Upholstery
If you're renting in NYC, chances are your living room furniture has to last through more than one lease — or it came with the apartment in the first place. Here's the basic upholstery knowledge every renter should have.
Furnished rentals are common in NYC, and that furniture is often shared history between tenants. A professional cleaning before you move in (or before you move out) protects you from being blamed for wear that predates your lease.
Upholstery often has a fabric care code (W, S, WS, or X) on a hidden tag, indicating whether it can be cleaned with water, solvent-based cleaner, both, or requires professional vacuum-only care. Checking this before attempting any DIY cleaning avoids damage.
If your lease has a pet clause, upholstery cleaning (not just carpet) is often part of what gets inspected at move-out. Fabric absorbs pet odor just as readily as carpet does.
A studio or one-bedroom sofa often serves as a couch, a bed for guests, and a dining spot, all in one piece of furniture. That means more frequent cleaning is reasonable compared to a formal living room piece used occasionally.
As with carpet, a receipt for professional upholstery cleaning at move-out is useful documentation if there's ever a dispute over furniture condition and your security deposit.
Related services: upholstery cleaning · pet stain and odor removal
Renters often assume upholstery cleaning is only relevant for furniture they own outright, but in NYC's furnished-rental market, it's frequently just as relevant — and just as tied to your security deposit — as carpet cleaning is.
Questions?
If your lease specifies returning the apartment (and its furnished items) in the condition you received them, yes, cleaning furnished pieces before move-out is worth doing.
It's usually on a tag under a cushion or on the underside of the frame.
A professional cleaner will check the fabric type and test before applying any solution, which minimizes this risk significantly compared to DIY cleaning.
If it protects your deposit or avoids a dispute with a landlord, yes, it's usually worth the modest cost.
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