Upholstery cleaning Salem NH

Humans have been making and using furniture for thousands of years and the oldest piece of furniture still in existence is 2,700 years old. This furniture is a wooden mausoleum in Ankara Turkey and is composed of spruce, yew, and juniper wood.

Ancient furniture was made from a range of different materials including stone, metal, straw, and ivory. Ancient furniture was also covered by ancient forms of upholstery which would normally be animal skins. Having upholstered furniture meant people had to have cleaning methods and in ancient times the cleaning would be done by beating the upholstery with a stick or using a slightly dampened piece of material and rubbing the upholstery.

In today’s environment, upholstery has changed due to the introduction of synthetic material but cleaning methods used by modern-day cleaning companies like ProClean upholstery cleaning Salem NH have changed quite markedly.

Different types of upholstery fabrics

There is an extensive range of materials that are used for making upholstery fabric and these are divided into two categories natural and synthetic. Natural fabrics have been used as upholstery for thousands of years and synthetic material has been used since the 1930s when Nylon was first invented. Although they have only been used for a comparatively short period of time synthetic fiber upholstery is used considerably more than the natural material.

The synthetic material has several advantages including; The natural material fabrics include;

Cotton
Cotton is the most widely used natural fiber in the world and also one of the cheapest. Cotton is often used in upholstery because it does not absorb a lot of moisture it provides good insulation, it is comfortable, hypoallergenic, comparatively weatherproof, and it is durable. The downside of cotton is that it stains easily and tends to catch dust and dirt particles.

Silk
Opulent, luxurious, silky smooth, and enchanting are just some of the adjectives used to describe silk. Silk is generally recognized as a luxurious fabric and this reputation comes from its being smoother, softer, and more luxurious than other fabrics. Silk originates from ancient China where because of its smoothness and luxurious appearance it was exclusively reserved for royalty and the rich.

Silk is a delicate fabric which means it is easily stained and damaged, and it also means when cleaning silk it is essential that you call professional cleaners such as ProClean upholstery cleaning Salem NH who have experience dealing with silk and will clean it using appropriate methods and not damage it.

WOOL
Another common form of material used in upholstery is wool. Wool is one of the materials that human beings have been using for thousands of years. In fact, humans have been using wool since 10,000 BCE. Wool has primarily been used for warmth and comfort but also as a form of upholstery.

The advantages of wool include;

Wool is considered to be a hypoallergenic material which means it is resistant to the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew all of which can trigger allergic reactions. Dust and dirt do not collect as much in wool as they do in other materials and wool is considered a breathable material.  

The hypoallergenic nature of wool means that it doesn’t have to be cleaned by professional cleaners like ProClean upholstery cleaning Salem NH as regularly as other materials.

Wool contains a high level of nitrogen and water which makes it a natural flame retardant, it is energy efficient and retains warmth, it is durable and hard-wearing, and being a one hundred percent natural material, it is also eco-friendly.

Leather is another natural material that humans have been using for thousands of years. Leather has the advantage of being more durable, stain-resistant, and comfortable than many other materials, plus it is easy to clean.

Another very common natural material is linen. Linen is a particularly favored material because it is easy to print on and is the best material to highlight intricate designs, and as an added bonus linen is also one of the least expensive materials.

The downside of linen is that it stains easily and can shrink when washed. Professional cleaners such as ProClean upholstery cleaning Salem NH are well aware of linens sensitivity and will take extra precautions when cleaning so as to avoid any damage.

Synthetic material
Synthetic materials that are often used in making upholstery include polyester, polypropylene, nylon, acrylic, and rayon. All of these synthetic materials have the advantage of being cheaper to purchase, can be used together in a blend of materials, are more resistant to wrinkling, recyclable, resistant to fading, resistant to dirt and allergen accumulation, and are more easily cleanable.

Upholstery made from synthetic material can be cleaned by individuals but as with natural materials, it is better to use professional cleaners like ProClean upholstery cleaning Salem NH.