An upholstery code tells you which cleaning medium the fabric maker permits: W for water-based cleaner, S for water-free solvent, WS for either category, and X for vacuuming or light brushing only. It does not promise stain removal, authorize soaking, or show that every material in the furniture will react the same way.
Check the tag and test a hidden spot before using any cleaner. For a job-specific assessment, see the upholstery cleaning page.
Upholstery cleaning code table
| Code | What it generally allows | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| W | Water-based upholstery shampoo or foam | Water-free solvent, saturation, and machine washing unless the maker separately permits it |
| S | Water-free solvent cleaner | Water and water-based cleaners |
| WS, W/S, or SW | Either a water-based upholstery cleaner or an approved water-free solvent | Mixing products, saturation, or assuming both methods suit every stain |
| X | Vacuuming or light brushing | Water, solvent, shampoo, foam, and household spot removers |
Hekman publishes these W, S, W/S, and X definitions in its furniture care guide, checked October 25, 2026. Hekman also states that a W code does not mean a fabric is machine-washable and warns against over-wet treatment and overwetting.
Ashley Furniture's care guide gives the same general code categories, checked October 25, 2026. The instructions for your exact item take priority over a general table.
Where to find the cleaning code
Look for a sewn label or care tag:
- under a removable seat or back cushion
- beneath the sofa or chair frame
- behind a skirt or dust cover edge
- near the platform under the cushions
- in the original manual, receipt, or online product record
Do not confuse a law label or fiber-content label with the cleaning-code label. A tag may list filling materials without giving W, S, WS, or X instructions. Reupholstered furniture may also have a frame label that no longer applies to the visible fabric.
Take a photo of the full tag before moving the furniture. Record the manufacturer and model number so you can check current care instructions.
What W, S, WS, and X allow
Use each code safely by staying within the cleaning medium the maker permits, controlling moisture, and testing a hidden spot.
How to use a W code
A W code permits an appropriate water-based upholstery cleaner. It does not mean machine-washable, and it does not mean you should spray tap water over the cushion, unzip the cover, or put it in a washing machine.
Vacuum first, read the maker's directions, test the cleaner in a hidden spot, and use controlled moisture. Check the dry test area for bleeding, texture change, water rings, browning, shrinkage, or adhesive marks. Cushions contain foam, batting, decking, labels, and sometimes metal parts that may respond differently from the face fabric.
How to use an S code
An S code calls for a water-free solvent cleaner. Water can produce rings, distortion, bleeding, or texture change on some S-coded fabrics.
Use only a product that the furniture maker permits. Follow every ventilation, ignition, protective-equipment, disposal, and re-entry direction on the label. Keep children and pets away. Do not improvise with a household solvent, and do not mix products. For broad soil or an expensive piece, request professional inspection rather than spot-treating multiple panels.
What WS, W/S, or SW means
A WS code, also written W/S or SW, usually means the fabric may accept either an approved water-based upholstery cleaner or an approved water-free solvent. The code gives you options, not permission to combine them.
Choose based on the maker's directions, the stain, the construction, and a hidden-spot test. A water-safe face fabric can still cover filling or backing that should not be saturated. A solvent-safe code does not make every solvent suitable.
What an X code allows
An X code limits routine care to vacuuming or light brushing. Do not apply water, solvent, foam, shampoo, or a household spot remover. Use a soft upholstery attachment and avoid catching loose threads or decorative trim.
For a stain on X-coded upholstery, contact the manufacturer or a qualified upholstery cleaner. The correct answer may be that wet cleaning is too risky. Cleaning codes describe permitted media, not a guarantee that a stain has a safe removal method.
If the tag is missing
Do not guess from appearance. Polyester, rayon, cotton, linen, wool, leather, and blended fabrics can look similar while requiring different care. Printed patterns, backing, flame barriers, adhesives, trim, and cushion fill add more variables.
Try these steps:
- Find the manufacturer and model on a receipt, frame label, or retailer record.
- Search the maker's official care information for that exact item.
- Ask the maker or retailer to identify the fabric and cleaning code in writing.
- Limit interim care to gentle vacuuming unless the maker provides another instruction.
- Request an inspection before applying liquid or solvent to unknown fabric.
A hidden-spot test reduces risk but cannot establish a missing code. The test area may lack the dye, backing, wear, or soil found on the visible panel.
Upholstery cleaning price drivers
Published national guides put upholstery cleaning around $120 to $232 per piece. Angi and HomeAdvisor publish that range, checked October 25, 2026. Quotes vary, so ask the provider.
Piece size, fabric code, construction, cushion count, soil, pet hair, stain testing, access, drying setup, and optional protector can change the quote. A dining chair, recliner, sofa, sleeper, and sectional do not represent the same amount of fabric or detail work. Ask whether loose cushions, pillows, skirts, backs, and arm covers are included.
Request an upholstery cleaning quote
Use the quote request form and include the furniture maker, model, code, piece count, fabric, stains, pets, and photos. This site may share the request with one independent, licensed local provider. Review the Lakeland upholstery cleaning page before requesting contact.