Every upholstery needs regular vacuuming, so it can look fresh and clean at any time. It's the basic rule of upholstery maintenance. Another one is to prevent its colours from fading, it should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

So place it somewhere near blinds, shades or curtains.

If there are stains on your upholstery, always remove them by blotting with a dry cleaning product. Never forget to check the manufacturer's directions and to read the label in order to determine how to freshen up and what is safe enough for your upholstery.

If accidentally spilling something on the furniture, act immediately and don't let the stain eat its way deep into the fabric.

It's nothing new, I hope.

These and many other simple tips will keep your furniture well maintained for a long time. At least in appearance. However, if you want to your upholstery to look really good after this, you can always rent or buy a steam cleaner.

Steam cleaning is undoubtedly the most efficient and safe way to purify any fabric, furniture, floor, wall and well, just about everything.

Here are a few suggestions on how to get the best results from it. If you don't have your own steam cleaner, rent or purchase one, depending on your upholstery needs. Don't forget to get the right steam cleaning solution, because some of them don't come with any.

• Begin with vacuuming and to be most efficient, use the attachment that is specially designed for upholstered furniture.


• Test the solution on a small hidden area. See how the fabric reacts to the detergent. You don't to get bad surprises once you start cleaning. These bad surprises can go from colour fade to serious damages.


• If you need to remove stains, use a special stain removal product or a dry cleaning solution and follow the directions. Never start with the steam before completely drying the applied products. It will only harden the stains and make them impossible to remove.


• When you use the steamer, apply gently the detergent, by moving from one section to another. When you suck up the water with the steam cleaner, you'll see how the dirt is coming out, too (it's a bit fascinating). Pay attention to the cushions and clean them last one by one. When the upholstery is fully dry you can use it again as usual. If it's still dirty, after drying you can repeat the procedure.

It's not a job for anyone, so if you have trouble, or just don't want to bother, you can always call professional cleaners to assist.