Upholstery Calculators and Tips

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before

It seems there has been no shortage of "before and after" shots of reupholstered furniture on the design blogs lately, and we are all for it. There's nothing more satisfying than turning someone's castoffs into the perfect pieces to compliment your home - it's not only a green option, but a relatively inexpensive one, too. Here are some tips to keep in mind...

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after

Smaller projects (such as dining room chair, or simple headboard) can often be completed on your own, but we recommend taking any piece that needs internal work, has tricky areas (such as pleats around the arms), or is of great value to you, to an upholsterer.

As with any skilled trade, getting a piece professional upholstered can get expensive quickly. One way to cut down on the price is to buy your own fabric separately, from a discount supplier or other such vendor. We recommend using a heavier-duty fabric, such as canvas, to prevent early signs of wear. 

If you've inherited a cheap piece or thrifted something inexpensive and don't want to put a lot of money into it, you might consider trying to reupholster it on your own. Make sure to check out some guides or books to help walk you through the process.




Images: Tigerlillyshop

Útiles consejos para cuidar la tapicería en cuero de su vehículo

Se debe lavar simplemente con agua y toalla de microfibra. Los disolventes, siliconas y limpiadores, con amoníaco dañan el material.

La tapicería de los vehículos requiere de sencillos cuidados de limpieza, de forma periódica, en especial cuando esta es de cuero, la cual exige una mayor atención en comparación a la de tela, paño o vinilo.

El cuero ha sido utilizado durante años por los fabricantes de vehículos de media y alta gama. Sin embargo, algunos propietarios no saben donde o como hacer una adecuada limpieza, pues no todos los centros de embellecimiento se le miden a hacerlo.

Si la idea es limpiarla usted mismo, debe tener en cuenta que en el mercado encontrará diversos productos para este fin.

De acuerdo con Imapar –multinacional colombiana especializada en esta clase de tapizado–, la mayoría de los productos de limpieza, disolventes o siliconas, contienen amoníaco, enemigo letal del cuero, por lo que ellos simplemente recomiendan el uso del agua.

Un proceso simple
Antes de proceder a limpiarlo, es importante aspirar muy bien la superficie de los asientos para extraer todo el polvo, especialmente, el que se incrusta entre las costuras propias del tapizado.

Posteriormente mediante el uso de una toalla de microfibra, humedecida en agua y realizando movimientos circulares, se logra limpiar de manera uniforme las sillas y espaldares. Si la suciedad es severa, puede utilizar un cepillo, pero asegúrese que sea de cerdas suaves.

Para finalizar, se debe pasar de nuevo una toalla de microfibra seca con el fin de retirar los excesos de agua, y se debe dejar airear el interior, por espacio de media hora. Este simple proceso lo debe hacer tres veces al año.

Restauración del cuero es posible

Por tratarse ya de un trabajo avanzado, en el cual muy seguramente necesitará de tintura, es mejor que lo realice un profesional en el tema. Es importante tener en cuenta que el cuero no debe presentar agujeros ni cortes profundos, para garantizar una buena reparación.

Para cuidar el cuero…

*Luego de limpiar la superficie, puede frotar la superficie con crema hidratante y un trapo limpio, retirándola después con otra toalla limpia y seca. Esto ayuda para que el cuero no pierda su elasticidad y suavidad original.
*No coloque sobre los asientos elementos punzantes, prendas engrasadas o herramientas que puedan rayar o cortar el cuero.
*Evite subir animales al interior del auto. Pueden dañar el cuero con dientes y uñas.
*No limpie el cuero con elementos de limpieza abrasivos, disolventes o siliconas. Contienen amoníaco, enemigo letal del cuero.
Fuente: Imapar

Así es un buen asiento de cuero*Jamás destiñe.
*No se reseca ni se cuartea ‘con nada’.
*Es inmune a los rayos del sol.
*No ‘se queda pegado’ a la espalda cuando está haciendo mucho calor.
*Sus hilos nunca se descosen y son de muy buena calidad.
*Jamás pierde su forma.
*El relleno es resistente y durable.

How To Clean Velvet Upholstery

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I don't buy into the I-can't-have-nice-things-because-I-have-a-pet hype. This is especially true when it comes to textiles in my home. So when I spotted a gorgeous velvet sofa on Craigslist for a song, I did my research and went for it.

