How to Clean Vinyl

Helping Your Vinyl Furniture Stay Clean and Last Long

There are a large variety of uses for vinyl. Furniture is one of the more popular uses and sadly vinyl is misconstrued as being a “cheap” or “poor” alternative to leather. As it is clearly less expensive to manufacture it should not be considered against when selecting and buying furniture. It’s ideal in furniture uses due in large part of its durability, toughness, and resistance to dirt, soil, and water. Vinyl is basically plastic and is made from petroleum. If maintained properly, a product that is made from vinyl fabric will be resilient and easy to care for and will last for many years. On the other hand, if not cared for, it will wear and eventually deteriorate. The steps below can aide you in your care of vinyl fabric, particularly the upholstery on your furniture.

To clean the vinyl fabric begin by vacuuming all surfaces of your furniture.

If it’s a spill be sure to completely remove excess liquids from the furniture.

A mild dish detergent and water are the best cleaning agents for your vinyl. Use a clean sponge or cloth and with the soapy water simply wipe off the vinyl to remove dirt, stains, or any other harmful deposits. Do this on a consistent basis so the undesired substances do not accumulate. There are many types of detergents that are appropriate for cleaning vinyl, but even still, be careful when selecting what’s under your kitchen sink.

Never use harsh cleaning solvents or cleansers on vinyl, especially abrasive cleaners. This could definitely harm your furniture and/or discolor the vinyl. Make sure to check the product’s warning and use labels before using. Remember, you may want to try a test (hidden) area to when first using your cleaner.

To remove more difficult stains you could always try rubbing alcohol or hairspray. If that doesn’t work you could try a mixture of 10% bleach and 90% water. Remember the “hidden area technique” if you are unsure of the reaction of your mixture.