Restoring Damaged Upholstery

Upholstery is like an onion. Because it stinks. No, I mean because it has layers! Onions have layers, and upholstery has layers. Sorry, Shrek was on TV recently. Now where were we? Oh yes, upholstery has layers.

Normally, the layer of furniture that gets dirty is the fabric layer that is stretched across the frame and around the cushions. Regular upholstery cleaning does a great job of removing dirt, dust, and soils from the fabric layer and helps to keep your favorite sofa or chair healthy and looking great.

It is a much bigger issue, however, when the problem isn't in the fabric layer. Things like drink spills and urine can penetrate the fabric, soaking into the backing, batting, and into the cushion itself. Normal upholstery cleaning isn't so good at addressing these areas. After cleaning, as the fabric dries, moisture in the other layers can migrate to the surface in a process called wicking; bringing stains and odor into the fabric with it. A piece of upholstery that looks great when it is cleaned can look and smell awful just a few hours later. A piece of furniture in this condition is considered damaged, and extraordinary measures must be taken. The two viable options are replacement or restoration.

The Restoration Cleaning Process

Chem Dry of Indianapolis has the training necessary to perform a thorough restoration cleaning using oxygen based cleaners from Chem Dry. Steps for restoration cleaning of upholstery may include:

• Removing the cushion covers and machine washing them in cold water, usually with an oxygenating cleaner.
• Soaking the cushions and batting in an oxygen based cleaner overnight, rinsing, and drying them.
• Replacement of the cushions and batting material.
• A wet cleaning of the upholstery body, usually with the same cleaner used on the cushion covers.
• Rinsing the body with a mildly acidic rinse.

As you can see, restoration cleaning of upholstery is much more involved than the normal cleaning process, and there is more risk of damaging the fabric. The potential damage includes shrinking, fading, bleeding, discoloration, and water marking. The risk of damaging the fabric is increased when dealing with a natural fiber such as cotton, wool, jute, or linen; or a man-made "natural" like rayon or acrylic. Synthetic fabrics like polyeser, nylon, and olefin tend to be more resistant.

Restoration cleaning is very time consuming and expensive, and you may not be satisfied with the results. It is the last option to avoid replacing that family heirloom or piece of furniture that you just love, but it is certainly not needed nor recommended in most cases. If you are unsure whether your upholstery needs restoration cleaning, call us for a free consultation; 317-867-5550.