After a long day, nothing beats collapsing onto the sofa. Your upholstery is always there to welcome you home, so every now and then, it’s time to return the love. But if you’re wondering ‘how often should I clean my upholstery?’ don’t panic, you’re not alone. Most people aren’t too sure when exactly it’s time to give their upholstery a clean.
Cleaning your upholstery can keep your home clean and free from dust, allergens, and mould. So exactly how often should you be cleaning your upholstery to keep your home a healthy environment?
How often to vacuum your upholstery?
Regular surface cleaning is a great way to look after your upholstery in between deep cleans. And vacuuming is the perfect way to do this.
Vacuuming your upholstery can stop dirt and dust from building up. So ideally, you should do this at least once a week.
If you have pets or little ones who like to leave crumbs, you should try and hoover 2-3 times a week if possible.
This might seem a little much, but especially with pets, hoovering regularly can reduce allergens on the upholstery and in the air. This is going to improve your home’s air quality, making your home a healthier place to live.
How often to deep clean your upholstery?
Deep cleaning your upholstery removes dirt, dust and allergens that are deeply embedded in the material. Hot water extraction cleaning, also known as steam cleaning, can also remove stains and any odours.
However, deep cleaning is a task that’s best left to professional carpet & upholstery cleaners, but don’t worry your upholstery doesn’t need deep cleaning as often as it needs vacuuming.
So how often should you get your upholstery professionally cleaned? It’s best to deep clean your upholstery once a year or so.
If you have pets though, it’s a good idea to do it slightly more regularly to keep your home as allergen-free as possible.
Dirt builds up more quickly when you have pets, as pet debris and allergens fall onto your upholstery, and gradually sink into the fibres. So you might want to consider cleaning your upholstery every 6-9 months, rather than once a year, especially if anyone in your household has allergies.
How to tell if your upholstery needs cleaning?
Sometimes, upholstery could do with a good clean before the next deep clean is due. You might notice certain odours coming from your upholstery, or perhaps you’ve noticed a difference in your home’s air quality. These are both signs that your upholstery would benefit from a deep clean.
There’s also a good trick you can do to check out the cleanliness of your upholstered furniture.
The first trick is to take a white cloth, wet it slightly, and run it along the surface of your upholstery. Then take a look at the cloth, if it’s dirty and grey in colour, you know your upholstery isn’t as clean as it looks.
So, how often should I clean my upholstery?
Surface cleaning your upholstery with a vacuum should be done at least once a week, but deep cleaning only needs to be done every year or so. However, if you want to get it cleaned more regularly, there’s no harm in doing so.
Choose a professional company to carry out your upholstery deep clean. The advantage of hot water extraction cleaning is that it can be done using nothing but water, keeping it a natural clean, or it can involve cleaning products. Either way, a professional company will be able to advise and give your upholstery the best possible clean.