacing furniture due to wear and tear, cleaning and maintaining existing pieces reduces the demand for new manufacturing. This, in turn, contributes to an earth-wise approach to consumption. Upholstery cleaning professionals often utilize eco-friendly cleaning agents and methods, further minimizing the environmental impact. By choosing upholstery cleaning, you’re not just investing in your home; you’re making a positive contribution to the planet.
Why Upholstery Cleaning is More Relevant Than Ever
We have never lived harder on our home furnishings than we do today. Consider the evolution of dining chair design. For generations, people surrounded their tables with wood chairs or, the height of comfort, wood chairs with padded seats. But these days, dining rooms are commonly appointed with fully upholstered chairs. That means we’re pulling fancy fabrics right up to the food on our plates.
Another trend of the past several decades has been the use of ottomans as coffee tables – where food, beverages and dirty shoes make for a punishing combination. And let’s not forget the addition of padded luxury to our bedrooms. Today’s homeowners often accessorize with upholstered beds and benches. Can anyone say “early morning coffee spills”?
Society’s current emphasis on comfort means soft furniture is everywhere in our homes and much of it is exposed to everyday use. Cleaning upholstered surfaces is like vacuuming the carpets or wiping down the countertops. It is something homeowners have to do periodically because grime accumulates and life just happens.
Is it Necessary to Have Your Upholstery Cleaned by Professionals?
The short answer to this question is a qualified “no.” But that’s if you have some cleaning experience with the type of fabric you may be dealing with and access to the latest high-quality equipment and products. You may have some success if your upholstery is only lightly soiled. But if your furniture is suffering from pet smells, ground-in grunge from hair or skin oils or any other set-in stains, the demands of self-cleaning may be a waste of your time and resources.
We are all looking for cheaper options when it comes to home care. Granted, professional cleaning is an expense. But ultimately, you may decide it is worth the price. Before you decide to go the DIY route, do a little research into the pros and cons of commercial service. Professional cleaning of furniture is not always required. But a trustworthy cleaning company should be willing to talk you through your options when it comes to maintaining your home’s upholstery.
It’s Really a Question of Pay Now or Pay (More) Later.
This decade’s emphasis on “Fast Furniture” is short-sighted. It doesn’t take into account the waste left behind for all our tomorrows. When it comes to the wisest upholstery investment, a buyer should start with quality that is built to last. And quality furnishings deserve the best care.
Upholstery cleaning is an effective way to protect our investments, offering a multitude of practical benefits. Maybe you want a healthier home environment and want to eliminate odors right away. In no time, you can enjoy the fresh smell and like-new appearance of those favorite furnishings. Maybe you are looking to extend the life of your furniture, years into the future. Who doesn’t like a good return on investment? If you spend a little at a time, the advantages of furniture maintenance will be rewarding in both the short and long term.
Consider incorporating regular upholstery cleaning into your home care routine. You’ll preserve the aesthetic appeal of your living space and contribute to an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Pay a little more in maintenance and you’ll save a lot more “green” by avoiding premature, big-ticket furniture purchases. Upholstery cleaning is not just a chore. it’s a proactive choice that “pays off” in the form of a cleaner, healthier, and more comfortable home.
More Upholstery Care Resources from Pro-Care
Curious about the cleaning needs for your performance fabrics? Not sure what cleaning codes mean? We’ve got some information to share. And if you want that clean to last longer or to protect the beauty of your new upholstered furniture, you may want to consider the advantages of fabric protection.