Our home’s furniture is extremely important to us, and the sofa is perhaps the crown jewel when it comes to furniture.
The place where we spend so much of our free time, our sofa is where we relax with loved ones, watch TV and maybe have a sneaky afternoon nap on a weekend afternoon.
With this in mind, any spillages or stains that occur can be extremely damaging and potentially unhygienic.
If you have a leather sofa, they are fairly easy to clean but fabric sofas can be much harder. Stains are more difficult to remove and can last longer on fabric, and may require specialist action.
In this article, we’ll explain how to clean a fabric sofa, outlining the various methods you can use.
Read on to find out more…
Benefits Of Fabric Sofas
Before we delve into how to effectively clean a fabric sofa, let’s first take a look at why so many people choose this kind of sofa in the first place.
A fabric sofa offers a whole host of benefits, making it a popular choice in many households. Some of these key advantages include:
Comfort
Fabric is a softer and cosier choice than many other options, particularly when compared to leather and synthetic. The fabric material usually feels more comfortable to the touch, especially when it’s cold, and it offers a much more comfortable and inviting seating experience.
A Range of Designs
Fabric sofas are available in a wide range of colours, patterns and textures, which allows for greater versatility and flexibility in the design. This makes it easier to find a product that matches your decor and personal style.
Affordability
Compared to leather and high-end synthetic materials, fabric sofas are often much more cost-effective and suitable for all budgets.
Temperature Regulation
Leather sofas can be hot in the summer and very cold in the winter, whereas fabric sofas remain relatively neutral all year round. This means that fabric is a more comfortable choice no matter the climate or time of year.
Durability
Quality fabric sofas are always extremely durable, especially when they’ve been made from tightly woven materials like microfibre. They can withstand regular and consistent use without showing signs of wear and tear, unlike other materials.
How To Clean A Fabric Sofa
Whether it is food crumbs, drink spillages or an accident from your little one or pet, given how much you use your sofa it’s fairly easy to see how damage can be done.
While you might think that cleaning your fabric sofa is easy, stubborn stains can actually make it far more difficult.
But, by cleaning the sofa in a specific way you can help restore it to its former glory. By following the easy and straightforward steps below, you can get back to enjoying your sofa in no time at all.
Check your upholstery’s code
Before you begin, you should take some time to check your sofa’s upholstery codes. Every sofa will include a label that outlines how you should or shouldn’t clean the specific fabric sofa you own.
Common upholstery codes include:
- W – The easiest type of fabric to clean, the W symbol means you can use water on the sofa without any problems.
- W/S – Another easy fabric to clean, this means either water or solvent cleaners are safe to use.
- S – If you spot an S on a fabric label, it means only solvent-based cleaning chemicals can be used and you should avoid water.
- X – This is the strictest symbol you will come across. If you have an X code on your upholstery, you must not use water or solvent-based cleaners and can only vacuum or brush the fabric.
If you do not follow the advice on the upholstery tags, you will likely cause further damage to the sofa.
Along with the upholstery codes, your sofa will likely have come with manufacturer’s instructions that explain the best practices you should take when cleaning.
Steam the sofa
If suitable for your sofa, you can use a sofa steamer. Tags W and W/S mean steamers can be used.
A sofa steamer is a device that uses hot water to clean and sanitise fabrics such as the materials used for furniture.
Before you begin, take some time to read the steamer’s instructions to ensure you fully understand how to operate the device safely.
Then, vacuum any loose bits of dirt from the sofa. Fill the steam cleaner with water and give it some time to heat up.
Now, you’re ready to begin steaming. Starting from the top of the couch, work across the furniture in various sections. The device should come with a variety of attachments so choose the type that is best for your sofa. Make sure you hold the steamer close to the fabric and use it in overlapping strokes. If you have stains, pass the steamer over the area consistently until it has been removed.
After use, allow the sofa to dry before doing any other cleaning. You can use heating systems to speed this up if necessary.
You should also quickly wipe down the sofa with a cloth to remove moisture that is sitting on top of the fabric.
Test your cleaner
If you’re going to use a fabric cleaner on your sofa, you should test it first.
You can get a wide range of fabric cleaning products from local hardware shops, DIY stores and supermarkets, but they may not all be compatible with your sofa. The best way to check is to apply a small amount to a hidden area of your sofa.
If no spotting or discolouration occur, then you’re good to proceed.
Vacuum the fabric
While vacuuming the fabric also needs to be done if you’re using a steamer, we’d also recommend going over the sofa with a vacuum no matter what method you use.
Go over the entire sofa, targeting the back, arms skirt and cushions. If the cushions are removable we’d recommend taking them off and also running the vacuum as far down the back of the sofa as you can reach – use the various vacuum attachments to help you with this.
Using a vacuum is the best way to remove crumbs and small bits of debris that naturally gather on and in your sofa over time.
Sanitise the sofa
After you have cleaned the sofa, you santisie it to ensure any lingering bacteria or unpleasant smells are fully eliminated.
All you need to do this is to purchase a water-safe fabric sanitising spray and give the sofa a few sprays.
How to remove stains from a fabric sofa
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, some stains are extremely stubborn and are incredibly difficult to remove.
Some of the hardest stains to get rid of include:
- Red wine
- Chocolate
- Blood
- Tomato ketchup
- Pet stains
- Oil
If your fabric sofa has been stained by any of the aforementioned products, all is not lost.
First, you’ll need to grab:
- Washing-up liquid
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Warm water
Use a teaspoon each of the washing-up liquid, white vinegar, baking soda and warm water and mix it together. The mixture should become frothy as the various ingredients react with one another.
Then, apply the mixture to the stains or smudges that are proving difficult to remove. Leave it for 10 minutes or so to dry.
Then, wipe away the mixture with a clean cloth and the stain should come away with it. This method is also a great choice of carpet cleaner if your carpet has a stain you’ve been struggling to get rid of.
How to remove bad smells from a sofa
Even after a sofa has been thoroughly cleaned, odours can linger.
The smell of food, odours caused by messy children and wet pets can take a while to dissipate naturally even after cleaning.
If your sofa is emitting a particularly pungent stench that you want to get rid of as soon as possible, baking soda, again, is always a great solution.
The baking soda is excellent at capturing odours, so simply sprinkle some of it over where you think the smell is coming from. Then, leave it to work its magic for about 20 minutes (this can be extended for up to an hour if you think the smell is particularly nasty).
When you think it has had enough time to work, grab a vacuum and vacuum up the baking soda and the smell should disappear with it.
How to clean a leather sofa
As previously mentioned, leather sofas tend to be easier to clean than fabric ones.
However, there are still a few steps you can follow to make sure the sofa is cleaned properly.
This includes:
- Wipe the leather: Use a cloth and wipe across the sofa, removing any crumbs and dirt as you go.
- Vacuum the sofa: Just like with a fabric sofa, use a vacuum to go along the sofa’s entire area and down any crevices.
- Use leather cleaner: This is optional, but for an extra fresh sofa you can apply some leather cleaner.
- Remove the cleaner: If you choose to use a cleaner, make sure to properly remove it using a damp cloth after use.
