Upholstery Cleaning

We at Mott's Carpet Cleaning follow the basic seven principles of professional upholstery cleaning as outlined by the IICRC (Institute of Cleaning & Restoration Certification) standards.

Fabric Inspection: A simple burn test which involves taking a tiny swatch of the fabric can reveal the fiber content. The flame, smoke and odor are identifying characteristics.
Dye Testing: A small amount of upholstery cleaner is applied to an inconspicuous area of the fabric and a towel is pressed to the fabric. This tests the stability of the dye.
Dry Soil Removal: In cleaning any textile, the first step is always to remove as much dry soil as possible. This improves the following cleaning steps greatly.
Soil Suspension: A preconditioning agent is used on most fabrics to "suspend" the soil for more effective extraction.
Soil Removal (Extraction): A water or solvent based rinse is used to whisk away the suspended soils.
Pile Setting/Grooming: Many textiles have a pile that needs to be set after cleaning. A special upholstery brush is used to groom the pile for proper drying.
Drying: Getting the upholstery dry as fast as possible is important. High velocity air movers are used for faster drying. Ceiling fans and air conditioning also help.

Your Upholstery Fabric Needs To Be Protected

An often overlooked feature of upholstery cleaning is Fabric Protection. Fabric Protection may be just as important as the cleaning itself. When carpet is cleaned, many consumers see the value in protecting the carpet, but don't seem to think it's necessary when it comes to protecting upholstery fabric after it is cleaned.

There is a great deal of difference between upholstery fabric and carpet. Carpet is usually made from a synthetic fabric such as Nylon or Olefin. Natural fibers such as wool are used but do not represent the majority. Upholstery fabric on the other hand is most often made from natural fabric. Cotton is widely used for example.

Natural fibers are much more absorbent than synthetic fibers. This is an advantage to you when selecting a fabric because the more absorbent the fiber, the better it accepts dye and more dying techniques can be used. This gives you a wide range of choices in color and style.

The disadvantage of an absorbent fiber is that it stains easily. Foreign dye that is used in beverages for example can more easily stain a natural fiber. Even synthetic upholstered fabrics are more vulnerable than carpet. The reason is how the fabric is made. With carpet, you have a pile, a backing (usually synthetic also), and a thick pad underneath. This gives a spill a lot of room to spread. With this upholstered fabric, you have a thin layer of fabric to penetrate. Once the stain is in the stuffing, it is more difficult to remove. With carpet, you could even pull the carpet up and deal with problem spots from underneath if you had to. But not upholstered fabrics.

A good quality fabric protector will assist in resisting spillage, and keep normal soiling such as airborne soils, dust, dander and perspiration on the surface for easier removal. Keeping your upholstery protected will help you keep your upholstery looking better longer. Our company is well qualified to apply a quality fabric protector to your upholstery.

CERTIFICATIONS:
RCT - RUG CLEANING TECHNICIAN
CCT - CARPET CLEANING
RRT - CPT REPAIR & REINSTALLATION
UFT - UPHOLSTERY & FABRIC CLEANING