4 ways to clean upholstered furniture: how and with what can you quickly return the upholstery to cleanliness and newness?

The upholstered furniture is so cozy, and it seems to happily accept everyone into its warm embrace. It is not surprising that over time it becomes dusty, worn and stained. But don't worry about this. Proper cleaning of upholstered furniture can restore its original appearance and freshness.

Rules for caring for upholstered furniture

Having bought new upholstered furniture, you want to believe that it will look chic for a long time. To do this, it is important to study the instructions for the sofa, bed, armchair, pouf.

General rules for care and use are as follows:

Upholstered furniture is designed for sitting and lying. You cannot jump on it or move on your feet or knees.
The maximum permissible load for the linen box and armrests is 10 kg. The 2-seater sofa can accommodate 2 people lying down or 3 people sitting.You should pay attention to the total weight. Eurobooks can withstand up to 200 kg, Dolphins (Venice) - 180 kg, and Couches - 120 kg.
Furniture should be located at a distance of at least 1 m from heating appliances. You cannot place it near damp walls, under windows or on the street where it will be in direct sunlight.
Recommended humidity and temperature conditions should be without sudden changes from +10 to +25 degrees and 60-70%.
It is necessary to avoid contact of water, acids, solvents and any chemicals on the internal and external surfaces of upholstered furniture and its mechanisms.
Household washing of upholstery, including removable covers, is prohibited.
You cannot dry upholstered furniture with a hairdryer, iron, vacuum cleaner or other household appliances.
It is recommended to clean sofas, armchairs and beds in special dry cleaners. You can deliver the removable elements yourself, or call specialists to your home to clean the entire sofa.
You can remove minor stains with your own hands at home.
When choosing a professional cleaning product for upholstered furniture, you need to carefully study the instructions and take into account the material of the upholstery and filling. Before use, a test is carried out on an inconspicuous area of the material. The assessment is made after the product has dried. The coating should not change color or texture. If this happens, you need to choose another drug.

Note! Sofas and armchairs often contain painted parts. They should be cleaned using a vacuum cleaner or a dry soft cloth. Do not allow contact with agents that dissolve the paint film (alcohol, acetone, etc.). The use of brushes, powders, soda and pastes with abrasive particles also has a detrimental effect on the coating.

Methods for cleaning upholstered furniture

It is important to give preference to gentle methods of cleaning upholstered furniture. When choosing a suitable method and product, you should pay attention to the features of the upholstery material:

Leatherette and smooth eco-leather tolerate wet cleaning better than other materials. Dirt can be removed with a damp cloth, napkin, or warm soapy water. In second place in terms of water resistance is genuine leather.
It is always best to clean fabric upholstery dry.
Velvet, velor and plush look very similar. But only velor tolerates vacuuming well, while velvet and plush can begin to lose lint and become bald over time.
Adhesive types of upholstery, in particular flock, cannot be cleaned with products containing alcohol and other solvents.
Jacquard is better cleaned with a soap solution, and chenille - with chemicals.

Dry cleaning

It is recommended to clean the sofa from dust, wool and dried dirt using a dry method. Dry cleaning can be carried out:

Using a brush. Use a brush to remove surface dirt. It is important that the pile on it is synthetic, not hard. Cleaning begins from the upper parts of upholstered furniture, moving from the back and armrests to the seat. They clean not only vertical, but also horizontal surfaces, paying special attention to folds, grooves and gaps between furniture elements. Use a brush to make sweeping movements in the direction of the pile. You cannot move it from side to side or rub one area for a long time, otherwise the pile on the upholstery may lose its elasticity and decorative properties.
Using a vacuum cleaner. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean deep layers of upholstered furniture, as well as crevices and places that are difficult to reach with a brush. You need to use a suitable attachment: vacuum, for leather and smooth materials, for removing hair. You should resort to such cleaning no more than once every 3 months.Frequent use of a vacuum cleaner reduces the stability of the pile. It may start to fall out.

For reference. The nozzle for vacuum cleaning of upholstered furniture consists of multiple tubes that carefully remove small dirt from the upholstery and all hard-to-reach places. With its help you can clean the most delicate objects and surfaces, such as blinds, shelves with books and souvenirs, and a keyboard.

Wet cleaning

The wet method is used to clean small areas of upholstered furniture. How to clean a sofa from stains at home:

It is necessary to limit the use of water to a minimum. Excess moisture will cause the stain to spread, leave streaks and can lead to deformation of the upholstered furniture filler.
Liquids must be removed immediately. Moisture is collected with dry paper napkins, towels, and white rags.
Cleaning products for upholstered furniture are used in small quantities.
In order not to increase the area of contamination, cleaning compounds are applied in the direction from the edges of the stain to the center.
After wet cleaning, upholstered furniture is not used until completely dry.

Important! Before wet cleaning, dry cleaning is always done first.

Cleaning with a washing vacuum cleaner

Experts have different opinions about cleaning upholstered furniture with a vacuum cleaner. Some consider this method the most effective of all possible at home, while others call it a “parody” of professional dry cleaning.

