When buying a sofa we don't always think about how to clean it.
With a few different ways to choose from, depending on the fabric you have, read on for our guide on how to clean a fabric sofa.
Basic Cleaning Guide
The Gorgeous Corner Sofa In Vine Green Velvet | Click To Shop
Before cleaning your sofa we would recommend giving it a good brushing and vacuuming. Going over the whole sofa with a stiff brush will help loosen stains and bring dust to the surface. Then go over this with a vacuum cleaner to pick up the dust, loose crumbs, or any particles. Once done you will be able to see any stains or troublesome areas to tackle. Once this first step on how to clean a fabric sofa is done you need to check what product to use.
Cleaning Codes For How To Clean A Fabric Sofa
The Fabulous Extra Large 4 Seater Sofa Alabaster Boucle Fabric | Click To Shop
W - Water-based cleaner. Only use a water-based cleaner on your upholstery.
S/W - Solvent and Water-based cleaners. It is safe to use both solvents and water-based cleaners on your upholstery.
S - Solvent cleaner - Only use a solvent to clean your upholstery.
X - No water, vacuum only.
O - The material is organic, cold water advised
Always check with the manufacture guidelines for the sofa you have and also check for any cleaning codes. This will help you choose the right cleaner for your sofa and whether it needs to be water-based or solvent-based. Water-based cleaning will primarily be water mixed with a solution and you will need to apply with a cloth. If it is a solvent cleaner this will likely be from a can or bottle and you will be spraying the whole of your sofa. Before putting anything over your sofa, always do a patch test on an area out of sight.
Top Tip: Try using Baking Soda as a way to remove stains and odours from your sofa.
After applying the solution to stains and a general clean of your sofa, you must now leave it to dry. Use a soft towel to pick up any additional moisture and leave to dry overnight.
Velvet
The Suave Small 2 Seater Sofa In Caramel Gold Velvet | Click To Shop
When you have a velvet sofa the best maintenance you can give it is to regularly vacuum it and use a soft brush to bring dust to the surface. Any stain created should ideally be treated straight away. Use a dry cloth to absorb spillages.
When it comes to cleaning use a recommended velvet cleaner, alternatively soap and water does also work. Blot the stains with a clean cloth that has been dipped in the solution. Try not to make it too wet on the velvet. Leave to dry, and then use a dry soft brush over the velvet. This will bring it back to life and make it look good as new.
Leather
The Black Leather Chesterfield 3 Seater Sofa | Click To Shop
Mixing a small amount of a mild hand soap in a bowl full of warm water will do just the trick to get general dirt and marks of a leather sofa. Avoid using too much water when wiping over the leather, otherwise, you will leave watermarks. White vinegar is also another great cleaner and mixed with equal parts water. Pat your cloth down on the stain and wipe away with a different cloth. Making sure both are clean before use. Leave to dry naturally.
Tip: Conditioning your leather sofa after a clean will keep it looking newer for longer and avoid any unwanted cracking. Use coconut, lemon, or mild oil for this job after the main clean.
Suede
The Stone Grey Suede Buttoned 2 Seater Sofa | Click To Shop
Dealing with a suede sofa brings with it its own challenges as you need to be very careful how you go about cleaning it. If you just want to freshen up the suede you can do this by using a damp cloth, but be sure not to make the suede to wet. You just want to lift the dirt and leave now dampness.
When dealing with old stains try using an eraser. You can use a specialist suede eraser, but apparently a standard one does the same job. Once you have rubbed over the stained area, you can use a suede brush to remove the excess dirt.
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