A sofa is the anchor of your living room, yet it's easy to take it for granted. We can sit on the couch every day (and even take a nap there!), but how often do we actually take the time to show it off? Sure, we can hang up pretty throw pillows or clean up stains when a spill happens, but when it comes to deep cleaning, our couches probably aren't at the top of the list.
Even when cleaning a sofa, it's difficult to know where to start. Should you vacuum? Remove the pillow and cover? Which cleaning products should we use? There are also many different types of sofas, from elegant black leather sofas to cotton sofas with charming patterns, making it difficult to determine the best cleaning strategy. Luckily, there are some clever tips to help you keep your sofa looking as good as the day you bought it. We spoke to several cleaning professionals to find out how to deep clean a sofa.
Start with the label
"When deciding how to clean upholstered furniture, always read the care instructions first," says Mary Gagliardi (aka "Dr. Laundry"), in-house scientist and cleaning expert at Clorox . The care label is easy to forget (maybe you didn't know your couch had one!) and is usually located under the cushions.
Upholstery care symbols typically include:
- W: Water-based cleaning solution
- S: Solvent based cleaning solution
- W/S: Water or solvent can be used
- X: No cleaning is permitted other than vacuuming.
Marica Dacey, third-generation cleaning professional at Amodex , points out that even if you look at the label first, it's always best to remove a pillow and test the product you're using in an invisible corner first, to make sure it works.
How to clean a suede or leather sofa
Cleaning leather and suede sofas can be the most intimidating. "Leather is very absorbent," says Dacey. "You might think that a small stain is a small stain, but it actually absorbs it like a sponge, making it take longer to clean," he adds. Patience is key: "You should let the cleaning solution work on leather longer than on other fabrics to remove the stain and the fabric." »
Some brands make leather cleaning wipes that are "convenient to use and clean and moisturize finished leather simply by rubbing the surface," says Gagliardi. Before using the cloths, however, "be sure to vacuum the couch first and then dust all surfaces with a barely damp microfiber cloth," she notes.
Gagliardi says that while natural suede generally requires professional cleaning and should not be treated with water or cleaning solutions, synthetic suede like Ultrasuede and Microsuede "can generally be cleaned with water-based cleaning solutions as long as you want to try the product." After treating a faux suede sofa, "you will probably need to brush the fabric to restore the fibers," he notes.
Is there anything else you should consider? "Leather and faux suede sofas often appear to have a water stain after removal," says Dacey. This might make you panic and think you've made the stain worse, but Dacey has a clever trick to keep things under control. "Have a hairdryer handy when cleaning and rinsing," she says. "Keep it in a cool or warm place and since the sofa feels damp, use the dryer on the suede or leather. This will prevent a water stain from appearing or disappearing. This hair dryer trick even works on delicate fabrics like silk!
How to clean a fabric or microfiber sofa
"With fabric and microfiber, the weave of the fabric is wider and rougher than that of leather or suede," making these sofas easier to clean than those made of leather or suede, says Dacey. "Microfibers and fabrics are designed to withstand impact," he adds. Dacey enjoys using an upholstery cleaning machine on her own sofa, but admits it can be expensive. If you have one of these devices, it can help you perform a deep cleaning more efficiently. However, if not, you need to be as patient as possible. "Some cleaners need to sit for an hour or two before rinsing, especially if it's a larger stain," she notes.
You'll also typically want to vacuum your fabric or microfiber sofa using your vacuum's upholstery attachment, says Gagliardi. "Sofas with fabric or cloth coverings marked "W" or "W/S," including microfiber sofas, can usually also be treated with a water-based cleaning solution," he notes. For smaller or newer stains, "spray the cleaning solution directly onto the stain and let it sit for 3 minutes." Then blot with a damp cotton cloth to rinse, then blot again with a clean, dry cotton cloth to remove moisture ", he says. He points out that products containing hydrogen peroxide are particularly effective in this case.
How to clean sofa cushions
"For sofa cushions, you should go this route if you can remove them, clean them and wash the covers," says Dacey. She warns: "Sometimes fabrics become very stiff when drying. So when you try to put the pillow back in place, the zipper won't close. This can be frustrating, but there's a good way around it. "Cushion pillows while they're still slightly damp," she says. "This little extra moisture gives the fabric a suppleness that it wouldn't have when dry, and makes putting the cushions together much easier." Cleaning is also not necessary. Pillow unless there is a large stain. "The fabric of the cover tends to absorb everything before it reaches the pillow," he says.
Gagliardi says you should try to clean different parts of your sofa regularly - you don't want one part of your sofa to stay clean and fresh while another part stays dirty! She explains, "If you use an upholstery attachment on a steam cleaner to clean the body of the sofa, do the same for the cushions." Once the cushions are clean, "place them on their side, away from the couch, on a sofa clean towel while they air dry," she says. "This allows for better air circulation and speeds up drying time."
If you want to save time cleaning your sofa cushions, Gagliardi also points out that some fabric covers are even machine washable.
How often should you clean a sofa?
The best part? You don't even have to deep clean your sofa that often! While how often you clean your sofa depends on your personal preference and whether you have children or pets, even professionals don't do it as often as you think. "I should probably deep clean the couch more often," Gagliardi admits, "but by regularly vacuuming and spot cleaning, I save more time between deep cleans and always have a couch ready for guests." Similarly, Dacey says she only does it about once carries out a thorough cleaning every year. "You might be surprised that you don't have to do major cleanups if you go beyond the smaller ones," he says.
Two recipes for cleaning the sofa
If you're not sure how best to clean your sofa, you can try a homemade all-purpose cleaning formula. Poplin laundry specialist Laurie Fulford has exactly what you need. "I would recommend the same two 'recipes' for cleaning faux suede, fabric and microfiber sofas," he says.
"The first mixture is simply half a cup of white vinegar mixed with a cup of warm water," he explains. "Use a sponge to rub and clean the stain."
"The second mixture is a pinch of baking soda, a small amount of water and a little mild dish soap," he says. "The goal is to create a paste that you can spread over the stain. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes and then wipe it off with a damp cloth.
You probably already have everything you need to prepare these cleaning solutions, and Fulford says they work on many different types of sofas. You can also use them on fabric sofa cushions. "Fill your bathtub with warm, soapy water and submerge the pillows once the water is full," she says. "Massage the pillows to evenly distribute the soap mixture. Rinse the pillows well, wrap them in towels to absorb as much water as possible, and then allow them to air dry. Who would have thought that there were such simple recipes for cleaning the sofa?
"Some people say you should outsource couch cleaning," says Dacey. He admits that "it can be intimidating, but if you follow a few rules at the start, the process will be much easier." With the above pro tips for deep cleaning a sofa, keeping it looking stylish will be easier , than you ever thought possible!
Discover more tips for cleaning the sofa here:
The secret of "Iron" for removing red wine stains from upholstered furniture
How to remove urine smell from your sofa, no matter what material it is made of
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