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How to Clean an Upholstered Chair

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According to The Inside, an upholstered chair is any kind of chair or seat that has a soft covering that makes it comfortable to sit on. Chances are that you have sat on and own such a chair and may not even realize this kind of chair needs to be regularly cleaned. With pets at home, this task can seem even more daunting. In this blog, we’ll be going over some easy tips to clean your upholstered chair. Here are some important dos and don’ts when it comes to keeping your upholstered chair looking its best.

1. Do Use a Pet Hair Remover — Cleaning an upholstered chair with pets at home presents an extra challenge for upholstered chair owners. One of the first things you’ll want to do before you clean your upholstery is to remove any pet hair from your furniture. Use a pet hair removal tool to remove the pet fur that you see on the chair. This tool works on any non-knit furniture at home, including fixtures and carpets as well.

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2. Do Blot Up Spills and Stains — Make sure you blot up spills or stains immediately with a paper towel or clean cloth. If you let the spill sit for too long, it’s more likely to stain your chair, and it’ll be harder to remove both odors and stains.

3. Do Use Pet-Safe Stain Removers — Sometimes stain removers contain harsh chemicals, so make sure you’re using a pet-safe stain remover. In general, especially with pets at home, you’ll want to use pet-friendly products that are non-toxic and biodegradable. Even if you don’t have a furry friend at home and don’t have to worry about having pet-safe cleaning supplies, it’s better for you and your home environment to use clean and natural cleaning products.

4. Do Use Pet-Friendly Upholstery Cleaner — An upholstery cleaner is specially designed to remove dirt and stains on upholstery, so you’ll want one that’s also pet-friendly. This is especially helpful if you’re dealing with a tough stain and need to do a deeper cleaning.

5. Do Vacuum the Chair Regularly — After you’ve done the deep cleaning of your upholstered chair, make sure you vacuum the chair regularly. Regularly vacuuming and cleaning your chair will help remove pet hair, dust and other debris instead of letting it build up over time.

6. Don’t Use a Dry Cleaning Solvent — You may be tempted to use a dry cleaning solvent to clean your upholstered chair. According to The Spruce, a dry cleaning solvent is a petroleum-based product that can dissolve stains without the use of water. However, the chemicals in this ingredient can be toxic to pets. Regardless of whether or not you have pets at home, cleaning furniture with a dry cleaning solvent is risky and requires caution since too much of it can damage the upholstery if you’re not careful.

7. Don’t Let Your Pets Sit on the Clean Furniture — This can be tricky, but after you clean your chair, don’t let your pet sit on it. If your chair is still drying after a deep cleaning, keep your pet away or else it won’t dry properly and it’ll have pet hair all over it  — again. You may need to either put your pet or the chair in a separate room to keep them away.

8. Don’t Scrub Upholstery Vigorously — Even if your upholstered chair looks dirty and stained, resist the temptation to scrub the upholstery vigorously. Rubbing or scrubbing the chair too harshly can actually damage the fabric. You may make the stains worse by rubbing them in even more. Remember to use the best pet hair remover first before you start cleaning or using any cleaning solutions on the chair. You don’t want to work on a chair that’s full of fur and deal with cleaning up wet fur.

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Even if you have furry friends running around your home, getting their fur all over your upholstered chairs and other furniture, don’t worry. By following these tips, you’ll be able to easily and effectively keep any of your upholstered chairs looking their best for years to come. Take it day by day and step by step, and remember to use helpful tools like our Uproot Cleaner Pro™. This pet hair remover tool can be used on any non-knit furniture at home to remove pet hair, and you can use it as a brush on your pet to remove excess fur, too! 

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