Furniture, especially sofas, and armchairs, are some of the most expensive items you will buy for your home. If you’ve invested in a suite, you will want to keep it looking as beautiful as when you first bought it. Alternatively, you may have been given a suite or bought a second hand one. In which case, it probably needs a bit of TLC to get it back looking it's best, after a few years of general wear and tear. By giving the upholstery a thorough clean, you can help keep upholstery in tip-top condition, or even bring it back to life. Find out how in our latest guide.
Bring tired and dirty upholstery back to life
Step 1: Vacuum up dust and dirt particles
First things first, you need to address the dust, crumbs or loose particle dirt hidden in between the fabric of your sofa, and that requires a thorough vacuuming. Using the upholstery attachment, get to work on your upholstery and give it an intensive vacuum. Be sure to get the vacuum into any nooks and crannies’, like seams and button holes, by using the crevice nozzle.
*If your upholstery is made from a delicate material such as silk, use the low suction setting on your vacuum cleaner. If your vacuum doesn’t have a low suction setting, you can reduce its power by covering the nozzle with a piece of material from an old pair of tights.
Step 2: Blast out hidden dust with compressed air
There will often be dust and dirt particles stuck in hard to reach places such as button holes, zips, or other crevices. The perfect tool to release and expel this dirt is a compressed air canister, (the same compressed air you would use to clean computer keyboards). Simply attach the straw-like nozzle to the compressed air canister and direct the air jet into any tight gaps or nooks to release the residual dirt.
Step 3: Soap suds are your upholstery’s friend
Now your upholstery is dust and dirt free, you need to target ingrained dirt by giving it a thorough clean. If there are any nasty, dried on stains, then skip to the stain removal section below at this stage.
There is no easier or cheaper way to clean your upholstery than with good old fashioned washing up liquid. Make sure you get hold of a good, CLEAR liquid, to avoid leaving any marks from coloured liquids. To give your upholstery a thorough clean without getting it too wet, you need soap suds and lots of them.
Here’s a great technique to create some proper soap suds:
Mix 1 teaspoon of clear washing up liquid with one small bowl of warm water. Give it a thorough whisk with either a hand whisk or electric whisk until you end up with suds in soft peaks, as if you are making a meringue. These dry suds can be applied to your upholstery using a spatula. Once you have applied the soap suds you should then gently brush the suds in with a soft upholstery brush.
Once you have given the upholstery a good brush with the soap suds you then need to give it a rinse. But again, do not get it too wet. A simple wipe over with a clean damp cloth or moistened sponge will suffice.
Step 4: Leave it to dry
It’s important to let upholstery dry as thoroughly and as quickly as possible. The last thing you want is to have spent time cleaning your upholstery for it to develop marks and smells from mildew. To dry your upholstery, ventilate your room well and turn on all the heating. Even better, leave the cleaning for a dry warm day and do it outside so you can leave it to dry in the fresh air. Removing cushions from their covers will also help speed up the drying time.
Step 5: If it’s still not clean, try steam
If after applying the above technique, your sofa still isn’t as clean as you would like, a more intensive treatment may be needed. Often, if upholstery has absorbed cigarette smoke or animal smells, or has very ingrained dirt, it will need a bit more work. A steam cleaner is perfect for this. You can hire them from DIY stores or buy them from many retailers. Just be sure to follow the instructions and make sure your upholstery is suitable for steam cleaning. If there are lingering smells after steam cleaning you can apply a deodoriser or household odour spray such as Febreze.
A few things to remember when cleaning your upholstery:
• Always check the cleaning guide on your sofa to ensure you don’t damage the material by using inappropriate solutions.
• Don’t use too much water, some upholstery can be damaged by water, or will not dry out properly, causing mildew.
• Avoid applying water to metal components, this could result in rust.
• Always spot check any cleaning technique or solution on a hidden area first to ensure you don’t damage your upholstery.
Removing stubborn dried on stains
Your best chance of removing stubborn stains (such as red wine or coffee) is to clean them immediately. If you leave it to dry you will have a much bigger task on your hands. However, sometimes this can’t be avoided, or you may have inherited upholstery with stubborn dried on stains. Here’s how you can remove them:
• Give the stained area a thorough vacuum, you’ll be surprised at how marks can be removed by vacuuming up the dirt particles.
• Check the cleaning guide to make sure any cleaning solutions you use won’t cause damage to the upholstery. Then, spot test a hidden area to make doubly sure.
• Start by applying a solution of warm water and washing up liquid, Blot the stain, don’t rub it, as this can result in weakened or damaged fabric. Use a moist sponge to rinse the area and leave to dry. If the stain is still there repeat the process and then move on to stronger solutions, replacing the washing up liquid with white vinegar or a clear alcohol such as vodka. If after this approach, the stain is still apparent you may need to reach for an upholstery stain cleaner. There will be many brands available in your local supermarket or DIY shop (but always check that they are suitable for your upholstery).
Keep repeating the stain cleaning exercise until you can no longer see the mark, it may take a few attempts but keep at it, it will be worth it in the end.
Do you have any unusual home cleaning techniques that save you money and time? Tweet us @TimeForYouGroup and let us know, or alternatively visit us at https://timeforyou.cleaning/uk/ for more tips and advice for cleaning your home.
Written by Mike Pye
