There’s nothing better than lounging on the sofa after a long day at work, switching on your favorite TV series and indulging in sweets without a guilty conscience. But no sooner have you made yourself really comfortable than the chocolate slips out of your hand and leaves an unsightly stain on the upholstery. Over the years, your couch has to put up with a lot – including all kinds of stains. But don’t worry, find out tips and tricks here on how to clean your sofa easily!
To keep your favorite spot in the living room looking pretty for as long as possible, you should clean the sofa regularly. In most cases, this does not require expensive, professional cleaning. Both home remedies and inexpensive care tips will help you keep your sofa clean. Steam cleaners or vacuum cleaners are suitable for larger areas or a general refreshing of the upholstery.
Cleaning the sofa – all tips at a glance
- Sofa vacuum regularly or wipe off
- Baking soda: good against stains and odors
- Washing powder: simple stain remover
- Spirit: against grease and waterproof ink
- Shaving foam: cleans the fibers
- Vinegar: provides a fresh scent
- Imitation leather with washing-up liquid clean
- Smooth leather with baby oil care
- Animal hair with Window squeegee remove
- Steam cleaner Only use on a low setting
Basic cleaning
Vacuum your sofa at least once a week on the lowest setting. This prevents dust from settling. Use a soft cloth to remove dust from leather and artificial leather sofas.
Smaller stains that have not yet been absorbed should be dabbed off as quickly as possible. Never rub fresh stains! Then wipe the stain away with lukewarm water and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the sofa with home remedies
Many stains on upholstered furniture can be easily removed with household remedies that everyone has at home. The most popular home remedies for cleaning the sofa are
- Baking soda or baking powder
- Washing powder
- Spirit or window cleaner
- Shaving foam
Clean sofa with baking soda
You can easily remove stains from your upholstered sofa with baking soda or baking powder. Best of all, this popular household remedy also absorbs unpleasant odors, leaving your sofa smelling fresh again.
This is how it works: For damp stains, spread the baking soda directly on the spot and leave it to work for a few hours. Then vacuum it off. If the stain has dried or is particularly stubborn, work the baking soda in with a soft sponge and lukewarm water.
Refresh the couch with washing powder
Washing powder not only cleans your laundry, but also your sofa. Perfumed washing powder provides a pleasant fragrance.
How it works: Rub the washing powder in carefully with a damp sponge. Do not press too hard, otherwise white residue will form. Then rinse the sponge well and dab the affected area until the washing powder has been completely removed.
For difficult cases: white spirit
Spirit and window cleaner are great household remedies, both for cleaning greasy upholstery and for removing Edding or ballpoint pen ink.
How it works: Spray a thin layer of the spirit or window cleaner and dab with a soft cloth. Repeat several times if necessary. As spirit is volatile, no residue remains.
Caution: Spirit and window cleaners are not suitable for every material!
Clean sofa with shaving foam
Shaving foam without dye is a quick and effective way to remove stains and greasy spots from textile or microfiber sofas. And shaving foam is always cheaper than professional cleaning.
How it works: Spray shaving foam onto the stain and leave to work for several minutes. For deep-seated stains, work the shaving foam in with a soft brush. Then simply vacuum.
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Remove odors
Sofas can smell musty over time. You already know a household remedy for the odor: baking soda or baking powder. Sprinkle it generously over the upholstery and leave it to work overnight. Then vacuum on a low setting.
Another household remedy to remove odors from the sofa is a mixture of water and vinegar. Mix distilled water with clear vinegar in a ratio of 2:1. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray your couch with a damp mist.
Cleaning artificial leather with washing-up liquid
You only need normal washing-up liquid to clean artificial leather covers. One or two drops of washing-up liquid in 5 liters of water is enough. Then wipe the stain away with a soft cloth and the artificial leather will shine like new again.
You can carefully remove stains on rough artificial leather with a dirt eraser. Don’t have one at home? No problem, you can easily make your own eraser!
Cleaning a leather sofa
Rough leather types such as nubuck or suede should be cleaned as much as possible. not with water. To remove stains, it’s better to use a stain eraser. It’s also worth taking a look in the shoe care department!
Impregnated smooth leather, on the other hand, is easier to care for. A soft cloth, distilled water and a splash of washing-up liquid are usually enough to clean smooth leather sofas. A diluted vinegar solution also helps to remove grease stains from the leather sofa.
Tip: To make dull leather shine again, rub it gently with a little low-acid baby oil – this will also fade minor scratches.
Window squeegee against animal hair
Pet hair on the sofa can be removed with a window squeegee. The rubber lip magically attracts the hair. You can also use a damp rubber glove to get rid of pet hair from the sofa.
Cleaning the couch with a steam cleaner
In some cases, it may be worth buying a steam cleaner or washing vacuum cleaner. For example, if you are allergic to house dust. Steam cleaners and washing vacuums clean the sofa really thoroughly and deep into the upholstery. However, leather and microfiber sofas are often too sensitive for this.
This is how it works:
- First vacuum the sofa with the vacuum cleaner on the lowest setting.
- Set the steam cleaner or washing vacuum cleaner to the lowest setting so that only a small amount of moisture is created.
- If necessary, help with a microfiber cloth to work the steam in well.
- Finally, wipe the sofa dry with a soft cloth.
These tips will make you want to lie down on the sofa and enjoy your evening, won’t they?
Source: moebel-schaumann
Preview image: ©pinterest/lilyardor
