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How to Renovate Historical Upholstery Fabric

Many antique pieces have original upholstery in good condition; however, if time, dust and wear have left them dirty, dingy or discolored, renovate the historical upholstery fabric to make your antiques look polished, clean and well-cared for. Special care is required to protect your antiques and historical upholstery fabric, but with the right supplies and tools you can safely clean and refresh them at home.

Things You'll Need

Vacuum cleaner with attachments
Soap-free upholstery cleaner
Quilt wash for wet cleaning
Clean rags
Soft brushes

Instructions

- 1
  Vacuum the historical upholstery thoroughly using a vacuum cleaner with brush attachment. If necessary, cover the end of your vacuum hose with pantyhose secured with a rubber band to clean extremely delicate silks or draperies. Vacuuming alone may be enough for some fibers and fabrics, especially if you are working with very delicate items.
- 2
  Determine the fiber content if possible. You can use more vigorous cleaning methods on cotton, wool and vintage synthetics. Be much more conscientious about cleaning vintage and antique silk or rayon upholstery fabric, however.
- 3
  Test a gentle surface upholstery cleaner on an inconspicuous spot before applying it to an entire piece of historical upholstery fabric. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for use all over.
- 4
  Wet-clean historical upholstery fabric with a small, hand-held steam cleaner or upholstery cleaner. Use steam alone (without additional cleaning agents) to reduce the risk of color loss or fading.

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