Our advice is given in good faith and should not be considered a guarantee. If in any doubt, always consult a professional upholstery cleaning company. Please always refer to your appropriate Care Label prior to any care and cleaning.
Cleaning Guide
Spot cleaning
Treat spills and stains as soon as possible. Test on a hidden area to ensure fabric and colour are not removed. Gently scrape any soil or mop any liquid from the surface of the fabric. Use of soap or detergent with water should be approached with caution since overzealous rinsing to remove soap residue may result in over-wetting, watermarking and possible wetting of substructure (this may create other stains or damage products).
For non-oil-based stains use warm water and non-toilet soaps which do not contain optical brighteners (consider Velvet soap, Lux Flakes, Softly). Mix a small amount of soap and warm water solution and apply to the stain, rubbing gently. Blot dry with a clean towel. Apply cool water (preferably filtered or distilled water) and blot dry again. Then with a hair dryer, working out from the centre of the stain, dry quickly to prevent rings from forming. It is generally preferable to clean whole panels of fabric in this way rather than trying to spot clean specific areas.
For oil-based stains following the same basic guidelines as above, apply a proprietary brand solvent based cleaner and try to clean generally in panels rather than spot cleaning specific areas. A helpful industry ‘secret’ for spot removal of oil-based biro marks is by the application of conventional hairspray.
Professional fabric servicing
Check your care label first to see if a mill-applied protection was incorporated during fabric manufacture. It is not necessary to apply an after-market protector over mill applied protectors on new fabrics. Fabric protectors do not eliminate the need for vacuuming, routine cleaning or proper care. They will, however, make spot cleaning and vacuuming quicker, easier and more efficient between professional cleans and keep your fabric looking cleaner longer, as well as extending its life. Professionals applying fabric protectors must always pre-test to qualify fabric suitability.
Warning
Extreme caution should be taken if considering treatment of velvets and pocket weaves with stain repellent products. Some high pile velvet and pocket weave jacquards may change in surface character if stain repellent treatments are incorrectly applied. Extra care should be taken to pre-test for these fabrics.
Professional cleaning frequency
Is determined by the furniture use, your own maintenance, upkeep and environmental conditions. As a good ‘rule of thumb’ overall cleaning is recommended every 12 months for most family room lounges.
Stain Removal
Alcoholic beverages
After the moisture has been blotted up, dab at the stain with a clean cloth dampened in rubbing alcohol. Then blot repeatedly with liquid detergent mixed with cool water. Blot dry with a towel. Dab again with clear cool water and blot dry.
Blood
After the moisture has been blotted up, dab at the stain with a clean cloth dampened in rubbing alcohol. Then blot repeatedly with liquid detergent mixed with cool water. Blot dry with a towel. Dab again with clear cool water and blot dry.
Chewing gum
Rub an ice cube over the gum to harden it, then scrape off the excess with a dull knife. To remove what’s left, use dry cleaning fluid.
Chocolate (and other soft candy)
This is a combination greasy/non-greasy stain. Scrape excess away, then go over the spot with cool water mixed with a liquid detergent. Blot thoroughly and then clean with dry cleaning fluid.
Coffee and tea
Sponge with warm water. Apply warm glycerine. Leave for 30 minutes. Flush out with water and dry quickly.
Cosmetics
Sponge with warm water. Apply warm glycerine. Leave for 30 minutes. Flush out with water and dry quickly.
Fruit and fruit juices
After excess is blotted up or scraped away, blot the spot with cool water. If a stain remains, add liquid detergent and a drop of vinegar to the water. Dab the spot with this mixture and blot until there’s no trace of a stain. Then go over the area lightly with clear water to remove traces of vinegar.
Grease (including hair grease and oil)
Scrape away excess if necessary and then dab repeatedly at the stain with dry cleaning fluid. If any stain remains, go over the area with a lukewarm mixture of liquid detergent and water. Always make sure you use a clean portion so you don’t put the stain back in the fabric. Last, go over the area with a clean cloth moistened with cool clear water.
Ice cream
Scrape away excess and apply cool water mixed with liquid detergent, blotting frequently with a dry cloth so as not to saturate the fabric. Let dry and then go over any remaining stain with dry cleaning fluid. Blot dry.
Ink
Moisten with warm glycerine. Leave for 10 minutes. Apply liquid detergent and brush lightly. Flush out with water and dry quickly.
Iodine
Rub with cut lemon before sponging with warm water. Apply a small quantity of detergent with a clean cloth. Blot stain then remove the soapy residue with a cloth wrung out in warm water and white vinegar solution (1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water).
Milk and vomit
Blot or scrape away the excess, then take a clean soft cloth and blot. Apply clear cool water to the area, blotting frequently. Then blot with a detergent solution to which you’ve added a small amount of ammonia. Blot dry and wait a few minutes. Go over the area with dry cleaning fluid, blot dry. Finally, blot the area lightly with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol.
