Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning

Before any cleaning agent touches a piece, identify what you are working with. Upholstery fibers fall into two broad families: natural (cotton, linen, wool, silk) and synthetic (polyester, nylon, olefin/polypropylene, acrylic, rayon/viscose). Each reacts differently to water, heat, and solvents, so misidentification is the leading cause of damage.

Start with the manufacturer cleaning code, usually on a tag under cushions or on the deck: W means water-based cleaners are safe; S means solvent (dry-clean) only; WS or SW means either; X means vacuum or light brushing only, no liquids. Never assume—an upholstered piece can pair a W-coded fabric with an X-coded trim.

When no tag exists, use a burn test on a hidden fiber: cotton and linen burn fast with a paper-like ash; wool and silk self-extinguish and smell like burnt hair; polyester and nylon melt into a hard bead and smell chemical; olefin melts and smells waxy. Confirm with a feel and visual check—rayon weakens dramatically when wet, which sets it apart from cotton.

Also classify the construction: woven, tufted, velvet/pile, chenille, leather, or microfiber. Pile and chenille distort if over-wetted or scrubbed against the nap. Document the fiber, code, and construction before proceeding. This identification step determines your method, dwell time, moisture level, and drying plan for everything that follows.