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By Design: Upholstery Fabric Know-Hows
by Lori Hagen-Hulitt
Interior Design
Architectural Concepts, Inc.
Can you extend the life of your property’s image and aesthetics with Upholstery Fabric? Absolutely! Here area few helpful tips.
Upholstery and Fabrics are the easiest way to transform a piece of furniture, a window or an entire room. You can warm something up or cool it down; make it serene or give it some oomph.
Your properties and guest suites need many kinds of fabrics that can do their job in design by color, texture, and pattern but must be able to perform with high usage demands and still meet cleaning and fire codes.
Select upholstery fabrics appropriate to their use and maintain them to get the most while keeping that “new” and “fresh” look. Upholstery fabrics are engineered more and more to provide beauty and protection in ways previously unavailable. When they were available, the choices were limited. New fiber and constructions are evolving from constant research efforts, modern technology and design, providing designers with the fabrics that maintain tremendous style, without sacrificing performance.
Your guests have expectations of the places they stay to keep up with the times - applications demand elegance! Don’t compromise the rich features that delicate designs and pattern fabrics boost. “Crypton” fabrics now offer elegant wovens, suedes, shimmering metallics and chenille twill. It’s not a sprayed on coating, it’s the way they make the fabric with a combination of fiber, dye, weaving, weight and texture. Most upholstery manufacturers offer lines with this top engineering. They test for the highest stain resistant ratings for things like suntan lotion, ketchup, coffee, blood, urine, and ink. Also look for manufacturing that is commercially designed for high demand spaces. Check with your designer on the fabrics that suit your spaces the best.
As durable and amazing as any one product can be, it does not mean self-cleaning. Whatever upholstery and fabrics you select, they need to be cleaned and maintained, using the following sequence:
DO: REGULAR MAINTENANCE
Regular and proper maintenance of your upholstery fabric permits less frequent cleaning. Maintenance is routine, on-going care which reduces soil build-up on a fabric’s surface. Maintenance also includes promptly treating spots and stains. Small dust particles are very abrasive and can wear furniture prematurely.
Vacuum regularly with a proper upholstery attachment to thoroughly remove air-borne dust and lint.
Promptly treat spots and stains.
Clean periodically to remove accumulated grime and retain the fabric’s original appearance as much as possible.
Turn and rotate loose cushions regularly to equalize wear and soiling. This distributes the wear evenly, and keeps the foam core of the cushions square and the welt lines straight.
Clean protective arm covers and head rests so they do not look different from the rest of your upholstery.
DO: PAY ATTENTION TO CLEANING CODES
Cleaning Codes apply only to the outer part of your fabric. Do not over-wet the fabric! If you do, you may damage the upholstery’s filling materials!
Typical Codes:
W – Clean only with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner.
Do not over wet.
Do not use dry cleaning solvents.
Pile fabric may require brushing to restore its appearance.
Remove cushion covers to launder.
S – Clean only with dry cleaning solvent.
Do not saturate.
Do not use water.
Remove cushion covers to launder.
WS – Clean with a mild detergent shampoo, foam or dry cleaning solvents.
Do not saturate with liquids.
Pile fabric may require brushing to restore its appearance.
Remove cushion covers to launder.
X – Do not clean with either water or solvent-based cleaner.
Use only vacuuming or light brushing.
Note: Special finishes or laminations, such as protective coatings or a flame retardant treatments may modify a fabric’s cleaning code.
DO: GET TO SPOTS & STAINS QUICKLY
Spots and Stains must be cleaned quickly. It may become difficult or impossible to remove if allowed to set.
Remove Fluids immediately from the surface and do not let them penetrate the cushion or furniture construction.
Carefully break-up Solid or Semi-Solid substances (such as mustard) with a flat object—butter knife, spatula. Then vacuum to remove as much of the stain as possible before using a cleaning agent.
For Large or unusual stains see a reputable professional cleaning service.
DO: PRETEST
A Small, Hidden Area with Cleaning Agents
Use only a small amount of cleaner applied with a dampened towel to avoid spreading the stain or shrinking the fabric.
Work in from the outside edge to the center of the stain.
Blot the cleaning agent on, DO NOT RUB or you may damage the fabric.
Remove the cleaning agent by rinsing the fabric and blotting it dry with an absorbent cloth, paper towel or sponge once the stain is removed.
After removing the cleaning agent, allow the fabric to dry. Check for color change. If the cleaner made the fabric wet, allow it to set for one or two hours and check for shrinkage. You may have to test several cleaning agents before you find one that does not change the fabric’s color or make it shrink.
For the rest of your fabric, spot and stain removal may also remove accumulated soil from the fabric. The newly cleaned area may look much different from the rest of your fabric. You may then need to clean its entire surface.
Remember your best protection and guard against costly replacement is proper maintenance.
The information and recommendations are furnished without warranty, representation, or inducement of any kind, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular use or purpose. Users are encouraged to read the product specification and determine appropriateness for specific applications.
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