There is a letter on a tag under your sofa, and it is the most useful thing you will ever learn about your furniture. It tells you — and us — exactly what can safely touch that fabric. Getting it wrong is how sofas get watermarked, shrunk and permanently ruined by people trying to help.
Where to find the code
Manufacturers put it on a small white label, usually in one of four places: on the underside of the deck (lift a seat cushion and look at the platform), sewn into a cushion cover seam, on the underside of the frame, or under the skirt at the back. On dining chairs it's normally stapled to the bottom of the seat pan.
The label usually says something like "CLEANING CODE: W" or carries a paragraph of care instructions with the letter highlighted. If the piece was reupholstered, the original tag may be gone — in which case the fabric behaves according to whatever the new material is, and testing is the only reliable answer.
W — water-based cleaning
The most common code and the most forgiving. W means the fabric can be cleaned with water-based solutions, which allows full hot-water extraction — the deepest cleaning method there is. Most polyester, olefin, performance fabric and many cotton blends are W.
What this means practically: your sofa can be properly deep cleaned. Soil comes out rather than being pushed around, and you can expect the best results the fabric is capable of. It also means water-based spot cleaners are broadly safe at home, though residue is still a risk with supermarket products.
S — solvent only
S means no water. The fabric must be cleaned with a dry solvent, because water will cause shrinkage, watermarking, colour bleeding or all three. Most microfiber, many rayon and viscose fabrics, and some velvets are S-coded.
This is the code behind the single most common upholstery disaster we're called to. Someone spills, reaches for a damp cloth, and creates a permanent-looking ring — because the fabric was never meant to meet water. If your tag says S, keep water away from it entirely. For a small fresh spot, isopropyl alcohol on a white cloth is the correct home approach: it lifts the mark and evaporates without leaving a water edge.
S-coded pieces still clean beautifully. We use a solvent process, and because solvent evaporates rather than soaking in, the piece is usable within about an hour.
WS — either method
WS means the fabric tolerates both water-based and solvent cleaning, which gives us the most flexibility of any code. We choose the method based on what's actually on the fabric: water-based extraction for general soiling and water-soluble stains, solvent for oily or greasy marks.
Most modern mid-range furniture is WS. It's a good code to have — it means nearly any spill can be addressed with the right approach rather than compromising because the fabric limits the options.
X — vacuum only
X means no liquid of any kind. Not water, not solvent, not a spot cleaner, nothing. The fabric will shrink, distort, watermark or disintegrate if anything wet touches it. X-coded fabrics are relatively rare and turn up on delicate decorative pieces, some antique upholstery, and certain textured or loosely woven materials.
If your piece is X-coded, the only safe maintenance is regular vacuuming with a plain suction attachment and no beater bar. We will tell you honestly that we cannot wet-clean it — and we won't take payment for a clean that would damage your furniture. In some cases a specialist dry-compound method is possible, and we'll say so if it applies.
The code is about the fabric, not the dirt. An S-coded sofa isn't more delicate in daily use than a W-coded one — it just can't meet water. Plenty of extremely durable family furniture is S-coded. The code is a chemistry instruction, not a fragility warning.
What if there's no tag?
It happens constantly — tags fall off, get cut off, fade to illegibility, or vanish during reupholstery. It doesn't stop the job.
We test. In a hidden area — the back of the deck, under the skirt, inside a cushion cover — we apply a small amount of moisture and check for colour transfer onto a white cloth, then watch how the fabric responds as it dries. If there's any dye release or any sign of watermarking, we treat the piece as S. If it's clean and stable, we proceed as W.
This is the step that separates careful cleaning from expensive damage, and it takes about five minutes. Any company that starts spraying a tagless sofa without testing is gambling with your furniture.
Quick reference
- W — water-based cleaning. Full hot-water extraction available. Best results.
- S — solvent only. No water, ever. Fast drying, roughly an hour.
- WS — either. Method chosen to suit the soiling.
- X — vacuum only. No liquid at all.
Whatever your code, the price is the same by piece — see our full price list, or read about the fabrics themselves. We serve every town across Nassau and Suffolk.
What the work actually looks like
Real jobs photographed on Long Island — not stock images. This is the hand tool, the technique and the standard of finish you get in Long Island.
Ready when you are
Build your job in the calculator on this page and you will see the exact total with 10% already taken off. Send it and we call the same day to confirm your arrival window.
Everything else we clean
Towns we serve across Long Island
Same prices in all 178 of them, with no travel charge — here are a few, or see the full A–Z list, Nassau County or Suffolk County.
Questions Long Island homeowners ask
What does the W on my sofa tag mean?
W means water-based cleaning is safe, which allows full hot-water extraction — the deepest cleaning method available. Most polyester, olefin, performance fabric and many cotton blends are W-coded, and they give the best cleaning results of any code.
What does an S cleaning code mean?
S means solvent only — no water at all. Water will cause shrinkage, watermarking or colour bleeding on these fabrics. Most microfiber and many rayon fabrics are S-coded, and this is behind the most common upholstery disaster we see: someone dabs a spill with a damp cloth and creates a permanent-looking ring.
Where is the cleaning code on my furniture?
On a small white label in one of four places: the underside of the deck beneath a seat cushion, sewn into a cushion cover seam, on the underside of the frame, or under the skirt at the back. On dining chairs it is usually stapled to the bottom of the seat pan.
What can I do if my sofa has no cleaning tag?
We test. In a hidden area we apply a small amount of moisture and check for colour transfer onto a white cloth, then watch how the fabric responds as it dries. Any dye release or watermarking and we treat the piece as solvent-only. It takes about five minutes and it is the step that prevents expensive damage.
Can an X-coded fabric be cleaned at all?
Not with liquid. X means no water, no solvent, no spot cleaner — the fabric will shrink, distort or watermark if anything wet touches it. Regular vacuuming with a plain suction attachment is the only safe maintenance. In some cases a specialist dry-compound method is possible, and we will say so if it applies to your piece.
Does an S code mean my sofa is delicate?
No. The code is a chemistry instruction, not a fragility warning. Plenty of extremely durable family furniture is S-coded — it simply cannot meet water. In daily use an S-coded sofa is no more delicate than a W-coded one.