Welcome to the topic “How to clean a couch?”
Our step-by-step guidelines will teach you how to clean a couch fast and effectively using everyday household items like your vacuum, as well as natural ingredients like vinegar and baking soda to help bust stains and smells.
This guide is applicable whether you have a fabric couch, leather sofa, or suede number and whether it’s badly stained or recently inherited from another home.
Do this while you’re cleaning upholstery and enjoy a much fresher experience on your couch.
Deciphering Couch Codes Before Cleaning
Before you start cleaning your couch, you need to know what sort of fabric it is made of and what the codes indicate.
Tags commonly use the following codes:
W | This indicates water can be used in cleaning |
WS | A dry-cleaning detergent or mild detergent and steam vacuum can be used |
X | No water, vacuum only |
S | Clean with dry cleaner detergent |
If you discover the codes indicated above, use them to clean and disinfect your couch; if not, follow the steps below to clean and sanitize your sofa.
ALSO READ: Tips for Sofa Cleaning at Home
How Do You Deep Clean A Couch?
It’s vital to vacuum any couch, whether it’s linen, velvet, or similar, on a weekly basis to remove any loose dirt or crumbs.
Hoovering your couch can also help prevent tiny particles from being embedded in the weave, making it much more difficult to remove dirt or future stains.
1. Tackle Spills on Your Couch
If you happen to be around when anything spills on your sofa, clean it up immediately.
If there is anything solid in the spill, such as food, scoop it up as soon as possible with a spoon.
Then wipe the liquid with a clean towel or paper towel.
Make sure you’re blotting on with a dry towel area.
2. Vacuum Your Couch
Next, vacuum thoroughly to remove dirt, lifting your couch cushions if necessary to get below.
If you’ve recently acquired an old sofa, keep an eye out for any debris that appears to have come from a pest, and make sure you get into all of the nooks and crannies to suck out everything from toast crumbs to pizzas.
If your sofa is covered with pet hair, put on a rubber glove, and run your hand over the fabric – whether suede, velvet, linen, or leather – to lift the fur your pet has shed.
You may also dampen the glove and rub your hand over the hairy upholstery once more. If required, rinse your now hairy glove, and repeat the process.
ALSO READ: How To Clean Your Sofa Yourself?
3. Treat Sofa Stains
If the fabric of your sofa can be washed with water, then use a mild solution of laundry detergent or just plain water and a spray bottle to apply.
Blot with a clean towel once more, but don’t rub.
Rinse with water and a clean towel.
The circular motion rub technique is not recommended since it will shred your paper towel and push the fibers into your cloth.
Repeat the technique until the stains are no longer visible.
Continue to apply more water to the area, pressing gently with a wet cloth if the stain does not remove, and if the stain is very persistent, add some soap to the water to remove it.
Whatever you have in the house will work with any soap.
Continue the procedure till the discoloration has vanished entirely.
You may use a professional cleaner or prepare your own using natural materials you already have in your kitchen to remove the stains.
Homemade cleaners are less expensive and better for the environment.
Here’s How to Clean a Sofa by Fabric Type:
For Fabric Upholstery:
- 1 tablespoon dish soap or Castile soap, 1/4 cup vinegar, 3/4 cup warm water.
- Fill a spray bottle with the mixture.
- Spray the dirty area with water.
- Scrub the stain gently with a cloth until it disappears.
- To remove the soap, dampen a second towel with clean water.
- Using a cloth, dry it.
For Leather Upholstery:
- In a spray bottle, combine 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup vinegar.
- Apply the cleanser to the couch’s surface and polish with a soft cloth.
ALSO READ: How to Dry Clean Sofa at Home?
For Synthetic Upholstery:
- In a spray bottle, combine 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 cup warm water, and 1/2 tablespoon liquid dish detergent or Castile soap.
- Use a soft cloth, mist the contaminated area and scrub until the stain is gone.
If you can’t get your hands on a commercial cleaner for whatever reason and don’t want to make your own at home, then you can use the following things to clean the stains from your couches:
How to Clean Stains From Couches?
How to Clean a Couch with Vinegar
So unless your couch’s label advises not to use water and you don’t want to use detergent, you can clean it organically using vinegar.
How to Clean a Couch with Baking Powder
Baking powder is an excellent stain remover and odor neutralizer, and it’s also the most acceptable way to clean linen couches.
Sprinkle freely, allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes, then vacuum up.
If you’re cleaning a linen sofa, avoid rubbing it in a circular motion and instead blot it.
Please wait a few minutes for it to work its magic, vacuum it up on a cold setting, then gently dab it till it’s gone.
ALSO READ: How to Clean Upholstered Furniture?
Remove Food Stains with Rubbing Alcohol
Hand sanitizer may be used to eliminate stains from the afflicted region.
1. Leave Your Couch to Air Dry
Using a towel, soak up any residual water on the sofa’s surface.
Allow the sofa to dry naturally.
A box fan aimed at the sofa might help speed up the drying process if it’s hot outside.
Water may create mildew on cushions and fabrics.
ALSO READ: Best Pet Stain Odor Remover
2. Disinfect Your Sofa
If somebody in your house has a fever or a virus, you should spray to clean your couch.
Even the most exemplary efforts at home aren’t always enough.
If you have had an accident on a fabric sofa or anything else dreadful has happened to it, you should take it to professional cleaning.
Allowing professionals to tackle the stain may cost extra, but it will relieve tension and ensure that your sofa receives the adequate possible treatment.
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