How to Clean Corduroy Upholstery
Cleaning your own upholstery can save a lot of money, but if it isn't done right, it could ruin your furniture, which is the same as throwing away the money you've invested in it.
Some inexpensive, do-it-yourself products on the market can help you do the job right, saving you money and protecting your investment at the same time.
Things You Will Need
- Woolite dry cleaning wipes
- Soft bristle brush
- Woolite liquid
- Clean, soft cloths
- Water
Tip
The most important thing to remember when cleaning anything made of corduroy is that any brushing on the fabric must be done in one direction. This is to preserve its nap. The ridges in corduroy are called wales, and to clean it you must brush the fabric along the wales. Brushing against the nap causes corduroy to look "roughed up."
Warning
Take care not to get the furniture too wet, because water can cause mold under the fabric.
Do not use heat or steam to clean your upholstered furniture, because it could discolor, shrink or permanently wrinkle your fabric.
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Vacuum your corduroy upholstered pieces thoroughly to remove as much dust and loose soil as possible.
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Find an inconspicuous spot on your furniture and test the Woolite wipes. Clean this spot thoroughly with the wipes and allow it to dry. These wipes are made primarily to use on clothing, but they also work well on upholstery fabrics.
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Brush the spot with the soft bristle brush in the direction of the corduroy's nap. Determine whether the wipes cleaned the fabric to your satisfaction and that they did not alter the fabric's color. If so, move on to Step 4. If not, go to Step 5.
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Clean the rest of the furniture with the wipe cloths, using as many as necessary to remove all of the soil. Go to Step 7.
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If the wipes did not clean the test spot to your satisfaction, make a cleaning solution with Woolite liquid for delicate fabrics mixed with water, about 1 tablespoon of Woolite to 1 gallon of water.
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Use a clean cloth dampened, not soaked, in the solution and wipe down the corduroy upholstery. Do a test spot first to see the effect on the fabric.
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Allow the furniture to air dry completely and brush with the soft bristle brush only in the direction of the corduroy's nap, along the wales.
The Drip Cap
- Cleaning your own upholstery can save a lot of money, but if it isn't done right, it could ruin your furniture, which is the same as throwing away the money you've invested in it.
- Use a clean cloth dampened, not soaked, in the solution and wipe down the corduroy upholstery.
Writer Bio
Susan Miller has been a professional journalist since 1990. She edited two weeklies for a chain of suburban newspapers and has written for the "Indianapolis Star," the "Indianapolis Business Journal" and several magazines, among other publications and websites. Miller studied design, photography and technology at Purdue University and Central Piedmont Community College.
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