How To Deep Clean Your Couch

Your furniture needs special care, and using harsh chemicals can destroy your favorite couch. Your couch needs weekly maintenance and cleaning to prevent long-term damage due to dust and spills. But how do you deep clean your couch? Can you do it at home or do you need to hire experts for cleaning? We have ten easy tips for cleaning your sofa. Follow these simple guidelines, and your couch will remain new for years.

Everyday Maintenance Tips

Maintaining your couch can be divided into daily tasks, weekly tasks, and monthly tasks. For everyday maintenance, follow these three simple steps.

• Dry Brushing. Daily dry brushing will loosen the fabric. It helps in the easy removal of dirt and debris from the couch cushions.
• Vacuum Cleaning. Put your vacuum on a low setting and remove dust and dirt that the dry brushing did not remove. Vacuuming helps in removing dirt that is deep embedded in the couch.
• Flip Cushions. Switch cushions to flip side around to lower the appearance of being worn out. 

Review The Instructions

Most of the cleaning instructions are on your couch somewhere from the manufacturer. If you pay attention to the care and maintenance part, it will solve most of your problems. Care is dependent on the type of material. For example, leather will have different instructions than velvet, cotton, or upholstered.

Look at these codes for cleaning and maintenance.

• S – Dry-cleaning Solvent
• WS – Dry-cleaning or water-based solvent
• W – Water-based solvent
• X – Dry cleaning only

The above information will determine the cleaning pattern for your couch. If you do not follow the instructions, you will ruin the fabric. So, the first thing you should do is refer to the cleaning instructions code.

Vacuuming

Remove all things such as hair, dust, and crumbs, germs, and bacteria from the sofa. If you don’t, bacteria and germs will remain on the surface even after wash. The best way to remove these subtle particles is through a vacuum. It becomes even more important with pet parents. The vacuum comes with extendable handles and facilitates cleaning. Start with shaking the dust with a dry brush; it will loosen the dust and allow the vacuum to absorb it easily.

Clean The Cushions

Cushions are an important part of your couch, and you cannot ignore them. Moreover, it can also be the dirtiest part due to rough usage. Always look at the label for wash instructions. If machine wash is advisable, cleaning becomes simple. The other process you can use to clean cushions is steam wash, wet paste and beating the fabric inside out. To remove stains, you can use vinegar, baking soda, and distilled water. If cushions are non-removable, use a home cleaning service.

Clean With Baking Soda

If you want to skip the commercial products, we have the age-old cleaning remedy. Baking soda is effective in removing stains and is an economical option. In addition, baking soda is safe for the fabric and does not contain harmful chemicals. Baking soda is effective in cleaning the dirtiest of couches. It removes stains from any fabric like – leather, velvet, suede, and cotton.

If your sofa has a pungent odor because of your pets, baking soda removes all kinds of smells. It is much more effective than fragrances and air fresheners. Cover the couch with a thin layer of baking soda. Sprinkle some water and brush your sofa with a soft brush. It will remove dust, grime, stains, and odor from the couch.

Steam Cleaning

Even when most fabrics come clean with baking soda, steam cleaning remains a better option for smooth cleaning. Moreover, steam cleaning is an easy process since it uses vapors to clean the couch. Steam effectively removes bacteria and disinfects as it cleans your couch. Steam cleaning involves high temperatures to break dirt without the use of chemicals. It not only kills bacteria and germs but also makes the colors illuminate. 

Here are the steps to steam your couch.

• Start with vacuuming the couch to remove all dust and debris.
• Check manufacturer’s guide if a steam wash is an option.
• Test the steam cleaner on a small surface to see any visible damage to the couch. If there is no damage seen after 15 minutes, the steam wash is safe.
• Start cleaning the entire couch. Remember to change the microfiber cloth as dust and bacteria accumulate on it.
• Use a fan to speed up the drying process, and please do not use the couch until it is completely dry.

Shampoo The Couch

Steam is effective, but you cannot use it on suede. Shampoo works well to clean suede and other fabrics. Shampoo deep cleans a wide range of upholstery easily. 

Here are the steps to clean your couch with shampoo.

• Start with dry brushing the couch, followed by a vacuum. It breaks the dirt and sucks up all dirt and grime.
• Fill the cleaning machine with shampoo – preferably a mild one. Check the shampoo on a small part to check for any damage or fading of color.
• Clean the couch with a soft brush using it evenly on all surfaces. Do not brush too hard as it will damage the fabric.
• Once done, allow the couch to dry before using it.

Conclusion

Couches undergo rough usage and many spills due to everyday use. Before you start cleaning your sofa, always read the care and maintenance instructions. Baking soda and steam are the most effective and safe ways to clean your couch.

Cleaning your couch might seem like an arduous task. These simple tips will not only make your job easier but will also protect the fabric from damage. Regular maintenance will take care of the embedded stains, dirt, and bacteria.