Never underestimate the role that your sofa plays in your home. Aside from keeping you and your loved ones feeling comfortable and relaxed, your sofa can also add a nice touch to the decor of a room and pull everything together nicely. However, in order to keep your couch in its best condition, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Here are some sofa-cleaning tips and tricks to keep your couch looking and feeling clean and fresh.
Vacuum Your Sofa Regularly
One of the best things you can do for your sofa is to incorporate it into your household cleaning routine—something that many homeowners surprisingly still overlook. You can do this by using a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush or upholstery attachment to remove surface-level dust and dirt at least once a week, though this frequency can vary depending on the conditions of your home and its inhabitants.
In doing this, you’ll be able to prevent all sorts of impurities from accumulating on your sofa, which can accelerate the breakdown of the material and leave your sofa looking dull and worn out. Doing this regularly will also help prolong its lifespan and help you get the most out of what you paid for.
Clean Up Stains Immediately
Any spills or stains should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent them from setting and drying to your sofa. The first thing you should do is use either a clean cloth or paper towel to absorb as much of the moisture as you can, making sure to use blotting and dabbing motions rather than scrubbing motions. Then, you can either go in with a commercial sofa stain remover or add a small amount of mild detergent to some water for a gentle homemade sofa cleaner.
Make sure that you squeeze out as much of the solution from your cloth before bringing it to your sofa’s material. When blotting, start from the outside of the spill and work your way toward the center to prevent it from spreading. Then, always finish your cleaning by using a damp cloth to blot away the solution before going in with another dry cloth to absorb the moisture left behind.
Consider Using Household Ingredients and Items
While there are some great commercial products and cleaners for you to choose from, you can also use other items and ingredients to clean your sofa, and the good news is that you might already have them lying around your home. A great example of this is baking soda, which can be used in a wide range of sofa-cleaning situations:
- General Cleaning: After vacuuming your sofa, sprinkle some baking soda over your sofa and let it sit for around 20 minutes. Then, use a soft-bristled brush to gently brush the baking soda and work it into the material. This will help loosen up and dislodge any dirt and dust that may have been trapped in between the fibers. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda and the dirt.
- Odor Removal: If a nasty smell is coming from your sofa, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the area and leave it for around 15 to 20 minutes. For stronger and more stubborn odors, you can leave it on for longer. The baking soda will absorb and neutralize the stench, leaving your sofa smelling clean and fresh. Use your vacuum cleaner to remove the white powder.
- Stain Removal: For fresh stains, cover the affected area with baking soda. After 30 minutes to an hour, you’ll notice the baking soda turning into a paste, and this is how you know that it’s working to soak up the spilled liquid. Use a damp cloth to remove the residue.
Consider Professional Cleaning
There are many sofa mishaps that you can easily solve on your own, but more serious cleaning cases should always be left to the professionals. There are many benefits to having your sofa professionally cleaned:
- Gentle and Effective Methods: When you leave your sofa cleaning to professional cleaners, you can rest assured that they’re well-equipped with the latest knowledge on all the best sofa cleaning practices to deliver great results after every single session.
- Convenient and Customizable Solutions: You won’t always have time to take proper care of your sofa, but the good thing about leaving the cleaning to the professionals is that they can offer cleaning solutions that cater to your unique sofa cleaning needs, all the while working around your schedule for your convenience. Regardless of whether you want a deep cleaning or a sofa treatment, you can be confident that you’ll come home to a freshly cleaned couch.
- Affordable Cleaning: One of the misconceptions surrounding professional cleaning is that it’s expensive, but that’s actually not the case. Many cleaning companies offer very affordable packages to help you achieve an effortlessly clean home.
While these may seem like small habits, they can actually make a huge difference when it comes to the maintenance and care of your sofa. By following these consistently, you’ll be able to keep your sofa around for much longer.
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