What Upholstery Fabric is Easiest to Clean? (Useful Read)

What Upholstery Fabric is Easiest to Clean? What Is Upholstery? Upholstery covers furniture with various materials such as fabric, webbing, padding, and springs. These materials provide a soft feel and added comfort to sofas, chairs, and other furniture of similar function. The choice and use of upholstering materials have evolved.

From wool to horsehair and whatever was available, comfort and durability were the common denominator at that time and even today. Upholstering was considered good if it was comfortable and if it lasted long.

What Are The Upholstery Materials?

Apart from the build of the upholstery itself, the quality of the covering of any furniture mainly depends on the fabric or textile being used. Along with the necessary tools such as scissors, needles, and staples, the upholsterer will always do well to choose the best fabric for any intended specific design. Below are examples of popular materials used for upholstering:

Leather

A classic fabric of choice by makers and upholsterers alike, leather is durable, easy to clean, and has an excellent natural aesthetic feel. It doesn’t stain easily and is resistant to scratches. Leather is a versatile choice for makers because of its versatility, and added to that; it is a very suitable option for family homes with pets.

Upholstery connoisseurs know how leather becomes better with age. Though it may cost a little bit more, it softens and stretches over time, making sitting or lying on a little more comfortable.

Wool

Another reliable and older material used for upholstery is wool. Wool is up to par with leather in terms of comfort and utility. It is resistant to moisture and mold and is breathable. When properly maintained, wool is an excellent cover seating to keep anyone wanting to stay warm in the living room on cold days.

Wool is fire-resistant and eco-friendly. However, it must be regularly vacuumed as dust may build up and damage the cover in the long run. Other than that, wool remains a popular choice for most furniture enthusiasts.

Cotton

Cotton is a natural material that is cool and breathable. It helps keep your couch or bed dry and comfortable. It works well with colorants and is hard to fade. Cotton is washable, long-lasting, and highly adaptable to prints.

Other types of Good Fabric for Upholstering

• Polyester– This synthetic material is durable, soft, and comfortable. It is easy to clean and is available in various colors and designs.

• Suede– Suede is leather turned inside out. It is generally made of young buckskin, has a smooth surface, and is fashionable.

• Chenille’s– Highly durable and plush, this fabric is a combination of poly-blend yarns, making It wrinkle-free and suitable for furniture that is used daily.

Where Are Upholstery Used For?

Upholstery can be done on all brand new fittings, brand new-custom-made, and even existing furniture for re-upholstery. It can be fitted for living room couches, chairs, ottomans, beds, and other household furnishings.

It also works well for office furniture and other work-related equipment.

Which Upholstery Fabric is Easiest to Clean?

1. Leather

Its smooth surface is easy to clean with mild soap and a soft damp white cloth. It should quickly fix the spillage and remove any potential stains.

2. Vinyl and Microfiber

These materials are next on the list of easiest-to-clean upholstery fabrics. Vinyl is used more for commercial purposes like food establishments and medical clinics for easy cleaning and disinfecting. At the same time, synthetic microfiber is also stain-resistant. It is cheap and durable, an excellent alternative to leather which can be cleaned with a soft white cloth and soapy water.

3. Silk velvets and high-performance polyester 

They may be more prone to stains and a little harder to clean. But it is still, by all means, manageable, granting that you are using a clean piece of cloth and some water.

4. Wool

Last but not least, this classic and sturdy fabric, compared to the others, may be harder to clean but workable nonetheless.

Cleaning Upholstery Tips

Attend to a spill as quickly as possible.

This is to prevent stains from drying into the fabric. The splatter could be food, beverage, wine, or other substances that could ruin your upholstery. Getting to it early makes it easier to remove them, and even less chance of staining.

Hot Water

Use hot water from the tap (not boiling water) and spray it over a larger area where the spillage occurred. This should soften the fabric a bit without damaging it. After which, an upholstery cleaning wipe-down should collect the spilled liquid.

Do Not Rub The Stain

Whatever you do, do not rub the stain that you encounter on your covers but do blotting or dabbing instead. Do it with a clean wet or dry cloth to agitate the stain and dirt, lifting it to the rag. Rubbing will only push the stain further down the upholstered surface and will be harder to remove once it dries.

• Use a diluted laundry stain remover to remove tough stains. Before doing this, however, test the detergent in an inconspicuous area to see if it ruins the design or color. Do not proceed with the remover if you see color or physical damage to the test area.

Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Upholstery

• Not reading the instructions on the back of upholstery cleaners. Not all of them are generally effective for all types of upholstery.
• Avoid scrubbing, as it will drive the stain further into the fibers.
• Do not soak the fabric with water, as it will leave watermarks that will be very difficult to remove later.
• Do not use bleach or any cleaning agent with ammonia. It will likely damage the color and fibers of your covers.
• Do not use abrasive cleaning tools. Instead, stick to microfiber cloths that won’t shed lint.
• Only use specialized brushes made explicitly for suede. Otherwise, an ordinary wire brush will damage it permanently.
• For tough stains on sensitive fabric, you may want to call on a professional to finish the job, as you would like to avoid having to shell out more for reupholstering because of irreparable damage.

What Upholstery Fabric is Easiest to Clean? – Conclusion

There are other specifics you might need to know more about specialized upholstery cleaning, for example, how to clean a dry clean-only cover. Nevertheless, this guide has provided the necessary and working basics of cleaning upholstery at the first sign of spillage. This assumes that it’s just food and not ink, which you can call on a professional if necessary.

Otherwise, always be ready with your handy white cloth and mild detergent to rescue a ruined sofa (albeit only temporarily). Happy cleaning! Contact us if you are looking for sofa cleaning, mattress cleaning, or carpet cleaning services today!