Upholstered sofa, couch or headboard adds a touch of elegance to our house. The comfort of the couch and sofa indeed makes us jump on them every time we seek to get peaceful sleep or to stay awake late-night and binge watch movies. While upholstery adds a class to your house, it is prone to get marred or stained because of spills and dirt. In fact, many of your upholstered furniture gets ruined just because of food stains and others which falls on them mistakenly. Although you cannot stop such unfortunate incidents but can clean them up and make them look like a new one. We present to you some easy ways that can help you clean your upholstery sofa and couch at home.
Check manufacturer’s instructions and tags before beginning the cleaning process
This is the first thing you must keep in mind while you plan to clean your favourite piece. Failing to do so can mess things up and even make warranties or guarantees void besides ruining your couch or sofa.
Similarly, you need to follow any additional guide or tags provided by the manufacturer. Tags are important to read since they contain clues on easy cleaning or about your upholstery like whether the fabric is water absorbent. Some tags educate you about the easy cleaning process while others may provide information about cleaning the cushions.
Sanitizing and deep cleaning upholstery sofa and couch
If you are trying to remove a particular stain on your couch or want to clean the entire couch, you must check the couch’s tag regarding which method is best suitable and what products can be used for deep cleaning. Some of the codes which are used by the manufacturer’s include:
- W: Products with this tag are easy to clean as water or solvent-based cleaners can be used.
- W/S: This means that either you can use a solvent-based cleaner or water for cleaning.
- S: This tag means that you can use solvent-based cleaning chemicals only.
- X: This means you must not use any solvent and use a vacuum or brush to clean the fabric.
Cleaning your upholstery with household items
Things required:
- Linen Spray
- Dry Cloth
- Baking Soda
- Fabric Cleaner
- Vinegar
- Water
First and foremost, you must verify that your upholstered furniture is vacuumed every week. This will aid you in removing the hidden dirt and airborne particles that have adhered to them. It’s time to use the fabric cleaner once you’ve vacuumed it.
The most important fact to remember when using a fabric cleaner is to test it on a patch first. If the cloth is stained with the fabric cleaner’s markings, you’re set to go. Clean the stained area with an additional squirt of fabric cleaning. Use linen spray for monthly washing.
Spray the solution on the upholstery area and softly dab it with a dry towel. Baking soda can also be used to deodorize the fabric. Allow baking soda powder to rest on your furniture for a few hours before cleaning away the grime. Allow fresh air to enter the room by opening the windows and doors and allowing your upholstered piece to air dry.
The cleaning process for fabric and microfiber couches
To kill outer edge mould and mildew, use a handheld garment steamer or steam iron bursts. Allow only the steam to reach and pierce the fabric as you go over the entire sofa. If you do not have an iron or a steamer, ignore this step and move right to vacuuming.
Go over the full couch with your vacuum’s upholstery attachment, including the head, arms, skirt, and pillows. If the pillows can be removed, remove them and vacuum the cloth under them, going under the back and arms as far as your vacuum is capable of going. Go down the seams, around any buttons, and along the border with the crevice tool.
As discussed earlier, you must do a test before starting the entire cleaning process in some hidden area. This will make certain if the fabric is safe to clean at home or shows any sign of colour loss.
How many times should your upholstery have been washed?
Do you have any children? Do you work outside and constantly track in grime? Once you answered yes to all of those questions, you should probably get the upholstery in your key living spaces cleaned at least twice a year. Otherwise, it should be done once a year, or every 18 months.
Here’s a quick test to discover whether you need a cleaning: Take a fresh white cloth and moisten it with a little water from the tap before briskly rubbing it around the armrests and back of your couch or chair. It’s time to clean the rug upholstery if you can see dirt emerging from it.
How to Clean Cat Urine-Damaged Upholstery Sofas and Couches?
Pet urine odor and stains besides destroying our furniture badly which requires mindful cleaning. When you want to clean cat urine damaged upholstery, you must target two areas: the urine-soaked into the cushions, and filling material below the couch fabric.
The pet urine will probably never come out of the material if it has been soaked in it. All you need to do is get the urine out as soon as possible. You can blot the area with another fabric or paper towel that can soak moisture. Avoid rubbing as it may spread the stain. If you have a vacuum cleaner, you can use it to drain excess fluid. Before using pet stains upholstery cleaners, dry the area completely.
Put some wine and vinegar on the targeted area. Rub it on the stain sparingly. Dampen it and then remove moisture with paper towels. If you use hydrogen peroxide, you may have to open doors and windows immediately to get rid of bad odour. Repeat the dabbing and drying process till the stain gets removed completely. You can add a small amount of oil to the vinegar and water mixture to clean your stuff.
Nest step is to sprinkle baking soda on the stained area. Since cat urine is acidic, it can destroy the upholstery easily. Besides neutralizing acids, baking soda also deodorizes the upholstery like a fabric freshener. After leaving baking soda for some time, vacuum it up. If there are marks left behind, repeat the process once again.
