Steam cleaners are great for removing embedded dirt, dust, stubborn stains, grease, spills, and mould from hard and soft surfaces. This excellent cleaning gadget can help you restore the shine of your upholstery furniture.
The vapour produced by the equipment removes tough grime and kills common household germs and bacteria. This prevents several health hazards and bacterial infections, such as
Salmonella infection (salmonellosis), coughing, hay fever, etc.
It is good to invest in a high-quality steam cleaner with great features to banish different types of stains, grease and bad odours from a couch, sofa and other upholstery furniture.
If you are wondering how to clean the upholstery using steam cleaning equipment, look at the step-by-step guide below.
What Stains Can Steam Cleaner Remove?
Before you get into the cleaning process, take a moment and find out the wonders of a steam cleaner when it comes to removing different types of stains and grime. With the right technique, you can tackle the following furniture messes:
Milk and Coffee Splatters
Juice Spills
Stubborn food stains
Marker stains
Water colour paints
Pet Stains
Grime
Grease
Mould
Embedded Dirt
Make sure you read the manual instructions carefully when sprucing up your upholstered furniture.
Is All Upholstered Furniture Safe For Steam Cleaning?
It is always good to check your furniture before using a steam cleaner. This is because every piece of fabric furniture has a specific cleaning code that instructs how to correctly clean the couch, recliner, loveseat and other surfaces.
If your furniture has a “W” cleaning code, you can use a water-based cleaning solution to remove stains. The furniture with the “WS” (wet cleaning and solvent) code is also great for steam cleaning.
You should never steam clean your upholstered furniture labelled with “S” (solvent), or “X” (no cleaning). A steam cleaner can damage the fabric of your furniture if doing it on a regular basis.
The best furniture to use a steam cleaner includes:
Polyester
Microfiber
Cotton
Velvet
Nylon Blends
Velvet
Steam cleaning is not recommended on the following furniture:
Leather Upholstery
Suede Material
Silk Surfaces
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However, they don’t steam-clean upholstered furniture. You need to consider the following steps to remove stains and grime from your couch or sofa.
Tips to Clean Upholstery with a Steam Cleaner
1. Vacuum The Surface to Eliminate Loose Debris
After checking the cleaning code of your furniture, you can focus on removing embedded dust, dirt, pet hair, dead skin cells, food particles, allergens and other loose debris. Use a HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner that can trap dust particles, allergens and pollen embedded deep inside the fibres of your fabric furniture.
Remove the cushions and vacuum all sides. Get into all nooks and crannies to fetch dirt and grime that can also pollute indoor air quality.
2. Pre-Treat Stubborn Stains and Messes
You can use a biodegradable cleaning agent to tackle stubborn stains, such as coffee spills, food splatters, dried ink stains and pet accidents. Mix equal parts of cleaning vinegar and warm water into a spray bottle. Add a few drops of mild dish soap liquid and a lavender essential oil.
Cleaning vinegar can remove rust stains because it is more acidic and works wonder on stubborn stains.
Apply it on the stained surface and leave it for 10 minutes. This will loosen the stain and make it easy to bolt the fabric using a microfiber cloth.
Note: You can also treat stubborn stains using your stream cleaner. If you are running late, skip this part and carry a smart steamer in your hand.
3. Prep Your Steam Cleaner
Remove the boiler cap and fill the water in it. After that, attach the hose and activate the safety lock. It is important to allow the machine to heat properly.
Read the manual’s guide if you are doing it for the first time. Overflowing the boiler can ruin your fabric furniture. So, be careful while preparing your steam cleaner. Also, use the right cleaning attachment- revolving or a stationary brush. With this tool, you can restore your beautiful fabric furniture. In fact,
steaming floors is better than mopping because it saves you time and energy.
Note: Don’t use too much soap in the water. This can cause damage to the furniture due to oversaturation.
4. Clean Grimy Cushions
Start by steam cleaning cushions. Tightly grab the handle of your machine and spray the surface. Press the button to release the steam. Gently wipe all your cushions with the brush attachment and reactivate the safety lock.
The machine will wet the cushion and then hot steam absorbs grime, stains and grease. This will also evaporate excess water- leaving the surface clean and dry.
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5. Clean the Rest of Your Upholstered Furniture
Instead of starting from anywhere, it is good to be systematic. The ideal way to steam upholstered furniture is by cleaning it in small portions. This allows the surface to dry quickly and also prevents the chance of over-saturation.
Set the steam pressure, release the steam and get rid of stubborn stains, grime, grease, germs and unpleasant odours. This can help you
remove mould from a house without using chemicals or toxic ingredients.
Tip: Try brisk strokes to lift stains from the fabrics. This also reduces the amount of water that seeps into the furniture.
6. Allow the Upholstery to Dry
After steam cleaning your couch or sofa, let it dry completely. To accelerate the process, turn on your fan or open a window for fresh air. Also, keep the doors open for proper ventilation. This will prevent humidity and keep mould at bay.
Once your furniture is completely dry, vacuum it again to remove leftover residue.
For a thorough bond cleaning Gold Coast, you can hire the best company to help you get the full bond back without any dispute. Make sure you check the
entry condition report and clean the premises accordingly.
Wrapping Up
Steam cleaning upholstery furniture is better than using harsh chemicals and abrasive tools. You can keep these tips in mind and follow the cleaning methods to keep your couch and sofa shiny and tidy using a steam cleaner.
