How to Clean a Sofa and Leave It Looking Brand New in Your Living Room
The sofa in your house is already in need of cleaning, but you don’t know how to clean the sofa ?
Well, one option is to hire a company specializing in sofa cleaning. However, their prices tend to be a bit high, not to mention that the professionals from the sofa cleaning company will spend a lot of time in your home, often (unintentionally) disrupting your routine.
The best solution for keeping upholstery as clean as new is to learn how to clean a sofa yourself . It’s a simple task, not so easy… but it’s perfectly possible to do it yourself.
The process of how to clean a sofa depends on the material your furniture is made of and its condition (lightly or heavily soiled).
Below, you’ll learn about the materials you can use to clean your sofa. We recommend setting aside an entire morning or afternoon to dedicate to this task of How to Clean a Sofa.
Materials to Clean Each Type of Sofa
- Leather sofas: For upholstery made of these materials, you should clean them using only a cloth dampened with a few drops of neutral detergent, preferably clear, to avoid staining the upholstery.
If your sofa isn’t that dirty, simply wipe it with a clean, dry cloth and vacuum the cushions and seats.
If you want your sofa to look shiny and new again, then you should follow the tips on How to Clean a Sofa . You can apply a little Vaseline or liquid silicone once a month. Wait for the products to dry before using the furniture, of course.
- Suede sofas: Suede is a sensitive material, so cleaning it requires great care. Rough movements can even tear the fabric.
To clean this type of sofa, use a clean cloth slightly dampened with a drop of neutral detergent.
To keep it looking like new, brush the suede with a special brush, with very soft bristles and always in the same direction, so as not to damage the small hairs that make up the suede.
- Very dirty sofas: Regardless of the material the sofa seats and cushions are made of, some pieces of furniture haven’t been properly cleaned in a while. In that case, you need to work hard on the How to Clean a Sofa process .
To clean your very dirty sofa, you will need a vacuum cleaner, coconut soap, water, and a brush with very soft bristles.
- If the sofa has removable cushions and seats, remove them. Vacuum the body of the furniture;
- Now, prepare a homemade solution with: warm water, a tablespoon of powdered or grated coconut soap;
- Dip the soft brush into the solution we made and scrub the upholstery and pillows until you notice the dirt coming off. Repeat until the sofa is looking like new again;
- Afterward, rinse. Use a dry cloth if possible and let it dry. Don’t put damp pillows or seat cushions back on the sofa, as this not only risks causing odor, but can also cause mold growth.
- If you want wet pieces to dry faster, you can use a hairdryer. However, only put the sofa, cushions, and seats back in place, when it’s completely dry.
And to avoid having to do this new process of How to Clean a Sofa , try cleaning it in the other ways taught here, so as not to accumulate dirt on the furniture.
- Cleaning sofa stains: If your sofa has suffered from stains, don’t worry. There is a way to do it without having to hire a specialist.
To remove stains from the upholstery you will need:
- Warm water;
- Dry cloth;
- Neutral detergent;
- Soft bristle brush;
- Egg mixer.
How to Clean Sofa Stains
- First, dilute a few drops of neutral detergent in warm water;
- Now mix the ingredients using an egg beater, until the mixture forms a foam;
- Apply the foam obtained on all stains, whether on the seats or cushions, and scrub with the soft bristle brush;
- Clean the rest of the seats and cushions with the foam and scrub lightly with the soft brush.
- Now, using a damp cloth, remove the foam from the seats and upholstery;
- Dry the wet parts of the sofa with a dry cloth and a hair dryer, if desired.
What Not to Use to Clean Sofas
Now that you know several ways and tricks on How to Clean a Sofa , take note of what never to use to clean your furniture:
- Powdered soap, as it can damage fabrics and is extremely difficult to remove;
- Products containing chlorine, as they can stain seats and cushions.
Don’t Leave Cleaning Your Sofa For Later
You’ve noticed that it’s a lot of work just to clean a really dirty sofa, right? Don’t let the dirt accumulate. How? Use one of the techniques we teach once a week, or at least every two weeks.
