Furniture can start to look extremely dingy and dirty after a long period of extended use. You may even find that it’s collected a few bright red stains from glasses of spilled grape juice. Unfortunately, stationary upholstery usually covers large furniture items that you aren’t quite ready to replace yet. Instead of heading to the furniture store, it’s time for you to learn how to go about cleaning your fabric so it can last for years to come. With the right knowledge and tools, you can seriously extend the lifespan of your sofa and save hundreds of dollars.
Are you ready to get started with cleaning the upholstery in your home? Take a look at a few of these top tips for how to make your furniture cleaner than ever.
Vacuum everything first
Before you get started, it’s important that you remove any crumbs and dirt from the surface. This can prevent you from making a muddy mess all over your upholstery when you start applying the cleaner. Using the attachments for your high-suction vacuum, be sure to go over the back of the couch, the arms, the cushions, and even underneath the cushions. You will need to vacuum everything that you plan to clean in the next steps.
Make your cleaning solution
You don’t have to spend a ton of money to purchase a cleaner that can take care of your furniture. All you need a medium-sized bucket, some clear dish soap, and warm water. Add about one tablespoon of the dish soap into the bucket of warm water and stir until thoroughly mixed. Make sure to apply this cleaner to an unseen part of your upholstery to ensure that it doesn’t cause the fabric to shrink or stain.
Brush the cleaner on
Take an upholstery brush and dip it lightly into the mixture, stroking the upholstery with a firm but gentle hand. A soft-bristled brush would also work if you don’t have an upholstery brush. The idea is not to fully submerge your upholstery in water. You only want it to be a little damp. Take a clean white cloth and wipe away any suds or cleaner that is resting on the surface of your upholstery. Give it plenty of time to air dry before attempting to use it again.
Learn to how to treat stains
Not all stains are treated equally. Sometimes, you need to consider what has been spilled on your upholstery before you know what to do first. A general rule of thumb is to soak the stain for a few minutes using cold water. Dab away what you can with a clean white rag. This should remove some of the color from the stain, but it might not always be effective. You may need a more aggressive treatment plan based on what was spilled. Be sure to view this stain treatment chart from the American Cleaning Institute here for more suggestions based on what was spilled.
If you want a professional cleaning service, you will want to see what Anago has to offer. We can help you keep your home and your furniture in great shape for years to come.