How to clean a fabric sofa

DON’T let stains and spills cramp your style – or your sofa.

There’s a quick and easy way to clean a fabric sofa – and we have everything you need to know.

How to clean a fabric sofa

When it comes to cleaning fabric furniture – it can be a tricky business.

But our step-by-step guide will make cleaning your fabric sofa quick and easy – and without causing any damage.

Step one – Check the fabric type

The first and most important step when it comes to cleaning your fabric sofa is to check what type of material you’re dealing with.

Some fabric sofas will have removable covers that you can simply take off – and throw in the washing machine.

However, if yours doesn’t don’t panic – just check the upholstery for a label, where you can find the necessary cleaning codes.

These codes will tell you the best way to clean your sofa and should like something like this: 

• WS – Can be cleaned with a steam cleaner or dry-cleaning detergent
• S – Can only be cleaned with dry-cleaning detergent
• W – Can be cleaned with water or steam
• X – Can be cleaned with a vacuum only – no fluids.

Step two – Gather your cleaning tools

Your go to cleaning tool in this case is a sofa cleaning solution – so it’s always handy to keep one in the back of the cupboard incase of any messy spills.

You can buy one in most supermarkets – or even make your own using three parts water to one part white vinegar.

But it’s important to make sure that the solution you choose is right for your upholstery – remember to patch-test it on an invisible area before you use it on the whole sofa.

Once you have your cleaning solution you will need to gather together a vacuum cleaner, microfibre cloths and distilled water.

Step three – Apply baking soda

This is the easiest step of them all – all you have to do sprinkle the entire sofa with baking soda.

Then let it sit for at least 20 minutes. 

Step four – It’s time to clean

The first step is to take your vacuum cleaner and hoover any dirt or debris and the remaining baking soda from the fabric.

Then dampen your microfibre cloth with your preferred cleaning solution and begin to gently clean the fabric.

Make sure not to scrub or rub too harshly – as this can damage the fibres.

The next step is then to take a fresh microfibre cloth and moisten it with distilled water – and begin to clean.

This will ensure any remaining cleaning solution or soap is removed.

Then taking another dry microfibre cloth, blot the fabric for a final time.

Then all you have to do is let the sofa dry – a top tip is to point a fan on the area to speed up to process and ensure the fabric dries completely.

How to get stains out of a fabric sofa

We’ve all been there – you’ve sat down on your sofa with your favourite food or drink, turned on the TV and before you know it you’ve accidentally split something.

But before you panic – the good news is you can remove these stains and leave your fabric sofa looking brand new once again.

And here’s how – all you have to do is follow our simple step-by-step guide.

Step one – Find the right cleaning solution for your sofa

The worst thing you can do when tackling a tough stain on your fabric sofa is to use bleach – as this may cause the fabric to discolour.

Instead use a cleaning solution – check the label on the upholstery for any recommend products or cleaning advice.

Always make sure to test the solution on an inconspicuous area before applying the solution onto the stain – this will avoid any risk damaging the fabric upholstery.

If you’re choosing to make your own cleaning solution – take a teaspoon of washing-up liquid, white vinegar, baking soda and warm water and mix together.

The mixture should froth up as the baking soda and vinegar react with one another – then you’re ready to apply this to the fabric.

Step two – Find the right cleaning tools

This is an obvious but important step.

When you notice a stain, your first reaction might be to grab any sponge or cloth from the kitchen.

However, this could make the stain worse – instead use a microfibre cloth.

This type of cloth will ensure no fibres are damaged when removing any unwanted stains.

Step three – Don’t scrub

The best method of removing stains is to take a microfibre cloth, add a little bit of your cleaning solution – and blot.

You can also apply your preferred solution directly to any stains or smudges that you can spot on your fabric sofa. 

Make sure to be gentle when cleaning the stain – scrubbing to harshly could make the stain worse and even cause permanent damage to the fabric.

Step four – Leave to dry

Once you’ve tacked the stain in question – don’t sit on the sofa.

Make sure you leave the fabric to dry completely – you could also leave a fan in the area to speed up the process.

Step five – Wipe the surface

Once the area is dry, take a clean cloth and gently rub the surface of where the stain previously lay.

This will ensure any leftover residue is lifted away – leaving you with a beautiful stain-free sofa once again.

Whenever in doubt, always contact professional sofa cleaning service as soon as possible – the longer the stain remains on the sofa fabric, the more difficult, or impossible it is to remove.