How to clean and care for your
Crypton upholstery and furniture.
How to clean and care.
Regular and proper maintenance of your upholstery fabric permits less frequent cleaning. Maintenance is routine, on-going care which reduces soil build-up on a fabric’s surface. This includes promptly treating spots and stains.
One of the best ways to keep Crypton fabrics looking fresh is to brush off dirt before it becomes embedded in the fabrics and wipe up spills or clean soon after a stain occurs. The faster you clean spills and stains, the easier they can be to remove.
For residential furniture cleaning services, we recommend Stanley Steemer.
Routine maintenance and overall care.
Sofas are one of the most high-traffic areas in people’s homes, and messes are destined to happen. Stains are the immediate threat, but everyday dust can cause dinginess over time.
Just as your bookshelf or TV stand collects dust, so too does your couch—it’s just not as easy to see. But when you have a light or white colored fabric (hello nomad snow) dust shows so much more.
Vacuuming prevents dirt from becoming embedded in fibers, and it makes a big difference in the rate at which your couch becomes dingy. Stains are also going to be more difficult to clean if there is hair, fur, lint, dust, or other debris in the way.
To increase a couch’s lifespan and keep it looking fresh, vacuum it regularly (every other week is always a good idea), and be prepared to clean up messes quickly.
- Vacuum regularly (ever 1-2 weeks) with a proper upholstery attachment to thoroughly remove air-borne dust and lint.
- Promptly treat spots and stains. See spot cleaning instructions.
- Turn and rotate loose cushions to equalize wear and soiling.
- Clean periodically to remove accumulated dirt and retain the fabric’s original appearance. If you have a light colored fabric this step is important as dirt and dust are much more visible on white or cream fabrics! This can be done with a hot water extraction cleaner or professional hot water upholstery cleaning service. *Make sure to specify no added solvents. See extraction step by steps below.
- Remove any cleaner residue by rinsing or extraction to avoid future buildup. Remember soap attracts dirt, so be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse!
- Rinsing is key for all soft surfaces.
- How to rinse a sofa? The easiest and most effective way to rinse a sofa after cleaning or disinfection is with an extractor. This will ensure a thorough clean and your sofa will look amazing.
Oh no, you have a spill!
Try this spot cleaning method first:
Most liquids simply roll off of Crypton fabrics, or they can be quickly blotted off the surface with a dry towel or sponge. The spot cleaning method of stain removal can be used for most light to medium stains, such as coffee, soda, crayon, and ketchup. Be careful to brush lightly since fibers can be broken or matted during the cleaning process.
Spot cleaning method.
- Before spot cleaning, blot up liquids on the surface with a clean, soft towel and brush off any loose dirt.
- Prepare a cleaning solution of 1/4 tsp mild, enzyme detergent, such as Tide®, Woolite® or Dawn® dishwashing liquid, per 1 cup of lukewarm water.
- Apply the cleaning solution using a misting spray bottle. Do NOT oversaturate when applying the cleaning solution.
- Work the solution into the affected area by lightly scrubbing the area with a sponge or soft bristle brush. Make sure to work from the outside of the stain inward so as not to spread the stain and rinse your sponge or brush frequently.
- Allow cleaning solution to soak into the fabric.
- Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residues, as residues will attract dirt. Blot excess moisture with a clean, soft towel or sponge.
- Repeat steps 3-6 as needed.
- Allow fabric to air dry.
Additional cleaning videos.
Try hot water extraction cleaning for tougher stains.
What is extraction cleaning?
Hot water extraction is the process of injecting hot water and cleaning solution in to the pile of the fabric to dislodge any debris, whilst extracting any dirt and stains from the upholstery using powerful wet vacuums. This process is commonly used in professional carpet and upholstery cleaning (such as Stanley Steemer) as well as a consumer product such as the Bissell Green Machine.
The extraction cleaning method of stain removal can be used for most medium or ground-in stains.
Extraction cleaning method.
We recommend working with a local professional in your area for an overall cleaning of upholstery (especially if you have light colored fabrics like white). The same companies that clean rugs and carpets also clean upholstered furniture, for example Stanley Steamer. These companies have professional grade hot water extraction machines that provide the best results.
If you are using a rented upholstery cleaner from places like Home Depot or Lowes or you own your own upholstery/rug cleaner like a Bissel Green Machine follow the steps below.
- Before extraction cleaning ensure all spots or spills have been cleaned by following the spot cleaning steps above.
- Wet-vacuum or blot excess moisture with a clean, soft towel (this is if you had to perform any spot cleaning prior). Follow directions on filling your extracting machine (we recommend only hot water, no cleaning solution as soap can attract more dirt over time).
- Place the nozzle on the upholstery, and slowly and evenly suction off the moisture.
- Always wet connected upholstered surfaces completely with water to avoid water marks during drying.
- Repeat the procedure until you can no longer extract any dirt from the fabric.
- If you need to, rinse once or twice with clear water
- Allow ample time for upholstery to dry
- Thoroughly vacuum again once dry, ideally the next day.