Pros:

Upholstered furniture gets minimally wet and dries quickly.
The upholstery looks fresh and smells nice.
Non-persistent dirt is removed.

Minuses:

Upholstered furniture needs to be dried.
You cannot clean stubborn stains with a vacuum cleaner.
Frequent use may have a negative impact on furniture.

Steam cleaning

Using a steam generator, you can disinfect upholstered furniture and destroy dust and bed mites. Steam cleaning is safe for allergy sufferers and children, as it does not require the use of cleaning agents or detergents. The disadvantages of using it are the same as with a washing vacuum cleaner. To remove dirt, use an attachment with a brush or rag. The sofa needs to be dried after cleaning.

What does cleaning upholstered furniture with a steam generator look like:

Top 5 folk remedies for cleaning upholstered furniture

Despite the fact that not a single manufacturer of upholstered furniture recommends using folk remedies to clean their products, many housewives remove stains the old fashioned way with soda, vinegar and various medicines from the medicine cabinet.

The only advantage of using folk remedies for cleaning a sofa is the savings.

The housewife does not need to spend money on purchasing professional formulations, find free time to visit the store, study recommendations for choosing cleaning products and instructions. It is convenient to use the usual soda and vinegar. But you need to understand that no one will give a guarantee for the safe use of folk recipes. Cleaning may result in damage to the upholstery. We recommend using only safe recipes that are less likely to harm upholstered furniture and can effectively remove dirt.

Soda and vinegar

Baking soda and table vinegar are often used in cooking, and therefore many people keep them at home. They are used together or separately to clean furniture.

Recipes:

If you find fresh wet spots on the upholstery, pour a handful of baking soda on top, rub lightly and wait until it dries completely. Clean with a vacuum cleaner.
Vinegar eliminates unpleasant odors and stains on upholstery. It is also used against mold, wine stains, berries, and rust.It is advisable to dilute 9% colorless vinegar with water in a ratio of 1 to 2 or 1 to 3. Clean the upholstery with a cotton swab soaked in the solution. After 10-30 minutes, wipe the product with a clean damp cloth.
Use soda and vinegar to clean stubborn stains that have managed to penetrate the upholstery. Pour 100 ml of warm water into a 0.5 liter bottle, add 3 tbsp. spoons of 9% table vinegar, 1 drop of liquid detergent and 0.5 tbsp. spoons of baking soda. The mixture immediately begins to foam. You need to shake it and immediately apply it to the contaminated area using a damp cloth. You need to keep a dry rag nearby and after 5-10 seconds, remove the liquid from the upholstery.

Soap solution

Using a soap solution, get rid of dirt on the sofa. To prevent the upholstery from getting too wet, try to get plenty of foam and apply only that.

For this:

A glass of warm water is poured into a ladle.
Add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of shampoo, washing gel or liquid soap.
Shake the soap solution thoroughly.
Collect the foam with a sponge and rub into the contaminated area.
After 5 minutes, wash the area with a cloth soaked in clean, warm water.

Liquid dishwashing detergent

Dish detergents have the ability to effectively remove grease. If there are greasy marks on upholstered furniture, the liquid is dripped onto a wet sponge, foamed, and the foam is applied to the stain. After 10-15 minutes, wipe the treated area with a damp cloth.

Hydrogen peroxide

Using pharmacy hydrogen peroxide, blood stains and traces of spilled tea, coffee, and wine are removed. It is believed that it helps restore the whiteness of yellowed furniture upholstery.

People try not to use peroxide on bright and dark fabrics for fear that the colors may fade.

Before using this folk recipe, be sure to conduct a test in an inconspicuous place.How to clean a sofa from stains:

1 tbsp. A spoonful of hydrogen peroxide is diluted in 100 ml of warm water.
Soak a piece of bandage or gauze in the solution.
Saturate the stain.
After 10-15 minutes, remove any remaining product with a damp cloth soaked in clean water.
Dry the treated area with a hair dryer (cold air).

Ammonia

Ammonia removes yellow stains, urine stains, pens, felt-tip pens, tea and many other types of stains. Housewives claim that the product copes well with greasy residue and the smell of tobacco. But you need to keep in mind that ammonia has a very pungent odor that can cause headaches and nausea. It is recommended to clean upholstered furniture with the windows open.

How to get rid of stains on upholstery:

Pour 1 tbsp into 100 ml of warm water. a spoonful of ammonia.
Soak a cotton pad or a piece of bandage in the solution.
Wipe the area of contamination.
After 10 minutes, clean the treated area with a damp cloth.
Dry the sofa.

Cleaning furniture with special cleaning products

Professional cleaning products for upholstered furniture are characterized by increased foam formation. Soap bubbles push dirt out of the fibers, minimally moisturizing the upholstery. The composition often includes active ingredients that can remove up to 100 different types of stains, as well as persistent odors from urine and cigarette smoke.

