Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[marilyn]

I tried to clean my upholstered chair in my living room and it looked find at first but now whenever the weather is damp the chair gets damp and the stain shows. I may have wet it too much when i cleaned it. Is there anything I can do to dry it out? tks marilyn

[mrscleannw]

Hello Marilyn,

Welcome and thank you for posting your question.

It's possible that there could be a solution but we can't tell you for sure since you don't mention what the stain/spill was that you cleaned up.

If the stain had a chance to soak too long before you cleaned it or if too much cleaner was used to clean the stain - it's possible the stain only seeped further into the padding of the chair. You may want to contact a professional; if this is a special chair, it may need re-upholstered.

If it was a spill that happened, always blot up as much liquid before starting the cleaning process and don't overdo the liquids you use when cleaning or you can cause the stain to go deeper and possibly spread it.

Here is an article for upholstery cleaning you may find helpful in the future and other stain removal tips that might come in handy.
Upholstery Cleaning

Stain Removal Tips

[arvil]

I clean my upholstered furniture by first vacuuming thoroughly. Next, I mix a couple of tblsps of Oxiclean with 1/2 a gallon of hot water. Using a white facecloth (so I can see the dirt) I take the cloth and wring it out, not a whole lot, but enough to not saturate the upholstery too much. Going with the grain, I wash it down completely, meaning if I'm only washing the arm of the chair I wash the arm entirely, not just the dirty spot, I find if I don't wet it all, it dries all streaky looking.
I try not to use a brush because I'm afraid it will cause wear and tear on the fabric, but if the spot won't come out with the washcloth, I will use an old toothbrush.
After the washing, I do a quick rinsing with cold water, again using the white facecloth.
Once the furniture is dry I apply Scotchguard Protector. This really does help repel spills and I find it makes the fabric have more 'body' and look like new again.
I have tried a lot of upholstery cleaning products over the years, but Oxiclean gives me the best results.
Happy cleaning and I hope my suggestion helps.

[mrscleannw]

Hello arvil,

Thank you for your post and telling us what has worked for you.

The only thing I will add is to always do a spot check somewhere inconspicuous before cleaning.

Mrs. Clean

[chem2clean]

Its possible that when cleaning the fabric it water marked.
Is the fabric cotton are something similar.
Try a oxidizing agent on the stain and see if that helps.
Good luck