Some of the different types of upholstery services include upholstery cleaning, upholstery repair, and complete replacement of upholstery. Most upholstery services are related to furnishings, although they can also involve upholstery in automobiles or marine craft. Most of the time, upholstering is done by trained professionals, but some who need upholstery services decide to attempt the work on their own.
One of the most common types of upholstery services revolves around cleaning upholstered furniture. This can be done by a variety of methods, including dry spot cleaning and thorough steam cleaning. Hiring a professional to take care of soiled upholstery is more common when the upholstery fabric is expensive or difficult to clean. This would include many types of silk or natural fiber fabrics. Many fabric blends, such as polyesters and acrylics, are often pretreated to be soil-resistant, and usually do not require thorough cleaning as often as do natural fiber fabrics.
Those who plan to make use of a company that specializes in upholstery services should probably request a written contact. The contract should outline what is expected and a time frame for completing the work. In addition, if the upholstered items are to be removed to the service’s place of business, the contract should clearly indicate who has the responsibility of transport. Liability is also an important factor, so a written description of how and when any damages will be paid should be included in written form. It might be a good idea to take photographs to document the condition of the upholstered items prior to the beginning of work.
In many cases, the upholstery on a piece of furniture will wear out well before the frame itself. In these cases, many people decide to have the upholstery replaced rather than purchasing another piece. Many upholstery services are full-scale operations, and may even have fabric available for purchase. Some employ interior decorators to help assist in determining the most suitable fabrics both in terms of décor and suitability. It may be a good idea to furniture shop before making a decision about re-upholstering, because it is sometimes more expensive than purchasing a brand new piece.
One alternative to hiring upholstery services would be a “do it yourself” method, which is obviously much easier when the piece only needs to be cleaned. Steam cleaners can be rented by the day at many grocery stores and retailers. These cleaners typically have upholstery attachments designed for home use. In addition, steam cleaners intended for residential purposes can usually be purchased for less than $200 US Dollars (USD). Though not inexpensive, in the long run purchasing these tools may end up saving money on both maintenance and furniture replacement.