What to do when you need emergency upholstery cleaning

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Anyone who remembers using the Yellow Pages will be able to recall the numerous adverts for emergency services. Generally, these would have been for plumbers, electricians, and qualified gas engineers.

However, there are times when a different kind of emergency occurs. Life has a way of throwing up accidents now and again, and in the home, this could mean spills and potentially costly damage to carpets and upholstery.

The value of the carpet and upholstery cleaning services market reached $55.8 billion last year. By 2027, it will be worth an estimated $110 billion, or £94 billion. Clearly, many people value their upholstery and carpets!

Considering a sofa or carpet could easily cost thousands of pounds to replace, it’s not hard to see why cleaning is a priority when an accident occurs. Trying to clean it yourself may only make it worse, so sometimes you may genuinely need an emergency clean.

Is there such a thing as emergency upholstery cleaning?

Part of the reason that the cleaning services industry is growing as a whole is due to the growing awareness of the importance of hygiene. Covid did much to change attitudes towards sanitisation and cleanliness in the workplace and at home.

Maintaining a clean living space is an essential part of daily life for homeowners and tenants alike. While routine cleaning tasks are often manageable, certain situations are best handled by professionals. In the unfortunate event of a spill, the natural inclination is to rub at the mark frantically, but this often exacerbates the issue. Mishandling spillages can result in stubborn stains that even professionals may find challenging to remove. Crown Cleaners recommend prompt action before the stain sets to minimise the risk of long-lasting marks.

Therefore, there truly can be a need for an emergency clean, whether it be for carpets or upholstery. Clearly, the best way to approach calling in a cleaner in a hurry would be to look local. Searching for something along the lines of upholstery cleaners London will show local services in your area that can help you in a hurry.

So what constitutes an upholstery cleaning emergency, and would it really matter if you waited?

Why would you need upholstery cleaning in a hurry?

The average home experiences everyday wear and tear from footfall, children playing, pets, dirt, dust, and grime. No matter how many carpet care tips you follow, your lovely floor coverings are continually being subjected to dirt being ground into the fibres.

Steam cleaning can loosen dirt and help to make carpets look bright and clean again. The same can be done for upholstery and cushions on sofas and armchairs. But sometimes you just can’t hang on for a once a year deep clean. When someone spills red wine, wipes grease, or accidentally gets ink on your favourite armchair, it could constitute an emergency.

Preventing a stain from setting isn’t the only reason you might want to get upholstery cleaned in a hurry. It could also be because you are trying to sell your home.

Emergency upholstery cleaning for someone selling a home

Selling a home is always stressful, and watching your toddler decorate your sofa with their crayons can only add to your seller’s anxiety. Knowing that you could have a viewing at any given moment means your home needs to be presentable at all times.

Staging a home is a popular way to help a house sale go smoothly and quickly. But these services cost money. The effect created by costly staging could be undone quickly by an unsightly spill on a piece of furniture or carpet.

Not to mention that upholstery can be expensive too. The average sofa in the UK can cost anywhere from £750 to over £2,000, but you can easily reach £3,000 for a higher-end piece of furniture. If you are unfortunate enough for the problem to have covered both upholstery and carpet, then the need for urgent cleaning can be even greater.

What can you do to limit damage or clean upholstery yourself?

There are fabric protectors available to help limit the chances of stains being produced from accidental spills. Professional cleaning services will often include this protection as part of their packages.

There are plenty of tips for removing pet hairs from furniture, and home cleaning remedies for stains and spills too.

Baking soda is often cited as a good way to get rid of many marks from upholstery, and this can be a useful go-to when you need to remove stains in a hurry.

Below are a few of the more common spills and marks that accidentally occur on upholstery, and how to deal with them.

Grease

Ideally, you will tackle a grease spill straight away. If this is the case, then blot the grease spot with some paper kitchen towel first.

Now cover the area with baking soda completely. Wait 20 minutes, then vacuum away.

Wet a clean cloth with dry cleaning fluid and press into the grease mark. These steps can all be repeated until the grease mark has gone.

Do be aware that dry cleaning solvent is toxic and should be handled with care.

Red wine

Once again, baking soda is your friend. Cover the area affected with baking soda or salt. After a few minutes, you can vacuum.

Next, you will need to mix cold water with a little washing-up liquid. Use a dry cloth to absorb the soap mixture and blot at the wine stain. You can then use a sponge with clean water to soak up the colour, and paper towels to dry the area.

Chocolate and ink

Chocolate and ink marks can also be removed with the same technique that cleans away red wine. You may wish to add white wine vinegar in the case of stubborn ink stains.

When you are attempting to clean your upholstery yourself, or carpets or curtains for that matter, it’s best to start with a small area. If you are planning to use hydrogen peroxide, or any commercial cleaning product, try a spot test somewhere out of sight. Your upholstery should also have a label with care instructions attached; don’t ignore this valuable information.

How can you locate an upholstery cleaning service in a hurry?

There are now around 66,000 cleaning companies across the UK. These firms represent all manner of cleaning services, from end-of-tenancy to hospital sanitisation. Since 2016, more than 6,000 cleaning companies have been formed, and Covid has had a major impact on the growth of the industry.

With this many cleaning companies, there are bound to be some whose services are better than others. To find reputable cleaning companies you can go online and head to the National Carpet Cleaners Association, or the Institution of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification to find certified cleaning services. Alternatively, you can search Google for local businesses in your area, then check out their reviews.

Emergency upholstery cleaning might not be as desperately needed as a plumber for a flooded home, but it has its place. When your valuable 3-piece suite has been subjected to an attack of chocolate cake you will naturally want to ensure that it doesn’t get ruined. And if you have potential buyers viewing your home tomorrow you may need to get your furniture or carpets up to scratch quickly.

Upholstery cleaning can be done at home, and even with products found in the store cupboard, but it can take considerable time, and the results might not always be desirable. In these cases, professional upholstery cleaning may be preferable, even when it isn’t an emergency.