Upholstery Cleaning Codes Explained: W, S, WS, and X

Where to Find the Code

Most upholstered furniture has a small tag, usually under a cushion or on the frame underneath, with a single letter code that tells you what kind of cleaning the fabric can safely handle. It's easy to overlook, but it's genuinely useful information before anyone — professional or DIY — puts a cleaning product on the fabric.

What Each Letter Means

W means water-based cleaning solutions are safe to use. This is the most common code and the most forgiving to work with.

S means solvent-based cleaning only — water can cause shrinking, staining, or texture damage on these fabrics. This code shows up often on more delicate or specialty fabrics.

WS means either water-based or solvent-based solutions can be used, giving more flexibility in how the piece is cleaned.

X means the fabric should only be vacuumed or lightly brushed — no liquid cleaning at all. This is common on very delicate materials where any moisture risks damage.

Why This Matters More Than It Seems

Using a water-based method on an "S"-coded fabric is one of the more common ways upholstery gets permanently damaged — watermarks, shrinkage, or texture changes that don't reverse once they happen. This is exactly why a professional identifies the fabric code before starting, rather than applying the same process to every piece.

What If There's No Tag?

Older furniture or reupholstered pieces sometimes don't have a visible code. In that case, the fabric needs to be identified by feel and appearance, and a small hidden-area test is the safer path before cleaning the visible parts of the piece.

What to Do If the Tag Has Multiple Codes or Symbols

Some furniture has different codes for different sections — cushions versus the frame fabric, for example. When that's the case, the more conservative code should guide the overall approach, since treating the whole piece uniformly under the least restrictive code risks damaging the more sensitive section.

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