Furniture

How Often Should You Clean Your Chairs?

The answer to how often you should clean your chairs, sofas and any other upholstered furniture is far more complicated than you might think. The easy answer is: you clean your furniture if/when has a stain, mark or looks dirty. Except upholstered furniture could be very dirty, but not look like it. And it can also depend on how often the furniture is used. The suite of upholstered furniture in your living room probably isn’t used as much or gets as much wear and tear, as the furniture in your family room.

The Benefits Of Cleaning Your Chairs & Sofas

To get a better idea of how often you should clean your furniture, it helps to understand the benefits of furniture cleaning. In a nutshell, it’s not just about removing visible dirt, stains and marks.

You probably wash your clothes about once a week. But you probably only rarely clean your furniture. However, your furniture gets exposed to many of the same things that make your clothes dirty. This can include dirt, dust, body oils, spills and anything that’s on your clothes. And, also like your clothes, your furniture may not look dirty even after it’s been exposed to all those things.

It’s for this reason, and the following benefits, that your should clean your furniture regularly.

Better Looking Furniture

The things that make your furniture dirty aren’t actually ‘invisible’ on your furniture, they’re just not noticeable because they accumulate over time. It’s not until you actually clean your furniture that you will see a difference. Then you’ll really see why you need to clean your furniture regularly.

Longer Lasting Furniture

Good quality furniture isn’t cheap. And who knows how long you’ll have to wait for it to be in stock. So the longer you can make your current furniture last, the better. But everything that accumulates on your furniture’s upholstery can slowly work to break down the fabric. Cleaning your furniture not only keeps your furniture looking great, but it helps it last longer too.

A Healthier Home

Your upholstered furniture can trap more than dirt. Allergens, dust mites and other contaminants can build up significantly and potentially pose a health risk. That situation can be much worse if you have pets that shed dander, and track in all sorts of things from the outside. Again, these things may not be noticeable, but they still should be cleaned away.

Cleaner Smelling

This is another one you might not notice. It can even become ‘the smell of home’. But that does mean it’s pleasant to everyone. Everything that can accumulate on your furniture, especially organic matter from humans and pets, can add an odour to your home. Regular cleaning will help to keep your home smelling fresh and clean.

How Often Should You Clean Your Furniture?

After all that, it’s time to mind out how often to clean your chairs and sofas. But, again, it depends on many things, including how often it’s used and if you have children and pets.

Of course, you should clean spills and marks as soon as possible after they happen. Also, like your carpets and area rugs, you can only clean your furniture to a point. Occasional deep cleaning, using specialized equipment or furniture cleaning services, is recommended.

So, while you’ll need to determine a frequency of cleaning that works for you, your family, and your furniture, here are a few suggested guidelines for an ‘average’ situation.

• Vacuum upholstery, including under-seat cushions every week or two
• Deep clean with a steam cleaner, other equipment or a professional service, once a year
• Consider options to keep your furniture cleaner, including flipping seat cushions and using covers over ‘high-traffic’ areas like chair arms and anywhere bare skin or hair might contact the furniture.

If you found this post helpful, check out our recent article ‘3 Reasons Why You Need a Mattress Protector.’