What to know before you get your couch cleaned

Your couch and chairs need to be cleaned but you may be unsure how to proceed.  It's best to contact a professional cleaner to perform this service for you.  Why?  Because lots can go wrong when cleaning upholstered furniture and it can end up looking worse than it did before.

First, find a cleaner.  Most rug and carpet cleaners also do upholstery.  
Once you've secured a company, have them out to look at the furniture first to ascertain how best to approach the job.  Be sure to point out any specific stains and what you think may have caused them.
Questions to ask are:

• Is the fabric on my furniture dry cleanable or will it require a wet clean?  Sometimes the fabric is so dirty, dry products will just not get the job done.   
• Will you test the fabric before proceeding?  Based on what you find, how will you proceed?
• How will you prevent staining or color bleeding?
• How will the furniture dry?  Is air drying best or will you apply some type of dry air?

You may hire the best professional cleaner in your area however some furniture is so worn or dirty making it impossible to restore the upholstery completely.  However, your professional cleaner should speak honestly to you about what results you can expect.