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Our sweet, slobbery dog isn't allowed on furniture (don't worry, he isn't neglected —he has a bed in every room and gets ample cuddle time each day) but that doesn't keep him from the occasional, stealthy snuggle on the sofa when our eyes are averted. So when I spied a few goobery areas on the velvet recently, I knew just how to go about cleaning it.

It's always important before you clean to first find out what the cleaning code on your piece of furniture is. I purchased my sofa used and was unable to locate the code under any cushions, but after some research found that it was still available for sale online, so I contacted the manufacturer for details. Velvet is most often a code "S" which means it must be treated with cleaning solvents (dry clean only) and will not react well with water (it flattens and damages the fibers, leaving behind a nasty white ring!). Since I'm heartily opposed to bringing harsh chemicals into my home, I tested the lemon juice and baking soda method and was very happy with the end results!

What You Need

Materials

• Baking soda
• Lemon juice
• Glass bowl
• Washcloth or clean rag
• Vacuum and brush attachment

Instructions

As always, test an inconspicuous area on your furniture first, to see how your fabric reacts with the cleaning solution before cleaning the entire piece.

1. With your brush attachment, lightly vacuum your piece of furniture along the nap. This is a weekly cleaning method, and also the first step in spot cleaning stains.

2. Mix your solution of lemon juice and baking soda. For spot cleaning, I used about two tablespoons of baking soda and filled the bowl with lemon juice until I had a decent amount of foam to work with. If you are planning to clean an entire sofa, you'll want to use a slightly larger bowl and will probably end up mixing the solution a few more times.

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3. Skim the foam with a soft cloth and wipe. Whatever you do, don't rub the solution into the velvet, stick with long, straight movements along the nap.

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4. The upholstery shouldn't take too long to dry, but I like to let mine sit for 3-5 hours just to be sure.

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(Image credits: Ashley Poskin)

Tips on How To Spot Clean Old or Set-In Stains on Upholstery

By this point I'm reasonably certain that the majority of responsible furniture owners are aware that spills and stains on upholstery should be cleaned immediately, with all due haste. It's the right thing to do, and stands the best chance of successful stain removal. But, let's consider for a moment the times when it's just not possible to immediately handle a stain.

A quick search of the internet might lead you to believe that no one in the history of the world has failed to blot and treat a spill in a timely manner, and you and your upholstery are utterly doomed because your stains have set-in and nothing short of inventing a time machine, crashing the lively spaghetti and red wine party that marred the vintage set of dining chairs you just scored at the flea market, and cleaning those spills when they occur will be of any use in removing the stains. All kidding aside, and in spite of several Google search result pages to the contrary, there are things you can do to revive a stained piece of upholstery, even if the staining took place long ago.

In unfortunate true stories from my life, a few years ago (unbeknownst to me) a mover cut himself and bled on all of my living room furniture while loading it into storage for three months and I only discovered the stains upon moving into my new apartment. I was blown away, there were blood smears on everything. I really wish this person had spoken up and taken advantage of the ample first aid kit I tote with me during moves, but he didn't. So, in addition to being worried about the mover and what his work situation must be like if he's afraid to mention being wounded on the job, I had a lot of set-in stains to deal with. Really, a lot.

Here's what I learned along the way about getting old stains out of upholstery:

Vacuum: Upholstery should be vacuumed frequently to keep the fabric in good shape and prevent dust and crumbs from settling into the body of the furniture. In the case of an old stain, it's surprising how much a simple vacuuming can help the fade the stain. It should always be the first step in dealing with this kind of damage, you don't really know what you're dealing with, or how bad the stain truly is until all of the loose particles have been sucked away by the vacuum.

Assess: Check your furniture for its cleaning codes. This gets you on the right track of how to best tackle your stain. Some pieces can be cleaned with water, others will require moving directly into various solvents. If your furniture lacks a cleaning code, which is often the case with vintage and antique pieces that have been modified over the years, do a simple spot test on a hidden piece of upholstery. I like to test water, vodka, and vinegar because they're always my first choices for cleaning, before getting into the more heavy-hitting chemical stuff.

Steam: If your furniture can be cleaned by water hitting the stain with a bit of steam loosens it up and makes the stain more responsive to treatment. I typically just grab my iron and and use the steam button for this application, I don't find it necessary to drag out the steamer to deal with small areas.

