How to clean the upholstery of your sofa or chair
When we don't know how to do something we usually think it's complicated and let it go. Today we show you how to clean the upholstery of your sofa or chair.
One of the essential pieces of furniture in the living room is, undoubtedly, the sofa. This is where we spend most of our time: we sit there to watch TV or look at our mobile phone, we lie down to take a nap... in other words, we make a lot of use of it. But what happens when it gets dirty?
Even if you are very careful, with the passage of time the upholstery surfaces absorb a lot of dirt and, although it is not so visible, the dust and mites are there.
The type of fabric of the sofa upholstery is also fundamental to determine how to clean it because, it is not the same if the fabric is washable or if it requires dry cleaning at the dry cleaner’s.
Cleaning the upholstery of a sofa step by step
First of all, the dust embedded in the fabric must be removed. With the help of the vacuum cleaner and the accessory for corners, start vacuuming from one side to the other, insisting on the folds and joints because that is where the most dust accumulates. Lift the cushions and all the parts you can take off to thoroughly clean the bottom, inside and outside of your upholstered sofa, too.
Then, for a more thorough cleaning, we propose three methods to leave your upholstered sofa or chair like new:
1. Steam cleaning: this type of machine, which, if you’ve got one, you use to clean the windows of your house, can also be used with the upholstery accessory. It will not only help you to clean your sofa, but also to disinfect it. When you have finished steaming the whole sofa, wipe it with a clean cloth to finish removing the dirt and let it dry naturally.
2. Wet cleaning with ammonia: dilute ammonia in warm water, moisten a cloth in the mixture, and rub it over the whole upholstery from top to bottom. Then carry out the same operation just with warm water and a well wrung out, lint-free cloth to remove the dirt, continuously rinsing it out in the water. Then, let it dry naturally.
3. Dry foam stain remover: when the furniture is completely dry, check it for stains. In this case, you can use a conventional stain remover suitable for upholstery that usually comes in dry foam format, or create a homemade one. For this, you can use sodium percarbonate. Dissolve 2 or 3 tablespoons of this powerful natural stain remover in a litre of hot water, and apply the solution to the stains.
Leave it to act for 5 to 10 minutes, rub it with a brush, rinse it with plenty of water and let it dry to check its effect. It is advisable, before using this homemade trick, for you to test it on a small part of the fabric that is not very visible to ensure that it does not discolour.
If your sofa cover is removable and the fabric can be put in the washing machine, you will save the previous steps, but there are other precautions you should take into account:
- Use a cold programme and a mild, pH-neutral detergent for clothes, without fabric softener..
* Do not mix with other types of garments that might damage the fabric.
* It may not be advisable to spin the fabric completely.
* To dry them, put them in the shade, as the sun could discolour the covers.
- If they are creased, they can be ironed, but on the reverse side of the pieces, turning them inside out and being careful with the temperature, to avoid the fabric sticking to the sole of the iron.
- It is important to know the cleaning instructions given by the manufacturer. On the label you will find a code or letter that tells you how to clean the fabric of your sofa:
- “W”: you can use water
- “S” o “P”: you can only use solvent based cleaner and only dry.
- “SW”: you can use any of the above options or steam.
- “X”: requires professional cleaning and can only be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
Even if you wash the covers in the washing machine, if they have stains, you must treat them previously:
- Wine stains: try to remove them with absorbent paper as soon as it happens, but if they have been there for a while, you can try to remove them by rubbing with a wet wipe or a nail brush moistened with soapy water, then rinse it and let it dry.
- Oil or grease stains: use a dry anti-grease spray, spraying and waiting for it to dry. Then, remove the remains of dirt with a bristle brush.
- Ink or pen stains: pour warm milk into a bowl and soak the tip of a cloth, dabbing it onto the stain, so that the milk penetrates the fabric. You will have to repeat the operation several times, until you manage to soften the ink. Then, with warm water and another cloth, remove the remains.
- Blood stains: pour a few drops of hydrogen peroxide onto the stain and use the tip of a cloth to gradually remove the dirt by dabbing it, so as not to spread it. When only the ring is left, use a toothbrush with more hydrogen peroxide to get rid of any remains. You may have to clean the sofa completely afterwards to homogenize the results.
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