Don’t let tough stains and messy spills cramp your thing – follow this easy, step-by-step process on the way to clean a cloth sofa with baking soda, cleaning detergents and more.

How to Clean a Fabric Sofa for Stains

Get on the stains quickly. As soon as a spill or stain occurs, get to cleaning it immediately. Waiting too much time before treating a stain – a few a number of minutes – might cause the stain to set, so that it is harder to leave out.

Check the manufacturer’s recommendations. Before using any cleaning detergents or solutions, look at the manufacturer’s instructions for care, which can usually be found on the sofa’s tags. Failing to use safe cleaning products could mean permanently damaged upholstery.

Check the cleaning codes on your fabric sofa. You know those random letters in your sofa’s tags? Those are in fact codes! Check out the table below for the report on codes – and what they mean.

fabric sofa

— Cleaning Code for Fabric Sofas Chart —

Cleaning Code What it Means

W Water-based cleaner. Only make use of a water-based cleaner to wash the upholstery. A water-based cleaner is a kind of solution which uses water since the main component.

S/W Solvents and water-based cleaners. It is safe to use both solvents and water-based cleaners.

S Solvents. Only utilize a solvent to clean the upholstery. A solvent is a form of solution that utilizes a cleaning chemical because the main component.

4. Use a dry brush to eliminate loose particles. Go over the whole sofa having a stiff brush with natural bristles to help you loosen stains and bring dust and dirt towards the surface.

5. Vacuum. Before scrubbing and cleaning your fabric sofa, use a hand-held vacuum to remove crumbs and then for any other loose particles. This will allow it to be simpler to identify while focusing on troublesome stains when it's time to wash.

6. Clean with baking soda. Baking soda isn’t exclusively for baking – it’s also a highly effective cleaning treatment. In fact, sprinkling baking soda over the whole couch will help to remove odors and further loosen stains. You can also make use of a homemade baking soda solution for any parts of deep-set stains; in the bowl, mix together equal parts baking soda and water. For either the dry or wet solution, allow the baking soda sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the baking soda has fully absorbed the stain, vacuum it down having a brush attachment. And as with lots of different cleaning solutions, always spot treat an exam portion of the sofa before cleaning it fully.

7. Spot treat with the recommended agent. Begin cleaning your couch using the recommended product. If you are unsure if your product falls within the recommendations, test a tiny area for almost any discoloration before proceeding. Whether you make use of a water-based cleaner or perhaps a solvent (or both), refer to the instructions around the packaging. If the instructions say it can be safe for this, use a soft cloth to wipe away the solution.

8. Dry your fabric sofa having a soft towel. Pat down any wet areas which has a dry towel to soak up the rest of the moisture. Gently brush off any remaining cleaning solution.

9. Let your fabric sofa air dry. Let the upholstery air dry overnight, and luxuriate in a brand new sofa every day!

Need to scrub a leather sofa instead? Check out the Leather Sofa Cleaning Guide.

How to Clean a Fabric Sofa having a Steamer

What you’ll need:

An upholstery steam cleaner. Make sure before using that the manufacturer’s recommendations state it's safe for a fabric couch. Note, too, that simply when your sofa is water-safe doesn’t help it become heat-safe. As with other types of cleaners, always test spot an area before you go full-steam (pun-intended)!

What to perform:

Read the manual. There’s reasons why a steam cleaner incorporates instructions. Read them carefully before beginning.

Vacuum first. Vacuuming your sofa – or anything, for instance – before cleaning causes it to be a tremendous amount easier to wash it. Dirt, dust along with other loose particles won’t obstruct and will give your steam cleaner a clean canvas to work from.

Keep the environment circulated. Turn on a fan and open each of the windows within the room for a solid cross breeze. This will help to keep the air circulation strong, preventing moisture buildup and residue.

Spot test a location first. This step is really important, it bears repeating. Pick a tiny hidden destination to test the cleaner, such as the back or perhaps the inside the sofa’s skirt (when it has one, and if the inside material consists of exactly the same fabric because outside of the sofa).

Let the sofa air dry. Don’t sit on the sofa while it’s still wet. Keep the windows open to help you dry the room. Be aware that it may take leaving the sofa untouched overnight for this absolutely dry.

Vacuum last. Vacuuming again, once you’ve steamed the upholstery, may help make sure that any dirt which was loosened through the cleaner gets removed. Just remember to hold back until the sofa is completely dry before vacuuming!