Dust, pet hair, or coffee stains - even the most robust couch will be happy about a good old clean every now and then. We reveal how to clean fabric couches without it taking too much effort.
By regularly vacuuming or beating the upholstery of your sofa, you’ll ensure that the material is loosened and properly aired. Dust that has settled on the surface of the sofa and in the folds of the cover can also be easily removed this way. It also successfully removes pet hair and crumbs from the upholstery – which is good for allergy sufferers. So regular vacumming or a thorough “pillow punching” not only benefits your comfort, but also the appearance of your fabric sofa. You can then clean it as needed using simple household methods – we’ll show you how to clean a fabric sofa below.
Our top tip - Set the vacuum cleaner to the lowest suction level for basic fabric couch cleaning and use an upholstery nozzle if possible. This way, the cover material won’t be too taxed.
If you’re looking for some fabric sofa cleaning tips, a good place to start is by getting into a routine. Cleaning your fabric sofa is not only useful when snacks or drinks have accidentally spilled or the kids or any four-legged housemates have left their mark. You can also extend the life of a couch with a textile cover by regular, gentle basic cleaning. People who are allergic to pollen or house dust can also reduce the level of irritation in their home by cleaning fabric sofa regularly.
- For basic cleaning, just wipe the surfaces of the sofa with a damp, lint-free cloth.
- It's best to use a light-coloured wipe on a light-coloured sofa, as dark-coloured cloths can leave stains.
- Lukewarm water is usually sufficient for fabric sofa cleaning. Distilled water is best because it does not leave limescale marks. Alternatively, you can use boiled and cooled lukewarm water.
- Add a splash of dishwashing liquid, or some household or neutral detergent to the water you use before wiping down your couch, if desired.
- Make sure that the cleaning agent has completely dissolved in the water so that no residue remains on the upholstery later.
- Damp doesn't mean wet - so wring out the rag well before wiping the couch covers.
- You should also give the surfaces, cushions, and pillows enough time to dry before using your sofa again.
Stubborn dirt or stains on the fabric of your sofa can usually be removed effectively with simple and inexpensive home solutions.
- Stains on upholstered furniture can be removed very well with bicarbonate of soda - especially on a couch that has a coarse fabric cover. You can clean the covers of your sofa both when dry and wet. If you choose the latter option, simply mix some bicarbonate of soda with water to make a paste. You then work this paste into the sofa cover’s fabric with a cloth in the affected areas. Leave it to work overnight and vacuum it off the next day - that's it! The pleasant side effect is that cleaning the fabric of the sofa with bicarbonate of soda also eliminates bad odours, helps against dust mites, and has a mild disinfecting effect. In the case of very sensitive or coloured cover fabrics, you should test the paste beforehand in an inconspicuous place.
- Instead of using bicarbonate of soda, you can also use conventional laundry detergent to clean fabric sofas. Whether you use liquid or powder detergent doesn't matter. To clean your fabric couch, simply pour a little detergent such as Dynamo Professional 7 in 1 onto a damp sponge and rub it into the stains. Then wipe with a damp cloth without detergent until no more residue is visible on the upholstery fabric. Go sparingly with the detergent - detergent can help remove stains, but too much of it and it will leave traces on the fabric.
- You can also use shaving cream to remove stains from fabric sofa covers. However, this isn’t a suitable method for cleaning a leather couch. Simply spray some shaving foam on the affected area and let it work for a short time. Then brush it off with a soft brush in the direction of the textile fibres or work it in a little with a cloth and hoover up any dried residue if necessary. Then allow to dry thoroughly.
- For heavy soiling, grease stains or specky spots on sofa covers, window cleaner helps: Spray it on, work it in with a soft cloth or a clean, soft brush, and let it dry.
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