How to Clean Sofa Upholstery at Home in a Few Easy Steps

The Couch cleaning guide step by step

 

The sofa is one of those special places that most of us find highly relaxing and it is here that we often retreat to after a tiring day of work. Most sofas, however, have a high propensity for getting dirty quite easily. They are dust magnets and can even acquire some ugly looking stains over time. Most people wrongly assume that once a sofa has collected grime and dust, only a professional can clean it up nicely. The truth, however, is that you can do it all by yourself at home without needing any special equipment. Today we will let you know the different ways you can clean the upholstery of your sofa at home using household products.

The cleaning of the sofa upholstery can be done in three stages and they are:

* Dust and grime cleaning: Things you will need: – Vacuum cleaner – Baking soda – Clean white microfiber cloth

Steps to clean the dust and grime: – Check if it is safe to use water on the upholstery. There is usually a label somewhere towards the back or the bottom. If it says ‘W’ then it is safe to use water. If it says anything else then avoid the steps that involve water. – Remove all the cushions and check for debris like wrappers, food particles, loose change and other things that can slide into the gaps over time. Once all the large objects are out, use the vacuum cleaner to remove the smaller particles. Once you have done a couple of passes, it is time to remove all the dirt stuck in the upholstery. Using the brush attachment of the vacuum cleaner, sweep over every inch of the surface of the upholstery.

Do this a couple of times and the dust should be out completely. – Finally, use the baking powder. If the upholstery is water safe then make a solution with about two tablespoons of baking powder and spray it on the sofa. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and then dab it off with a dry piece of cloth. If on the other hand the upholstery cannot handle water then sprinkle the baking soda and let it sit for about 20 minutes and then just vacuum it off. This is to remove any unwanted odors.

* Light spot cleaning: This is for the light spots that aren’t too stubborn to remove.

Things you will need

* Soft bristled brush

* Clean white cloth

* Spatula

* Warm water

* Upholstery safe washing up liquid

Steps to do light spot cleaning:

* Identify the spots that aren’t very stubborn. Mix the cleaning liquid with water in the ratio 1:4. Beat up this mixture to nicely lather it up.

* Apply this foamy mixture over the stain with the soft bristle brush until it begins to come off.

* Scoop up the dirty mixture with the spatula or spoon careful not to rub it into the fabric.

* Use the clean cloth to give it a final wipe down.

Step to remove stubborn stains:

Things you will need

* White vinegar

* Lukewarm water

* Microfiber cloth

Steps to remove stubborn stains:

* This is where the white vinegar is you best ally. Mix equal parts of vinegar with water and dab it over the stained area.

* Leave it for a few minutes and then wipe it with the clean piece of microfiber cloth.

* Repeat the steps for a light stain. If this doesn’t help then you can try repeating the entire procedure. If the stain still does not come off then it is best to use a professional service or consider reupholstering your sofa. Stains come off easier when they are fresh and it is best to clean up any stains as soon as you spot it.

There you have it. Hopefully, this will help you clean your sofas a lot more conveniently at home.