A sofa often sees all the colors. Dust, repeated rubbing, TV sets, animal hair, and getting dirty, even stained. But no question of cleaning it just any old way. Whether in leather, fabric (cotton, linen), or velvet, there is a solution for each sofa.
Clean a Fabric Sofa
If your sofa covers are removable, the easiest way is to remove all the covers and put them in the machine. Start by removing the dust with a good vacuum cleaner, and put them in your washing machine. To avoid wrinkles and make it easier to put them back in place, then dry the fabric flat. If your sofa cover is not removable, you can use a special upholstery shampoo spray. Spray the foam all over your sofa, leave it to act for the time indicated, then vacuum the fabric deeply to remove the product. Then let it air dry before sitting down again, says Sarah Martha, a sofa cleaning expert at Cleaning Company. Depending on the problem, you can also opt for dry cleaning.
- Your sofa smells terrible: To freshen up your sofa fabric, you can sprinkle baking soda on the cushions. Distribute the product well with your flat hand and leave to act for an hour or two. Brush the fabric and then vacuum. It will neutralize bad odors.
- Your sofa is stained. To remove a greasy stain, sprinkle flour, talc, or Earth Sommières on the more fragile fabrics. Leave on for at least an hour. The powder will absorb the fat. Then gently brush the fabric and vacuum. Repeat if necessary. You can also remove the rest of the stain by dabbing the fabric with a damp cloth soaked in Marseille soap, perfect for degreasing. Use circular motions, rinse and let dry.
- To remove a wine stain, sprinkle baking soda on the stain, let sit for one or two hours, brush the fabric and then vacuum. You can also mix white vinegar and sparkling water and rub the stain with a clean cloth.
Clean a Leather Sofa
More fragile than fabric, leather needs specific care. Whether cleaning it or just reviving it, never use chemicals, they will stain or discolor the surface. Instead, I prefer soft or natural recipes.
- Clean your leather sofa with Marseille soap. Use a sponge (without abrasive) or a wet washcloth and coat it with Marseille soap. Gently rub the leather in circular motions until the gunk comes off. Work by area and do not hesitate to rinse the sponge when it is dirty. Wipe with a clean, dry cloth and allow the leather to dry.
- Clean your leather sofa with cleansing milk. If your sofa is not (or slightly) dirty, it seems to you to look gray, and use cleansing milk to revive it. Leather indeed needs to be nourished. A fatty substance will give it suppleness and shine. Use circular motions, like a massage. If some areas do not seem very clear to you, you can add a few white vinegar drops to your cloth. Finally, polish with a clean, dry cloth.
- Your leather sofa is stained. Claystone is ideal for removing stains from leather. Soak a damp sponge with white claystone and gently rub the stain until it is gone. Wipe with a clean cloth and let dry for several hours.
Clean a Velvet Sofa
Unfortunately, velvet tends to catch dust. Not to mention, hair or animal hair are included. To get rid of it, brush it regularly with a fabric brush, or vacuum the cushions. But if your velvet sofa needs a real cleaning, be careful: velvet sometimes does not adapt well to humidity, especially if it is silk velvet. In this case, I prefer dry cleaning.
- Detach a velvet sofa. Apply Earth Sommières to the stain (or the entire sofa to clean it thoroughly) and massage the fabric to soak up the fabric (use household gloves to protect your hands). Leave on for several hours, ideally overnight, then vacuum it up.
- Clean a cotton velour sofa. Less fragile than silk velour, cotton velour can be cleaned with a mixture of soapy water and white vinegar. Apply it evenly with a clean cloth soaked in this mixture (be careful not to soak your sofa) and rub gently. Rinse with a clean cloth, absorb the excess water with a terry towel, and let dry. Once dry, you can finish by sprinkling your couch with talcum powder, leave to act for several hours then vacuum. This last step will prevent the previously moistened hairs from clumping.