Clean, Phase 1: This is the phase where you cross your fingers and hope that a simple solution is all that's needed. If your furniture can be cleaned with water, mix a little dish soap with cool water, and using a wrung out sponge blot the stain with the soap mixture. Take care not to rub at the stain, at this point it's unlikely that the stain will set in deeper, but rubbing can weaken and pill your fabric. Rinse the sponge and use just water to blot out some of the soap mixture. Press dry with a cloth or paper towels. If your furniture cannot be cleaned with water, use vinegar or vodka on a cloth to blot the stains. The smell of both vinegar and vodka will disappear when the area is dry.

Clean, Phase 2: Time to go heavy duty and break out the cleaners. Any cleaner you choose to use should be spot tested in a discrete place on the piece of furniture. Some people swear by Resolve, or Tuff Stuff, and Jenny Komenda ofLittle Green Notebook has had some truly remarkable results with Folex. I'm fortunate that my stains came out without having to venture into this territory, but on several separate occasions when an entire glass of red wine or a mug of hot coffee has spilled Wine Away has been a real life saver. It managed to entirely remove red wine stains (caused by an unfortunately placed glass being flung across the room by an exuberant hand gesture) from the two brand-new cream side chairs in my living room.

Repeat: If your stain has survived this entire cleaning process, you are dealing with one stubborn stain. As exhausting—and possibly irritating—as the process can be, doing it all over again can give you the result you're looking for. The previously mentioned wine on white chairs situation took two full passes before the stains came out. I really thought when I entered Phase 2 for the second time that there was no way these stains were going anywhere, but perseverance paid off and the stains disappeared!

Celebrate: The seemingly impossible to remove set-in stain has been conquered! Hooray! Feel free to share your accomplishments with friends, so long as you offer to help out if they ever have need of your stain removing powers.

Prepare: Just in case a spill happens in the future that you can take care of immediately, here are some tips and tricks for how to spot clean upholstery stains that have just happened.

How To: Use Upholstery Spray Paint

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Project: How To Use Upholstery Spray Paint
Time: 45 minutes (doesn't include drying time)

As I mentioned in a comment here, I was given a few cans of upholstery spray paint to try out. With a little upholstered $7.99 footstool from Goodwill, I set to work. My stool had a textured square design which was badly stained on top, the perfect guinea pig for this test. After spraying the piece three times, I got the color of brown I was wanting. The smell was minimal, drippage was slight at first, and I would have liked to coat it one more time if I had another can of paint. After completely drying, the fabric is soft and pliable, not at all like the stiffness of latex paints and the result is completely different than traditional paint. I would recommend this product for anyone in need of a quick fix or tired of their dingy upholstery.

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• Piece of upholstered furniture with absorbant fabric
• Cans of upholstery spray paint (varies depending on the project)
• A clean rag to blot up paint

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Step by Step:

1. Clean all top surface crud off of the entire piece to be painted
2. Begin spraying off of the furniture and then move spray over onto fabric at a 6" to 8" distance
3. Cover entire piece with nice even, sweeping motions
4. Let first coat dry
5. Repeat painting with a second coat, blotting any areas of paint buildup
6. Let dry and continue step 5 until you achieve your desired color
7. Let dry completely and enjoy the new look
8. If the can of spray paint isn't empty, store it upside down in a cup of water to keep the nozzle clear

Cleaning Tips for Old Upholstery?

I'm proud to be the new owner of this vintage Bertoia diamond chair circa 1960-something. After a heart-pounding eBay auction, this baby finally arrived at my door (well, back door, thanks DHL)! Once I unpacked it and put it back together, I'm contemplating giving the full seat cover a thorough clean. Considering that the cover has the OG Knoll tags still attached, I wasn't expecting pristine or brand new--and luckily, there aren't any major stains on either.



I asked around to see if any of my fellow vintage-loving furniture scavengers had any tips of products they've used to clean up old upholstery before tackling the project. Here's a few tips (although if you've tried any of these and think they're bunk, let us know):

- Nature's Miracle or Resolve. I've honestly only used these cleaners for accidents of the pet kind, but it seems like it would be handy in doing some cleaning. And considering that it's geared towards pet damage, there's an added safety that it won't harm pets or children.

- Tuff Stuff. Also an interesting choice, but my neighbor swears by it. After all, he cleaned up a pretty major coffee stain in his car's upholstery...after it had already set a week later.

- Use a small steam cleaner, ie Bissel Power Steamer Pro, if you're really looking for some heavy duty help. I actually tried this out--just water and the Bissel--and it worked really well. No chemicals needed!

- Baking soda and vinegar