Upholstery is ubiquitous in modern society. It’s in our furniture, our cars, even our public areas. It can lend an air of comfort or one of class. However, regardless of its purpose and style, all upholstery will get dirty. Cleaning it should be a routine job, for many reasons. Here a five of those reasons.
1. Most obviously – and most importantly – cleaning your upholstery regularly is necessary for health reasons. Dust, dust mites, old skin cells, molds, and artificial irritants can gather on upholstery. Regular cleaning prevents them from building up and causing health problems. This is particularly important when people with weak immune systems or respiratory tracts can be exposed. The elderly and people with asthma are particularly vulnerable, as are very small children. Regular cleaning is certainly worth preventing the heartbreak and costly medical bills that go with respiratory problems.
2. Upholstery wear is exacerbated by dirt. Dust and dirt that is allowed to remain on fabrics will weaken it, as well as stain and discolor it. Together with the usual rough use and stress that upholstery is subjected to, dirt will rapidly deteriorate the integrity of the cloth, making it more likely to rip and tear. We talked with Fuzion Electronix about what happens next, and they said, “Repairs usually require complete replacement of the portion of cloth that is damaged. This can be an expensive undertaking, if it can be done at all.”
3. Most owners never consider resale value, but it is an important factor in the care of upholstery. Some furniture might spend years in one home, but it’s not unlikely that new furniture will be bought every few years. In this case, keeping your furniture in good condition can let you sell it used to someone who can’t afford to buy new. This is a ‘win’ for everyone. The buyer gets decent furniture at a good price, while you get cash to put towards new furniture. If the upholstery is in an automobile, the maintenance is even more important. A car’s sales price drops thousands of dollars if the interior has been badly abused. On the other hand, some buyers will overlook a troublesome engine if the upholstery is in pristine condition.
4. It’s not unlikely for unmaintained upholstery to acquire a bad smell. With the wear and abuse it takes, this is only to be expected, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. Regular cleaning will help keep unpleasant odors to a minimum and, when properly done, can completely eliminate them. No one likes to sit on a couch or chair that emits a strange smell every time they sit down, but a regular cleaning every month can save you a great deal of embarrassment over the long run.
5. If saving money is your main concern, consider this: All of the previously mentioned factors affect your pocket-book. Health problems are costly, as are furniture repairs. Upholstery ruined by a persistent, foul odor has to be replaced, but you won’t be able to resell it. Proper maintenance and regular cleaning will keep you from needing to replace your furniture more often than your budget can handle. Even if damage to upholstery isn’t bad enough to warrant completely replacing furniture, the repairs can still be expensive. Regular upholstery cleaning that begins as soon as furniture is acquired can go a long way towards preventing these problems and saving your money at the same time.
