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Upholstery cleaning is a specialty that many carpet cleaning companies can handle for you. There are several methods of upholstery cleaning and which one is used to treat a particular stain is largely dependent on the type of stain and the material being cleaned. The two basic methods of upholstery cleaning are either wet or dry and both of them can be used with great success if done correctly. Upholstery cleaning is a skill that takes a lot of practice to master and if you have a stain on a piece of furniture, call a professional to help you remove it. If you try to use a product to clean it yourself first, you may do more harm than good. Many stains need to be cleaned on the first try and if you attempt to clean it and are unsuccessful you may actually make matters worse by setting the stain deeper into the fabric. Also, moisture can be a good cleaning aid if properly used. The danger is that if you use too much moisture you run the risk of mold or mildew forming in the furniture and this can destroy the upholstery and is also a health risk.

The first upholstery cleaning procedure available is called a wet extraction technique and involves very specialized equipment for the application of the cleaning agents and the extraction of the dirt. There are several ways to use this method and the one chosen is determined by the fabric being cleaned and the type of stain. This method basically involves a cleaning solution that is forced into the fabric at a very high temperature. Both the heat and the cleaning agents will work to loosen the dirt and stain very quickly, and then the solution and any dirt it traps are immediately vacuumed up from the fabric. Heating the solution to a very high temperature is one of the keys to this methods success. This high heat helps to dissolve the natural adhesive properties of dirt and stains and makes extracting them easier. The skill involved with using the wet extraction method for upholstery cleaning is controlling the moisture in the fabric. It is easy to soak the fabric and this can cause a lot of problems with additional staining and may also cause a mold or mildew issue. Experts at this technique can very tightly control the amount of solution used for the cleaning and ensure adequate stain removal and minimum moisture as well. One other concern whenever wet extraction cleaning is being done is the possible damage to the wooden parts of the furniture. Care has to be taken to avoid getting any wood wet as it may cause the stain in the wood to leech into the fabric that attaches to it. This can cause further staining and can be very difficult to repair.

Another variation of this method involves a foaming cleaning solution that is applied to a stained area by hand. By using only the foam, the moisture content can be controlled and there will be no moisture damage to the fabric. This foam solution is worked into the stain and allowed to sit for a short period of time as it loosens the dirt and stain particles. It is then vacuumed up and will leave the fabric clean and stain-free.

The dry cleaning method for upholstery cleaning is similar to the wet extraction method except that there is no water used in the process. The dry method uses a chemical cleaning solution similar to what a dry cleaner uses for cleaning your clothes. This solution is applied to the stained area and then removed with a vacuum once it has had a chance to work on the stain. The advantage to a dry cleaning method for upholstery cleaning is that there is no chance of any water damage to the fabric or piece of furniture. This method of upholstery cleaning requires a lot of training and experience to attempt since every stain and every fabric needs to be cleaned in a different way. The chemical solution used on one stain might be the wrong one for another and only an upholstery cleaning specialist can determine the right combination.

Another method of upholstery cleaning involves a combination of the two procedures and can be a dry-wet-dry process to attack very difficult stains. Since the chemical solutions used for the dry upholstery cleaning repels water, if the fabric is treated with these chemicals first and then cleaned with a water based solution it can help remove some harder stains. This area can then be treated again with the dry solution to make sure the fabric is left moisture-free when done.

Whatever option you choose to help you with your upholstery cleaning needs, make sure you find someone with experience. Cleaning upholstery is an art that takes a lot of practice to master and can have very positive results if you pick the right company.