Soft drinks, sweets and syrups
Sponge with water, add warm glycerine and work into stain. Flush out with water and dry.
Shoe polish
Apply liquid paraffin to loosen the stain, then sponge with dry cleaning fluid.
Urine
It is especially important to treat this stain right away before the urine dries. Otherwise, the urine may react with the fabric dyes and cause permanent discolouration. First, dab at the stain with a solution of white vinegar and water and blot dry. Then apply a mixture of liquid detergent and cool water, blotting frequently and with a dry cloth to avoid saturating the fabric. Finally, dab the spot with clear cool water and blot thoroughly.
Water spots
Blot thoroughly and then dampen the entire spot with clear white vinegar. Wait a few minutes. When the area is dry, moisten it again with clear water, blotting with a dry cloth after every application of the damp cloth. If the fabric has a pile, brush in the direction of the pile when it is dry.
Helpful Tips
Colour fastness
All fabrics are tested to industry standards. It is important to note that no fabric is 100% colour fast and that it is impossible to prevent colours fading if adequate precautions are not taken in the home. Winter sun, sitting lower in the sky, can cause the most damage, particularly when protective curtains have been pulled back to ‘warm the room’.
Dye Transfer
Certain clothing and accessory dyes (such as those used on denim jeans) may migrate to lighter colours. This phenomenon is increased by humidity and temperature and is irreversible.
Fading
Colours with which the fabrics are dyed, particularly bright colours, will be susceptible to light fading depending on the degree of exposure. Some fabric damage will be evident where fading is most pronounced. In situations where rooms are northerly facing or exposed to constant daylight, we recommend extra caution in selecting furnishings.
General care
When arranging your furniture, care should be taken to avoid touching external walls or radiators to prevent problems of moisture build-up and/or scorching damage. Take care to prevent sharp objects such as rings, buckles and pets’ claws from coming into contact with your furniture, as this may cause snagging or tearing of the fabric. Vacuum regularly (weekly) using low suction. Rotate reversible cushions regularly. Protect from direct sunlight.
Natural Fibres
We suggest that fabrics of predominantly cotton or linen construction are not used for roman blinds as this may result in faded striping. Please ensure the correct product is specified in order to enhance the performance and longevity of the roman blind.
Oxidation
Fumes from chimneys, auto exhausts, open fires, gas fires, stoves, or wherever combustion is present, produce a sulphur compound which when combined with humidity and oxygen in the air produce a mild sulphuric acid. This matter is absorbed by or clings to the furnishing fabric and contributes to discolouration and deterioration of the fabric.
Pilling
Pilling can occur occasionally as a result of normal daily wear and should not be considered as a fault. There are many variables which can trigger pilling, including climatic conditions, atmospheric purity and user environment. Even specific clothing types (fleecy tracksuits etc) can transfer pills from the clothing to the furniture fabric. As the fabric surface is rubbed, a single or small group of loose fibres on the surface begins to twist upon itself, forming tiny balls or ‘pills’. Often the catalyst that starts this process is a foreign fibre or speck of dirt. Pilling can be successfully removed with battery operated pilling tools available from most haberdashery stores. ‘De-pilling’ only removes unsightly loose surface fibres and does not affect fabric performance.
Reversible Fabrics
It is the responsibility of our customers to ensure that fabrics labelled as ’reversible’ are made up in accordance with the end user’s preference.
Shrinkage
All fabrics are prone to shrinkage and it is important that sufficient allowances be made. An allowance of 3% is considered an acceptable industry standard.
Seam slippage
It is possible for fabrics, which are tested for seam slippage and approved for upholstery use, to display fraying problems. This may occur if the following recommendations are overlooked:
Stitch lengths: A minimum of 10-12 seam stitches per inch (25mm).
Seams: A minimum half inch (13mm) seam should be taken.
Overlocking: Should be used for loose woven fabrics and for seat cushion seams.
Taping: In some cases, an additional safeguard of stitching through a quarter inch tape along the seam may be necessary to prevent fraying in high-load areas (such as cornerback cushions). This may be done at the manufacturer’s discretion after testing on individual designs.
Sun damage
Constant exposure to the direct rays of the sun will break down fabric fibres, causing them to become brittle and resulting in the affected area breaking when cleaned.
Yellowing
Fumes and atmosphere in any room where tobacco is smoked will cause a yellow/brown stain on most fabrics. This is a particular problem in modern fabrics with a white or light background.
Leather Care
Regular light surface cleaning of leather furniture is important to prevent daily dust, grime, perspiration and body oils from becoming ingrained and causing surface damage. Obviously, lighter colours may require more attention.