Upholstered Furniture Care

Smulekoff's wants you to get the most from your upholstered furniture investment.  Below you will find some basic care instructions provided by the Guardsman line of furniture care products.

Fabric Care
These tips for upholstered furniture care have been gathered to assist you in adding to the life of your furniture:
-Rearrange the furniture occasionally to ensure even use of the cushions and wear areas.
-Loose cushions should be reversed weekly.
-Vacuum often to remove grit that can cause abrasion.
-Caution those wearing clothing with transferable dyes, such as blue jeans, etc., that the dye could transfer onto light colored furniture.
-Ultraviolet light (sunlight) will cause the fiber to breakdown and the color to fade.  Fabrics must be protected from the sun!  Occasionally, dyes can fade from impurities within the air.
-Keep pets off the furniture.  Pet urine and pet body oil can be difficult to remove.
-Structural weave fabrics (designs created by the weave) can snag if not properly cared for.  Another reason to keep pets off!

Explanation of Cleaning Codes
If the cleaning code is not visible on the furniture, ask your salesperson to get it for you.  It is important that you clean according to the instructions that the manufacturer has provided.  The added stain protection, such as Fabri-Coate, will not change this recommendation.
W  -  Spot clean only with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner.  Pre-test for color loss and fabric compatibility.  Do not over wet.  Use professional cleaning service for overall soiling.
S  -  Spot clean only with a water-free cleaning solvent.  Pre-test for color loss and fabric compatibility.  Do not over wet.  DO NOT USE WATER.  Use professional cleaning service for overall soiling.
WS  -  Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or mild dry cleaning solvent.  Pre-test for color loss and fabric compatibility.  Do not over wet.  Use professional cleaning service for overall soiling.
X  -  Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic brush.  DO NOT USE WATER OR DRY CLEANING SOLVENTS.  Consult a professional upholstery cleaner.

Spot Cleaning
We have listed suggestions on removing spots and spills that have not blotted up successfully.  Before attempting to clean, identify your fabric and the correct cleaning method recommended by the manufacturer of your furniture.  If this information is not on the furniture itself, you may get this from your salesperson.
Regardless, always pre-test any cleaner on a hidden area for colorfastness and fabric compatibility.
This guide applies only to "W" and "WS" coded fabrics that can be cleaned with water-based cleaners.  If your fabric carries an "S" cleaning code, use ONLY WATER-FREE CLEANING solvents.
-Begin at the edge of the stain and work toward center.  Blot, don't rub.  "Feather" edges to prevent ringing.
-Clean spots and spills immediately.  The longer a stain remains, the harder it is to remove, and may even become permanent.
-After spot cleaning, dry quickly with a fan or hair dryer ON LOW.  This will prevent ringing.
-Distilled water is recommended when mixing cleaners with water.
-Keep a small stain small!  Use of a cotton swab, dipped into the proper cleaning solution and squeezed out, will work well.  This dissolved stain will wick up into the cotton swab and should not spread.  (This is a good fix for small ballpoint ink marks!)

Stain Removal Hints
Blood, catsup, chocolate, cream/milk, earth, excrement, ice cream, mayonnaise, mucus/drool, cheese, egg, soy sauce, white glue:
Use a solution of an enzyme cleaner (ERA, Wisk), 1 part to 30 parts distilled water.  Rinse by blotting with distilled water, blot to remove excess water, then dry quickly.
Berries, coffee, fruit juice, jam/jelly, soft drinks, candy, tea, mixed drinks, wine, urine:
Use a solution of a mild, non-bleach detergent, 1 part to 30 parts distilled water.  If some remains, use a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts distilled water.  Blot to remove excess moisture, then dry quickly.
Crayon, asphalt, body oil, butter, oil, lipstick, make-up, gravy, hair oil, mascara, shoe polish, shortening, tar, felt-tip pen ink, Vaseline:
Use a water-free dry cleaning solvent. May have to repeat procedure until gone.  Dry quickly when stain is removed.

All upholstered furniture will eventually become soiled through use.  Fabrics treated with Fabri-Coate, however, will clean easily and quickly if proper cleaning procedures are followed.

At Smulekoff's, we carry the Guardsman line of products to help you keep your furniture investment in the best possible condition, including the Guardsman Fabri-Coate and Cleaning Collection.  Email, write, call or stop in to learn more or purchase these products.