Taking care of linen upholstery fabric is a straightforward task. Yet there are some crucial things to keep in mind and prevent damage.
I have noticed that people only care to learn about the cleaning methods of the most luxurious upholstery fabric. For example, a friend of mine was worried about how to clean a leather fabric upholstery, but little do they know, that linen is also an expensive upholstery fabric, and requires some unique methods for cleaning.
Another misconception about linen, and wool upholstery fabric is the resemblance to cotton fabric. Many people who have linen upholstery furniture will claim that they need to follow the same cleaning methods as they were applying to clean cotton upholstery fabric.
The sole reason why one cannot follow the cotton upholstery cleaning methods for linen is its unique composition. It is also an organic and natural fabric, but it is not extracted from nature like cotton. Therefore, you cannot expect the same methods to work on it.
In this article, we will explore and discuss all the possible ways to clean linen upholstery fabric.
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No bleaches, please
Some people are fond of using bleach on their clothes. Not that it is a bad thing for fabrics. However, for some fabrics bleaching is not a good choice.
Linen fabric is on the list of such fabrics for which bleaching is not recommended. Flax fiber is used in making linen and bleach is not friendly to it at all. It not only weakens the fabric but discolors as well. Moreover, twisting and scrubbing the fabric is also discouraged as it damages the fibers.
Cleaning Stains From Linen with Detergent
Unfortunately, linen doesn’t resist stains. However, the stains can be removed if proper action is taken immediately. You can make a solution of water and detergent to soak the stained area. That means you can spot clean it.
However, before you apply the detergent, if you are about to clean a liquid spot, then it would be better to squeeze out the maximum amount of liquid. It can be done through blotting, we will advise you to keep tissue papers near your line upholstered sofa. So that you may immediately press out the liquid, and save your sofa from any stains.
Using Baking Soda to Clean Linen
Besides it, you can use baking soda, or club soda to spot clean the fabric. Use a towel and blot it on the stain with one of these ingredients.
All you need to do is make a mixture of soda and water. If the stain is pretty old, and you did not clean it when it happened, then you need to dampen that area for some time. This will make the process easier for you.
Once you have mixed the soda in plain water, take a dry cloth and blot it on the spot. You will need to repeat it several times, and get the final results.
Do not Wash Linen with Colored Fabrics
If you have light-colored or white linen upholstery covers for your sofa, and you need to wash them in a washing machine. Then do not wash them with colored fabrics, as linen tends to absorb even the slightest fabric
Use Covers to Avoid Shrinking
You might get upset upon knowing this but linen fabric can lose moisture really quickly. Therefore, there is a huge chance of shrinking. To avoid it, you must not place the linen upholstered sofas outside or near the window where there is a lot of wind.
If you cannot follow these guidelines, then the only way to avoid shrinkage is to cover these sofas.
The cons come when you procrastinate or become a little irresponsible. Forgetting to get the covers back on the sofa before they become completely dry will cause you to face shrinkage. Moreover, forgetting the temperature will cost you as well. So, here is the tip.
Let it Air Dry
When you have washed the linen fabric or sofas covered with line upholstery, we would advise you to keep them in an open area and let them air dry. There is no way that linen fabric will stay intact when you try to dry it with heat such as with an iron, or a hair dryer.
After washing the linen fabric, you will notice wrinkles on it. Linen is notorious for wrinkles. However, combating wrinkles is an easy task. There are a few ways to combat it. You can turn your dryer to a low temperature to remove the wrinkles. Make sure that you do not make the slipcovers dry completely. Besides, you can use your iron too. Keep your iron to medium-hot so that the fibers do not get damaged. You can also use a wet towel over the covers before ironing to prevent the fibers.
A little higher temperature can cut short the lifespan of your linen upholstery fabric. Wrinkles are a slight inconvenience that you will get with nearly every fabric.
Using Vinegar to Clean Light Stains
If you have some pets at your home, then they might make your sofa covers dirty. So to avoid such a situation, you must try cleaning the linen upholstered sofas and chairs with a damp cloth drenched in vinegar and water solution.
Vacuuming daily
Even though linen fabric is safe and it does not cause any harm, you still need to ensure that there is little to no bacteria in the covers. To do so, the only way would be to use a vacuum cleaner to wipe out all the germs.
Conclusion
The only best way to keep any upholstery fabric for a longer period is to learn the recommended methods to clean it. You must follow all the tips mentioned in this article to keep durable linen upholstery furniture.
