Maintenance care of upholstery fabrics
Like all materials for everyday use, upholstery fabrics also need regular care. Soilings should not get too intensive to avoid complicating the cleaning measures and to extend the durability of the fabric. In principle, the cleaning and care instructions of the manufacturer should be observed. Lighter-colored covers should be cleaned more often, since soiling is more visible on them. This should be taken into consideration already when buying furniture. In case of light-colored fabrics, visible discolorations caused by other items, such as jeans, can occur more often. Due to friction, the dye is released and deposits on the upholstery fabric. This is not a quality flaw of the upholstery fabric but of the apparel fabric.
CHECKING COLOR FASTNESS:
Look for a hidden spot at your piece of furniture. If there is dust, remove it. Soak a white, soft cotton cloth with detergent (the cloth must be clean) and rub over the upholstery fabric. Only after drying you can tell if the upholstery fabric is colorfast. In case of Rohleder Q2 and Charmelle fabrics, almost all common household stains can be removed with a solution of warm water and mild detergent. Non water soluble stains can be removed using a solvent like for example acetone. Some discolorations can also be removed with diluted bleach. A detailed manual can be found on our homepage.
To choose the appropriate detergent, a preliminary test is necessary. pH-neutral agents should be used. Acid cleaners damage cotton and cellulose fabrics, alcaline cleaners aren’t suitable for wool fabrics. For effective cleaning it is important that the detergent is washed out completely to avoid renewed soiling.
REGULAR HYDRATION:
Basically, chemical fibers should be rubbed down with a clean, moist cotton cloth approximately every four weeks. Fabrics made of natural fibers absorb moisture by themselves, if the room humidity is high enough. In case the room humidity is too low, the fabric should also be rubbed down with a moist cloth occasionally. Otherwise the fibers lose strength, which can lead to fabric damages. In case of synthetic upholstery fabrics, dryness leads to electrostatic charge. This encourages the attraction of dust and pilling. As far as velour is concerned, regular moisturizing can prevent the pile from getting crushing/seating marks.
