Steam cleaning is one of the most popular ways to clean upholstery and carpets. This method ensures a deep clean, making it a favourite among homeowners. Therefore, cleaning companies often ask to clean the upholstery using the steam cleaning method. However, one cannot blindly do so because the care instructions for the furniture should be checked, and the right cleaner with sufficient attachments must be chosen first. If this tip just helped save your client’s couch, here are eight more such tips:
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Check colour fastness
Before you go all gung-ho with your steam upholstery cleaner, pause, take a deep breath and perform a patch test. This lets you check if the couch loses its colour when you steam or have decent colour fastness. For this, gently steam and wipe a less visible area and inspect it for 15 minutes. If there is no damage, you can go ahead with your cleaning. Click here to check out the top steam upholstery machines in Australia.
Vacuuming first
When steam cleaning, you don’t want dirt and debris to ruin the upholstery. This is why you should vacuum the surface first for any loose debris lying around because these can become messy when wet. For example, if the couch has cushions, start with them first before vacuuming the entire couch. Doing so will help you get rid of any tiny bit of dirt on the couch before you begin steam cleaning.
Treat the deep stains first
It’s a no-brainer that stains get the first priority. There is no point in steam cleaning an upholstery if the stain is going to stay back even after a deep clean. You can prevent this by treating the stains with a spot treatment solution and blotting the stain away. Doing so will ensure immaculately cleaned upholstery.
Precondition the surface
Before you use the steam cleaner, it is essential to condition the surface with a soil emulsifier and upholstery shampoo. This will help dislodge all the dirt on the couch before you start steaming, resulting in perfect cleaning.
Prep the unit
It is essential to prepare the unit before you start steaming the couch. First, you would typically detach the water reservoir and fill it up with water and a little bit of fabric cleaner. Next, you need to choose the right accessory before letting excess water run off the cleaner.
Start with pillows
Begin your steam cleaning with fabric pillows. Blast the cloth surface and immediately drag the nozzle over the wet areas to remove excess moisture. This is an essential step because excess moisture can damage the upholstery and take too long to dry. It is advised to work in small patches.
Let the couch dry
Regardless of the surface involved, steam cleaning always has a drying time. Depending on the current weather and the humidity of the steam cleaner, it can take several hours to completely dry the couch. You can speed it up by opening all the windows and switching on a fan. For a more immaculate clean, you can vacuum the couch once it dries to ensure any unlifted dirt is removed.
Use commercial products as a last resort
When none of the above tips helps you give your clients an ideal job, resort to a commercial and heavy-duty cleaning solution to remove the stains.
Conclusion
Upholstery plays a vital role in keeping the interior looking appealing. This is why you need to keep them clean, and the best way to do that is through steam cleaning, as they are a chemical-free method and are relatively safe. However, this type of cleaning is only effective if you do it properly.
