First, keep in mind that no upholstery cleaner or shampoo can clean every type of dirt, and there are many different factors that will affect what your overall results will be, including the cleaner you use, what kind of cloth or fabric you are cleaning, the dirt composition, and how long the dirt has been on the upholstery fabric. Read the cleaner’s description to ensure you are using the right one. Also, make sure you test out a small area first. If you’re not sure about what you’re doing, you should consider hiring a carpet cleaning professional to handle your upholstery cleaning in the San Francisco area.
How to Clean Stains from a Fabric Sofa
Don’t allow messy spills and tough stains to ruin your upholstery and furniture – follow our step-by-step easy process for cleaning a fabric sofa using cleaning detergents, baking soda, and much more.
- Quickly address the stain. As soon as a stain or spill happens, immediately start cleaning it. If you wait too long before you treat a stain – even just a couple of minutes – can result in the stain starting to set it, which will make it much more difficult to remove.
- Check the recommendations provided by the manufacturer. Before you use any cleaning solution or detergent, check the care instructions from the manufacturer. You can usually find them on the tags on the sofa. If safe cleaning products are not used it could damage your upholstery permanently.
- Check your fabric sofa’s cleaning codes. They are the random letters that you might have seen on the tags on your sofa. They are actually codes. Check the codes below to find out what they stand for.
There are 3 main cleaning codes:
- W refers to “Water-based cleaner.” The upholstery should only be cleaned using a water-based cleaner. This is a kind of solution where the main component is water.
- S/W refers to “Solvents and water-based cleaners.” This means that it is safe to use both water-based cleaners and solvents.
- S refers to “Solvents.” This means that only a solvent should be used for cleaning the upholstery. A solvent is a kind of solution where the main component is a cleaning chemical.
- Remove loose particles using a dry brush. Use a stiff brush that has natural bristles to go over the whole sofa to help bring dirt and dust to the surface and loosen stains.
- Vacuum before you scrub and clean a fabric sofa, first use a hand-held vacuum to get rid of loose particles and crumbs. That way when it is time to start cleaning it will be easier to identify and focus on the stubborn stains.
- Use baking soda to clean. You can do more than just bake with baking soda – it is a very effective cleaning solution as well. When you sprinkle your whole couch with baking soda it will help to further loosen stains and remove odors. A homemade baking soda mix can also be used for areas with deep-set stains. Mix together equal amounts of water and baking soda in a bowl. For either a wet or dry solution, allow the baking soda to sit for around 15-20 minutes. After the stain has been fully absorbed by the baking soda, use the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner to vacuum it up. Like with all cleaning solution, a test area of your sofa should always be treated first before fully cleaning it.
- Use the recommended agent to spot treat. Start using the recommended product to clean your couch. If you aren’t sure whether or not the product meets the recommendations before you proceed, test a small area first for any discoloration. Whether you are using a solvent or water-based cleaner (or both) make sure to follow the instructions that are on the package. Wipe the solution away using a soft cloth if the instructions state that it’s safe to.
- Use a soft towel to dry the fabric sofa. Use a dry towel to pat any wet areas to soak up any remaining moisture. Brush any cleaning solution that remains off gently.
- Allow the fabric sofa to air dry. Let it dry overnight, and in the morning, you will have a nice fresh sofa!
How to Use a Steamer to Clean Your Fabric Sofa
Items you will need:
Upholstery steam cleaner. Before using a steamer, be sure that the recommendations from the manufacturer that it is safe to use on your fabric couch. Also note, that just because your couch is water-safe doesn’t automatically mean it is heat-safe as well. Like with all other kinds of cleaners, test an area first before you use your steamer.
What to do:
- Read your steamer’s manual. They come with instructions for a reason. Carefully read them before you start.
- First vacuum. Vacuuming your sofa before you clean it makes the entire process much easier. Dust, dirt, and other types of loose particles will not be in your way and will provide your steam cleaner with a clean canvas that it can work with.
- Make sure the air stays circulated. Open all of the windows and turn a fan on to give you a strong cross breeze. That will help to keep strong air circulation and prevent residue and moisture buildup.
- First, spot test a small area. This is a very important step. Test the cleaner on a small hidden area, like the inside of the skirt or the back.
- Allow your sofa to air dry. While it is still wet, don’t sit on the couch. Keep your windows open. That will help to dry the room out. I order for your sofa to fully dry you need to leave it untouched overnight.
- Vacuum once again after you have steamed your upholstery. That will help to ensure that any dirt that became loss while steaming is removed. Before vacuuming, make sure your sofa is totally dry.
How to Clean Your Car Seat Upholstery
You will also want to ensure that your car seats are refreshed and cleaned. You would be lucky if all you had to deal with was dirt. The cleaning method will be different, depending on whether you have cloth or leather car seats. The first thing you need to do is to use a stiff brush attachment and thoroughly vacuum the seat to loosen any residue that is stuck on.
How to Clean Cloth Car Seats
To use an all-natural method for cleaning stains, mix together a half of a tablespoon of dish soap, a half-cup of vinegar, and one cup of water. Spray the solution on the stain and then use a wet microfiber cloth to blot it until the stain is removed. Turtle Wax upholstery cleaner is something I have also had good luck with. Spray the foam onto the stan and then use its built-i brush to get it out. This product really helps to refresh the fabric.