Furniture is cleaned with special cleaning agents using a washing vacuum cleaner or manually.

You must follow the instructions for the drug and technique.

To remove stains, a special product is applied to the contaminated area, and after 5-10 minutes, wipe with a damp cloth.
To clean a large area of the sofa manually, it is recommended to apply the product using a pump sprayer.The concentrate is pre-diluted with water. If you don’t have a sprayer, you can beat the solution in a bowl until foam forms. Then the foam is transferred to the upholstery, left for 10 minutes, and removed with a damp cloth.
To clean furniture with a washing vacuum cleaner, pour warm water into a special compartment and add a cleaning agent according to the instructions. Install a special nozzle with a tube. Includes vacuum cleaner and water supply. Press the lever on the nozzle and clean the furniture strip by strip. The foam from the cleaning product is sprayed onto the upholstery, and the vacuum cleaner immediately collects it. How to clean a sofa with a washing vacuum cleaner is shown in the video:

Attention! When manually cleaning the sofa with special products, you should use gloves.

Top 5 professional products for cleaning upholstered furniture

“Professional” products for cleaning upholstered furniture often mean store-bought concentrates and sprays for cleaning carpets and upholstery.

Good to know. The chemicals used in dry cleaners are not available to ordinary people. The drugs are sold at specialized points in large canisters. It is difficult to use them at home, as you need special equipment and protective equipment. In addition, dry cleaning involves the use of up to 10 different products, including rinse aid.

To ensure high-quality cleaning of your sofa at home, it is recommended to choose a good cleaner for carpets and upholstered furniture.

GRASS Carpet Foam Cleaner

One of the most popular professional products. It is used not only at home, but also in cleaning companies. GRASS Carpet Foam Cleaner is a concentrate. Used undiluted as a stain remover. It can be used in washing vacuum cleaners and for manual cleaning of carpets and upholstered furniture.

When adding water, the professional product forms a very dense foam that can clean large areas of dirt, including old and stubborn stains. The product has a pleasant apple scent and preserves the brightness of the sofa upholstery. It has only two disadvantages - the lack of a sprayer (you need to buy it separately) and the relatively high price - from 700 rubles per 1 liter.

Tuba

The following product takes an honorable second place in the ranking. It is distinguished by its affordable price (300 rubles for 0.5 l), convenient spray form, universal purpose and gentle composition. Tuba for cleaning upholstered furniture and carpets can be used even on natural materials, with the exception of sisal and coconut fiber. The composition includes a small amount of surfactants and fragrances. The spray refreshes colors, removes odors and fresh dirt.

Vanish Gold

Shampoo for manual cleaning of upholstered furniture and carpets from a well-known manufacturer is considered a classic. It is dissolved in water, foamed, and applied to the stains with a brush. Vanish Gold copes well with fresh stains and refreshes paints, but many call its cost overpriced (from 400 rubles for 0.45 liters). In addition, the shampoo has a persistent, pungent odor and can leave streaks.

Bagi Shtihonit

Spray for cleaning furniture upholstery and carpets has the reputation of being the most powerful stain remover and odor remover. Many people use it to clean furniture after pets. Bagi Stichonite does not leave streaks, removes all possible stains and forms a good, dense foam. The disadvantages include the high price (from 500 rubles for 0.5 liters) and the strong smell of the cleaning product, which does not disappear for a long time.

PROSEPT Carpet Shampoo

The following product compares favorably with its analogues by the formation of almost dry foam.It can be used for upholstered furniture, textiles and carpets of any composition. The composition includes nonionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, solvents and additives. Foam removes various types of dirt well, evens out the pile, and removes foreign odors. Cons: fast consumption and poor effectiveness against stubborn old stains. The price for PROSEPT Carpet Shampoo is 300 rubles for a volume of 0.4 liters.

Questions and answers

What is the best upholstery cleaner?

The best can be considered a product that effectively removes any stains and odors, is easily removed, is easy to apply, and is inexpensive. Unfortunately, any household chemicals have advantages and disadvantages. We recommend that you study them and choose the drug that is right for you.

How to protect your sofa from dust and pet hair?

Some housewives use antistatic agents to repel dust and hair from the surface of the sofa. They make the pile slippery, and small debris does not linger on the upholstery. But this protective measure does not help very well if there is a lot of dust and hair in the room. The best way to remove dust is with air washes and regular wet cleaning. To ensure that as little hair as possible remains on the sofa, pets need to be combed, especially often during the molting period.

Professional care of upholstered furniture is, first of all, the prevention of contamination, and not cleaning and expensive products. Manufacturers recommend cleaning sofas and other upholstered products as rarely as possible. To prevent upholstered furniture from getting dirty, you must follow the operating rules. Blankets and covers will help protect the upholstery from dirt and rubbing. If the sofa has no stains, it is enough to brush it 1-2 times a week, and if stains appear, you should consider going to the dry cleaner.Proper care of upholstered furniture will increase its service life for many years.