Advice on Sofas
It will have more than one stain and if you look closely, you will find dirt on the armrests. If the sofa has been used assiduously, you will also be able to see which areas have been used the most. Sunken cushions say a lot about the habits of their owners. It may then be interesting to find out the reasons for the damage and what you can do to avoid it in the future.
ATTENTION! THE THREE FACTORS THAT AFFECT FABRIC FIBERS ARE SUNLIGHT, DIRT AND WEAR AND TEAR. TOGETHER THEY DO THREE TIMES AS MUCH DAMAGE. OF COURSE YOU CAN'T AVOID EVERYTHING, BUT BY FOLLOWING OUR ADVICE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR SOFA LONGER. SAFETY OF THE MECHANISMS. USE CAUTION WHEN USING THEM, THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR YOUR SAFETY AND COMFORT. YOU SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN USING THEM. KEEP HANDS AND FEET AWAY FROM THEM AND DO NOT LET CHILDREN PLAY ON THE SOFA.
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The Three Factors
PROTECT IT FROM THE SUN
Surely you have already decided where you are going to place the sofa, but it may be interesting to think about it again after reading this text. Your living room can be divided into three zones: a light zone, where at any time of the year and at any time of the day the sun’s rays enter. A dark zone, where the sun’s rays never reach, and an intermediate zone. The best way to maintain the color of the fabric and avoid wear and tear is to place the sofa in the dark area. If, however, you want to place it in the brightest area or in the intermediate area, remember that there are possibilities to limit the brightness with the help of curtains, blinds and blinds. In addition to fading, sunlight weakens the fibers of the fabric, reducing its strength. Sunlight therefore doubles the damage, as do radiators, stoves and any other heat source.
DIRT
The sofa should not be soiled, but there are many kinds of dirt and it can be difficult to avoid. Sticky hands and pants full of sand will naturally soil the sofa. But the fabric also gets dusty, even if it’s not as visible as on a bookshelf. Many people eat and drink coffee on the sofa, so it is inevitable that it will get stained. You should remove these stains immediately. The later you remove them, the harder it will be to remove them. Most of the fabrics we use at FORMA MUEBLES have an anti-stain treatment that makes cleaning easier. Remember to vacuum and clean the sofa often. With the recommended cleaning products. You should not clean the feather cushions with the vacuum cleaner, but shake them. The reason you should keep your sofa clean is not just to make it look nice. Dirt also deteriorates the fibers making them less resistant.
WEARING
SOFA CLEANING
- Remove the stain immediately. Some water is usually sufficient.
- If you do not know the nature of the stain, it is advisable to have it seen by a specialist. Otherwise you will make the stain more difficult to remove.
- To avoid damaging the fabric, it is best to test the cleaning product first on an inconspicuous spot.
- The stain should be undone, do not rub it.
Proceed as follows:
- Try to absorb the stain with a cotton cloth or a clean sponge.
- Pour some of the stain remover or cleaning product on a cloth. If the sofa has removable covers, it is recommended to clean the stain from the reverse side. Then use a cloth as a base.
- Soak with the recommended amount of product. Work from the edges towards the center of the stain.
- Move the base from time to time while performing the cleaning operation.
- Rinse thoroughly when finished. If you use a specific cleaning product, follow the instructions for use. If you get too much on the fabric, you should soak it well with water and wipe with a clean cloth. Excess cleaning product can also leave stains!
When washing the covers in the washing machine:
- Wash separately.
- Follow label instructions carefully.
- Stretch the cover carefully while it is wet.
- Dry it lying down.
- Attention! If you use a dryer, do it with caution!
- Iron upside down.
- If you take it to the dry cleaner’s, have them do a cleaning test and make sure it will be perfect.
- Leather does not resist the rubbing of solvents such as alcohol, colognes, etc. All upholstery must be washed to avoid color variations after washing!
- Coffee/Tea: Use a cleaner with glycerin.
- Wax: Cool with ice in a bag and lift out the wax. The remaining wax is placed between several layers of household paper and by means of a hot iron, the paper will absorb the remaining wax. The grease stains that may remain are removed with a grease solution.
- Beer: A warm soapy solution with ammonia.
- Chewing gum: Cools and scratches.
- Chocolate: Use a cleanser with glycerin.
- Ketchup: Mild soapy solution with ammonia (Stain very difficult to remove. Leave in the hands of a specialist).
- Liqueur: It is often removed with warm water or a warm soapy solution with ammonia.
- Nail Lacquer: Oil-free acetone (not on acetate fiber).
- Unknown stains: Refer to a specialist.
- Butter/cream: Use warm soapy solution with ammonia.
- Mayonnaise/Milk: Warm soapy solution with ammonia.
- Blood: Solution of 1 teaspoonful of salt per 5 dl. of cold water. Or with a warm soapy solution with ammonia.
- Red wine: If the sofa is removable, cover the wet spot with plenty of salt or potato starch. Let the wine soak in. Then wash the fabric. Old stains are softened with glycerin, then apply a warm soapy solution with ammonia. Rinse well.
- Juice/Jam: Apply a mild warm soapy solution with ammonia or citric acid solution.
- Citric acid solution: 3 teaspoons of citric acid (can be purchased in powder form) diluted in 2.5 dl. of warm water. Test beforehand on an inconspicuous area (cotton, linen and viscose should not be treated with acids).
- Ammonia solution: 1 teaspoon of ammonia (25%) mixed with 2.5 dl. of water (wool and natural silk should not be treated with ammonia).
- Soap solution with ammonia: 1 measure of the ammonia solution mixed with one part of the soap solution.
REMARKS
Citric acid and concentrated ammonia can irritate the skin and affect fabrics. Be careful and rinse with water, especially after acid treatment. Beware of toxic and environmentally harmful products. Always follow the washing instructions of the fabric manufacturer. Keep toxic products out of the reach of children.
