Upholstery & sofa cleaning in Exeter
Professional upholstery & sofa cleaning services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60-£135
Typical Duration
1-2.5 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Professional upholstery and sofa cleaning that removes embedded dirt, stains, and odours. Service provided by specialist partner Jackman Fabric Care — bringing your furniture back to life without the replacement price tag.
Your Sofa Has Earned a Proper Clean
A sofa sees more daily use than almost anything else in your home. Bodies, food, drinks, pets, kids, dust, skin cells — all building up in the fabric over months and years. Even a sofa that looks reasonable will often surprise you once it's been properly cleaned.
💡 Pro tip: A well-maintained fabric sofa can last 10-15 years. Cleaning it every 1-2 years doesn't just look better — it genuinely extends the life of the fabric by removing the abrasive grit that breaks down fibres over time.
What Professional Cleaning Actually Does
| ✅ Professional Upholstery Clean | ❌ Surface Wipe-Down |
|---|---|
| Lifts embedded dirt from deep in fabric | Only cleans the surface |
| Enzymatic stain treatment | Moves stains around |
| Eliminates odour at source | Masks temporarily |
| Safe for fabric type and dye colour | Risk of colour run or shrinkage |
| Proper extraction — fully rinsed | Detergent residue left in fabric |
What We Clean
📦 Common upholstery types
| Item | Typical Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Armchair (fabric) | 45-60 mins | £60 |
| 2-seater sofa (fabric) | 1-1.5 hrs | £60-£85 |
| 3-seater sofa (fabric) | 1.5-2 hrs | £85-£110 |
| Corner/L-shape sofa | 2-2.5 hrs | £110-£135 |
| Dining chairs (set of 4) | 45-60 mins | £60 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Prices vary by fabric complexity and soiling level.
Fabric Types We Handle
✅ Cotton and linen blends — common in traditional sofas; responds very well to cleaning
✅ Microfibre — excellent dirt-holder (unfortunately); deep extraction needed
✅ Velvet and chenille — requires careful, low-moisture technique to preserve pile direction
✅ Leather and faux leather — specialist leather clean and conditioning treatment
✅ Wool and wool blends — gentle approach, lower temperature, excellent results
Why Choose Us for Upholstery & sofa cleaning in Exeter?
Suitable for fabric, velvet, microfibre, and leather
Stain treatment included — pet marks, food, drink
Odour removal, not just masking
Extends sofa life significantly versus early replacement
What to Expect
Step 1: Fabric Assessment
Fabric care codes are checked before anything touches your sofa. Different fabrics need different approaches — rushing this step causes damage. The team identifies stained areas and discusses what's realistic to remove.
Step 2: Pre-treatment
Stains get targeted pre-treatment. Pet odour areas receive enzymatic spray with adequate dwell time. This stage is where the real work happens — the extraction afterwards removes everything that's been loosened.
Step 3: Deep Clean & Extract
Specialist upholstery cleaning equipment works through the fabric, then extracts everything — dirt, cleaning solution, loosened grime. You won't be left with residue that re-attracts dirt two weeks later.
Step 4: Dry & Review
Light air movement helps the fabric dry evenly. The team walks through results with you before leaving. Any areas that needed multiple passes are pointed out and explained.
🔧 DIY Tips
Keeping upholstery in good shape between professional cleans:
🔧 What to have handy
- A good upholstery attachment for your vacuum (use it monthly on sofas and chairs)
- Clean white cloths — always white, always clean
- Cold water for most fresh spills — heat sets stains
- Upholstery fabric protector spray after cleaning
🧹 Immediate spill response
- Blot immediately with a clean white cloth — never rub
- Work from the outer edge of the spill inward
- Cold water only on most fabric spills
- Let it dry fully, then vacuum gently
⚠️ Things that make it worse
- Rubbing a fresh stain (drives it deeper and spreads it)
- Hot water on protein stains like blood, milk, egg (heat sets them permanently)
- Coloured cloths (dye transfer is a real risk on light fabrics)
- Leaving cleaning product residue in the fabric — always rinse thoroughly
💡 Pro trick: Check the care label under your sofa cushions. 'W' means water-based cleaning is safe; 'S' means solvent only (no water); 'W/S' means either. Knowing this before grabbing a damp cloth saves a lot of grief.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🐾 Pet households: Enzymatic treatment genuinely breaks down odour rather than masking it. If the foam inside cushions is heavily saturated (years of pet use), we'll be honest about what's achievable — sometimes cushion inserts need replacing rather than cleaning.
Velvet sofas need extra care — rushing or over-wetting velvet can leave watermarks or flatten the pile. The team has experience with velvet and will treat yours with the care it needs.
Leather sofas come out of a clean looking and feeling significantly better — conditioning treatment restores suppleness and prevents cracking. Worth doing every 12-18 months.
This service is provided by Jackman Fabric Care, our specialist partner for upholstery and fabric care in Exeter and Devon. Enquiries, bookings, and questions are all handled through Hembury Contracting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of upholstery can you clean?
Most common fabric types — cotton, polyester, microfibre, velvet, chenille, and blends. Leather and faux leather is treated differently with specialist products. We'll check the fabric care codes before starting and let you know if anything needs a different approach.
My sofa has had a cat on it for years. Will the smell come out?
Usually yes — professional cleaning with enzymatic treatment breaks down the proteins in pet odour rather than just masking them. Very deep-set or old urine contamination in foam cushions is harder, but surface and fabric odours respond really well.
How long to dry?
Fabric sofas typically take 2-4 hours to be comfortable to sit on again. Leather is much quicker — usually an hour or less. Open windows and good ventilation help. We won't rush the extraction stage to speed up drying.
Is this through Jackman Fabric Care?
Yes - this service is delivered by Jackman Fabric Care, our specialist partner with over 20 years' experience in professional fabric and upholstery care in Devon. All enquiries are managed through Hembury Contracting.
Is it worth cleaning versus buying a new sofa?
Usually yes, if the sofa is structurally sound. A good sofa professionally cleaned at £80-£120 versus a replacement at £600-£1,500+ is a significant saving — and environmentally much better. We'll be honest if a sofa is beyond reasonable cleaning.
Upholstery & sofa cleaning Also Available In:
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Why Trust Us
Carried out by Jackman Fabric Care
All interior cleaning is carried out by our specialist partner Jackman Fabric Care — Exeter's trusted name in professional fabric and floor cleaning with over 20 years' experience.
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