How to Choose an Upholstery Fabric

By Beth Larson,

close window

Reupholstering an old piece of furniture is a great way to update it and help it to match with your decor. One of the most fun parts of upholstering is choosing the fabric. There are many different types of upholstery fabrics available to choose from. Here the benefits and downsides of some of the most popular upholstery fabrics to help make your decision easier and to be sure that you get a fabric that is perfect for your room.

Leather
Although leather is more expensive than other types of upholstery fabric it is extremely durable and can last for years. It also brings a certain elegance to a piece of furniture and helps it to look upscale and classic. Leather is one of the most popular choices in upholstery fabric because of its durability and simply because it looks beautiful.

Vinyl
Although vinyl upholstery fabric may seem like a good alternative to leather, it actually can be quite uncomfortable to sit on. Not only that but over time it has a tendency to crack as it ages which means it won't last nearly as long as many other types of upholstery fabric. The main benefit of choosing vinyl for your upholstery fabric is that it is easy to clean; however the uncomfortable texture and relatively short lifetime should be considered before choosing vinyl for your furniture.

Linen
Linen is probably not the best choice for upholstery fabric for most people. Linen wrinkles easily and also takes a lot of care to help keep it clean. The fibers in linen can have a tendency to stretch which means it will also require extra care to help keep its shape. When it comes to upholstery fabric there are much better choices than linen.

Denim or Heavy Cotton Fabric
Denim or heavy cotton fabrics are a great choice for upholstering a piece of furniture. Cotton fibers are durable and tough and stand up well to most types of cleaning solutions and to every day wear and tear. Look for cotton fabric or denim that is color fast for ease of cleaning. After you've upholstered the furniture consider treating the fabric with a stain resistant spray to help protect it.

Top 10 Ways To Care For Your Carpet


Top 10 Ways To Care For Your Carpet

Submitted by Stephen Winters on Tue, 09/18/2012 - 12:52
Written and Submitted by Samson Rollins on Thu, 11/26/2009 - 11:33
Protecting your flooring investment and maintaining your carpet will promote a healthy, clean indoor environment. Here are a few quick and simple ways to keep your carpet and flooring up to par.
  1. Vacuum your carpet regularly, especially in high traffic areas. Approximately 75 percent of soil in carpet is dry and can be removed with the vacuum cleaner.
  2. Use a vacuum with a beater bar that is set to the correct height for your carpet pile. If the setting is too high for your carpet, you may not be removing much soil. If it's too low, your carpet will take a beating. Changing the direction of the vacuum cleaner frequently will make vacuuming more effective. Regular vacuuming will improve the overall appearance of the carpet and protect your investment.
  3. Change the vacuum bag for goodness sakes. A vacuum cleaner can plug up and lose most of its efficiency just by allowing the bag to become too full. Most bags will have a line about one-third from the top. You should not allow the bag to fill above this line before changing it.
  4. Have your carpet professionally cleaned on a regular schedule. Most of the large carpet manufacturers suggest having the carpet cleaned every 12 to 18 months. The frequency will depend on factors such as: number of pets in the home, number of children in the home, and the level of traffic that the carpet receives. If you have newer carpet be sure to read your warranty. Many of the carpet manufactures are starting to specify how often you must get it cleaned in order to maintain its warranty. Many also state that the cleaning must be performed by an IICRC certified cleaning company.
  5. Deal with the spills and spots as soon as possible. Proper spotting technique goes beyond the scope of this article, but when in doubt stay away from harsh over-the-counter cleaners which can sometimes set the stains and create a more permanent headache.
  6. Use entrance or walk-off mats in each of the homes outsides doorways. This will significantly reduce the amount of soil that is tracked into your home. The larger they are the more effective they will be. Don't forget, you must clean these mats regularly as well. 
  7. Reapply Protective Coating Regularly. Most carpet gets a protective coating applied to it during the manufacturing process. The purpose of this coating is to give it some stain resistance. Over time this coating will out due to factors such as: foot traffic, furniture, pets, spills and cleanings. If your long-term goal is to keep your carpet looking its best, it is important to have this coating reapplied on a regular interval.
  8. Avoiding soil filtration stains. Have you ever been in a home that had dark stains in the door ways of rooms and/or around the baseboards? These are usually known as filtration stains and are caused by air rushing through the carpet fibers and leaving behind some stuff that is floating around in it. The carpet in these areas is simply working as an air filter, collecting the oil, smoke, dirt, dust and anything else that may in it. One of the best ways to help minimize this problem is to make a practice of keeping the internal doors open. This helps to equalize the air pressure through-out the house and slow down the air movement in these areas.
  9. Avoid walking on the carpet with dirty shoes and even bare feet. Walking on the carpet with clean socks is one of the best ways to keep it dirt and oil free.
  10. Keep the pets off the carpet. Look, I love pets but they are one of the main culprits when it comes to causing carpet stains and odors. Samson Rollins is an owner of RoyaltyServicesGroup. The Carpet Cleaning experts located in Northern Utah. RoyaltyServicesGroup    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samson_Rollins