Some pre-existing damage on upholstered furniture will be immediately obvious to your cleaner and will be discussed with you prior to the cleaning being undertaken. However some pre-existing damage will not be so obvious, and may be hidden by soiling, only becoming evident after the cleaning process begins. Hidden damage can include:
1. Colour loss - Soiling can damage colour and then hide the colour loss it has caused. Body oils, and especially salt from perspiration, may cause a significant amount of colour loss. The condition is most often seen in very dark fabrics. Colour loss can also result from exposure to sunlight and from airborne pollutants. All colour loss will become more apparent after cleaning.
2. Loss of ‘finish’ or ‘glaze’ - Some fabrics have a shiny finish that is easily damaged by body oils, soiling and abrasion. In some cases cleaning may remove this finish. Most often, however, the finish is durable to cleaning but wears off in heavy usage areas such as arms and cushions. As with colour loss, this damage is often not apparent until after cleaning.
3. Texture damage - The cushions and tops of the arms of velvet furniture will matt down after even light use. Depending on the fibres used, this dulled appearance may be permanent. Natural fibres are harder to bring back to their original appearance than synthetics; even synthetic materials, however, may be permanently distorted. Grooming a velvet fabric after cleaning should remove wand marks and restore much of the original softness, but unfortunately it will not make heavily worn areas ‘as good as new’.
The good news is, however, that a professional, fully-trained upholstery cleaning technician will always conduct a thorough pre-clean survey prior to cleaning and, if hidden damage is suspected, will then be able will be able to make the necessary adjustments to the cleaning procedure to ensure the best results possible and avoid any further damage. Any potential problems that may arise from the cleaning process, and any possible limitations within the cleaning procedure, will be recorded in writing and will be presented to you before the work is carried out.
In these instances it is always a good idea to read through your copy of the pre-inspection survey thoroughly and carefully, and to voice any concerns you may have, prior to the cleaning process taking place.
Sourced from: http://www.ncca.co.uk
Art of Clean are specialists in:
Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.
