Material first
Fabric and Leather Upholstery Cleaning
Our upholstery fabric cleaning services and leather cleaning start with the same question: what is this piece actually made of? This page is for anyone with seating that doesn't fit a standard steam clean, such as leather lounges, velvet chairs, linen covers or booths that mix vinyl and fabric. It explains how each material is handled in Melbourne offices, venues and homes. For prices and the full service, see upholstery cleaning across Melbourne.
Fabric by code
How do upholstery fabric cleaning services use the cleaning code?
Good upholstery fabric cleaning services treat the manufacturer's code as the rule for what liquid can touch the fabric. We find the tag, read the code, then confirm it with a spot test, because older, faded or re-covered furniture doesn't always behave the way its label says.
The tag is rarely where people look first. On lounges it is usually stitched under a seat cushion or on the deck beneath it. On office chairs it is often a printed label under the seat pan. Booths and banquettes tend to have none at all, because they were upholstered on site. Where there is no tag, a supplier invoice or the fabric's product name can tell us the code.
Mixed-material pieces are more common in commercial fit-outs than people expect. A reception lounge may have fabric seats and faux leather arms; a task chair may have a fabric seat and a mesh back; a cafe booth is often vinyl on the seat and fabric on the back. We treat every material on the piece separately during one visit, working the seams between them by hand so a product meant for one never runs onto the other.
When the code and the test disagree, the test wins. A fabric that bleeds colour onto a white cloth is not wet-cleaned, whatever its label says.
| Code | What we do |
|---|---|
| W | Pre-spray, agitate, rinse and extract with warm water |
| S | Dry solvent applied by pad, blotted, no water rinse |
| W/S | Solvent on oily marks first, then a water clean overall |
| X | Vacuum and brush only, and we say so before booking |
| No tag | Fibre identified and tested before any method is chosen |
Leather
How is leather upholstery cleaning different?
Leather needs cleaning and conditioning, not steam. It is hand cleaned with a pH-balanced leather cleaner and soft brushes, wiped, allowed to dry, then conditioned to put back the oils that keep it supple. How much liquid and pressure it can take depends entirely on which type of leather it is.
Pigmented or protected
A coloured, coated surface found on most office, hospitality and family lounges. Hard wearing and the easiest to clean well.
Semi-aniline
A light protective coat over dyed hide. Softer and more natural looking; cleaned with less moisture and gentler products.
Aniline
Dyed right through with little or no coating. Marks easily with water and oils, so it gets the lightest possible touch.
Nubuck and suede
Buffed, velvety surfaces. Brushed and cleaned with dry or foam products; a wet clean flattens and darkens the nap.
Faux leather and vinyl
Plastic-coated fabric common on booths and waiting room seating. Mild cleaner and a conditioner made for synthetics.
Bonded or bicast
A thin coated layer over leather fibre. Cleaning helps, but peeling or flaking cannot be fixed by any clean.
The usual problems on leather upholstery in Melbourne are the same ones: dark patches on headrests and arms from hair and skin oils, blue dye transfer from new jeans on light leather, general grime in the creases, and dryness on pieces near windows or heaters. Each is treated before the general clean: oil patches with a degreasing leather cleaner worked into the grain, dye transfer as early as possible before it sets, and creases with a soft detailing brush.
Leather upholstery cleaning services in Melbourne vary a lot in what they include. Ours covers cleaning and conditioning. We don't recolour, patch or repair leather; if a piece needs that, we tell you and suggest a leather repair specialist rather than attempt it.
Hot water opens the leather's pores, washes out its natural oils and can shrink or stiffen the hide as it dries. The damage often shows weeks later as cracking along seams and creases.
What to expect after a leather clean
- Lifts well: oil patches, grime in creases, fresh dye transfer
- Softens: dryness and fine surface cracking
- Stays: peeling, tears and faded colour
Delicate fabrics
What about delicate and specialty fabrics?
Delicate fabrics such as velvet, silk, linen, chenille and viscose blends are cleaned with low-moisture or dry solvent methods, applied by hand in small sections. The aim is to lift soil without soaking the fibre, then groom the surface so it dries evenly and keeps its original look.
| Fabric | What goes wrong | How it is cleaned |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton velvet | Pile crushes and shows light and dark patches | Low moisture, pile brushed one way while damp |
| Polyester velvet | Pile marks from pressure | Often W-coded; gentle extraction and grooming |
| Silk and silk blends | Water spots, colour loss, weakened fibre | Dry solvent only, spot tested first |
| Linen | Browning and shrinkage when over-wet | Low moisture, acidic rinse, fast drying |
| Chenille | Tufts pull or flatten with firm brushing | Soft agitation, careful extraction |
| Viscose blends | Water marks and a stiff, crinkled feel | Dry solvent; no water rinse |
With delicate fabrics, a smaller improvement done safely beats a dramatic result that ruins the piece. We test in a hidden spot, show you the result, and agree on the approach before the full clean. If a fabric can only safely be vacuumed and spot treated, we say that at the quote stage rather than on the day.
Dry solvents are hazardous chemicals, so they are handled the way any workplace chemical should be. WorkSafe Victoria's guidance on safety data sheets sets out what a supplier's sheet covers, including ventilation and safe handling. We keep the sheet for every product we bring, ventilate the room while solvent is in use, and can send the sheets to your facilities team before the job if your site asks for them.
Many delicate pieces also turn out to be tougher than feared. Plenty of modern velvets are polyester and clean well with extraction; the page on upholstery steam cleaning explains which fabrics suit that method and how drying works.
Get a quote
What should you send for a fabric or leather quote?
Send a photo of each piece, a photo of any care tag, a close-up of the surface and of the worst marks, and a count of seats or chairs. For leather, a simple drop test tells us most of what we need to know about the type before we arrive.
Use one drop of plain water in a hidden spot, such as under a cushion or on the back near the floor, and blot it after 30 seconds. The mark on absorbent leather fades as it dries. If you would rather not, we do the same test on site.
From the photos we name the method for each piece, flag anything that may not fully recover, and send a fixed price. Commercial seating is booked after hours; homes are booked around you. When you are ready, send your photos through the quote form.
Questions
Leather conditioning, silk and velvet: common questions?
Short answers on the two materials people worry about most.
Does leather need conditioning after cleaning?
Can you clean silk or velvet upholstery?
Leather, velvet or something you can't identify?
Send photos and the tag if there is one. We will name the method and the price before anything is booked.