One of the most outstanding pieces of furniture in a home is the sofa. Sofas make a huge statement on the unique taste and likes of the owner. One of the most alarming things about sofas is the amount of dust and pathogens it accumulates over time. This dirt and dust come from food, soil, children and pets. This means that one can get infections of the skin from a dirty sofa. It is also possible to get respiratory problems, or colds by inhaling the dust from the sofa and its cushions.
One of the ways to overcome this ordeal is by cleaning your sofa from time to time. There are many ways that one can use in cleaning the sofas. But, here we will concentrate on one of these methods. It is considered as the single best method to clean your sofa. This method uses three main steps. These steps include inspection of the sofa, use of a heated cleaning mixture and lastly rinsing with a special pH-balanced solution.
– In the first step a preliminary inspection is carried out. This is aimed at assessing how dirty the sofa is. All the problem areas are assessed in order to know how much dirt is deeply embedded in the sofa.
– This procedure must be done with personal protective equipment. This is needed because there is a high chance of the dust and dirt being disturbed, this makes it easier for them to be inhaled.
– It is important to identify the different types of dirt lodged on the seat. This includes grime, soil, dust mites and soil. Dust is the most common type of dirt in Singapore due to lose soils and strong winds.
– By identifying the different types of dirt one is able to know the amount of cleaning solution that will be used. It is also very important in determining the concentration of different cleaning solution. Some people even go to the extent of conducting microscopic examination of the sofa.
– This kind of thorough examination is necessary for sofas that have been exposed to pets over a long period of time without cleaning. Sometimes house owners set apart a sofa for their pets, this means that if the pet was carrying any disease causing microorganisms it will spread to the chair. This helps to determine if the sofa will be fumigated with pesticides.
– The second step in this process involves applying a heated cleaning mixture. This heated mixture is important because it helps to lift the deeply embedded dirt. Due to its high temperature it is able to remove any grime and other oily products present in the sofa.
– This solution should be sprayed at high pressure so that the force of the solution is able to penetrate the entire sofa. It also ensures that the dirt that is lodged in hard to reach areas are removed easily. This is also very important in loosening dirt that has stuck together, therefore makes them easy to be lifted.
– The high temperature also plays a role in the elimination of pathogens and their eggs. This will keep your sofa free of any disease causing microorganisms present in your sofa. It is at this stage that fumigation can take place. Fumigation should be done with a protective gas mask. This is because some of the chemicals contained in the pesticides used are not friendly to humans.
– It is important to keep the temperature of the solution high. This is necessary in the effectiveness of the cleaning solution.
– Some of the eggs of the pathogens found on your sofa can be resistant to low temperatures. They will therefore need to be exposed to high temperature for a long period of time. You can take 30-40 minutes while doing this procedure. Make sure the solution you use is of high quality and has disinfecting properties.
– The next step of this process involves using a special pH-balanced solution. This solution is used in rinsing off the dirt and grime that was lifted by the hot solution.
– The rinse is done for several times until the solution remains clear. A clear color means all the dust is out.
– There should also be no traces of oil or greasiness in the solution.
– It is important to use this solution and not plain water. This is because the first solution can be acidic or basic. A highly acidic solution if left on your sofa will damage your sofas fabric. A solution of high levels of bases will also damage your sofa. It is therefore important to use this stabilized solution to bring the level to a neutral one. A neutral level in pH-balance will ensure your sofa is safe from corrosion and damage. It is still important to wear protective clothing at this stage of cleaning your sofa.
– After doing the above your sofa will need to be dried. This can be done by putting the sofa outside to dry with the sun’s rays.
– It is also possible to use special driers that are able to suck out the moisture from the sofa.
– It is always advised to make sure the sofas are exposed to the sun after cleaning and drying. This is because the sun has a disinfecting effect. This is extremely convenient in Singapore due to the many days of sunny weather.
After doing all the above it is important to apply a good fabric protector on your sofa. Fabric protectors help to keep dirt away from your sofa. It is recommended that you top up the fabric cleaner after a thorough clean even if you had applied it before. This is because the protection weakens over time.
A good fabric protector should be able to offer protection for your sofa over a long period of time. It should also keep your sofa smelling clean and fresh. It is important to ensure that the products used in cleaning your sofa will not damage your sofa. They should be of good quality.
Another thing to consider especially during cleaning is that all problem areas are reached. Some corners or crevices on a sofa can end up being untouched. It is important that the cushions are also cleaned in this process.
This procedure offers you an extensive and effective method to clean your sofas. Not only does it leave it looking bright as new. But, it also gets rid of disease causing microorganisms this keeps you free from any related respiratory and skin infections.
