Cleaning upholstered furniture at home. How to clean upholstered furniture at home: practical tips

  • 17.06.2019

Upholstered furniture is a great addition to any interior. An interesting range of colors, a variety of patterns can make the room cozy and warm. But, unfortunately, over time, upholstered furniture also gets dirty. Cleaning products is not a difficult task if you approach this process taking into account the recommendations of specialists.

General rules

Caring for upholstered furniture is quite simple:

  1. The product must be used correctly.
  2. Use it exclusively for its intended purpose.
  3. Avoid strong contamination. To do this, regularly carry out dry cleaning.

But no matter how carefully you follow such recommendations, unpleasant stains still appear on the product. Needless to say, such upholstered furniture looks extremely ugly and not aesthetically pleasing. Cleaning can fix things. In the process of care, experts recommend adhering to the following rules:

  1. Stains should not lead to a deeper penetration of dirt into the fibers of the upholstery. Use a sponge or other highly absorbent material to remove stains.
  2. If you are using special stain removers, never use more than one at the same time. Stop choosing one.
  3. Do not expose furniture to aggressive agents (vinegar, acid, soda). Not suitable for upholstery and substances containing abrasive particles.
  4. Remove any stains in a circular motion. Start from the center of pollution, moving smoothly to the edges.
  5. Allow time for the treatment areas to dry naturally. Do not use an iron or hair dryer. Until completely dry, no impact should be exerted on the upholstery.

Choice of remedy

This is the first question you will face if you need to clean upholstery. Many people prefer the following products to care for furniture:

  • Amway SA8;
  • "Glorix";
  • Dry Cleaner;
  • "Frosch";
  • Vanish;
  • Dyson Zorb;
  • "Pemolux";
  • "Bingo";
  • centralin;
  • ECOVER;
  • Karcher RM 760 Tabs;
  • TRI BIO.

Each of them will cope with pollution perfectly. But do not rush to immediately apply the product you purchased to care for furniture. Initially, test its effect on a small area, hidden from prying eyes. This will protect you from the risk of completely destroying the upholstery (if the product was chosen incorrectly).

Also, follow the instructions carefully. Incorrect use or the wrong sequence of your actions can lead to unpleasant results.

And most importantly, do not forget that the choice of means depends entirely on the type of upholstery. Now we will look at some of them.

Flock furniture care

Almost all detergents are suitable for this type of upholstery, except for those containing alcohol or substances created by oil refining.

This furniture should be vacuumed regularly. This will protect it not only from the accumulation of dirt, dust, but also preserve the natural shine of the fabric.

Velvet and plush upholstery

How to clean upholstered furniture with this kind of fabric? Do not use a vacuum cleaner in this case. It will damage the surface and your upholstery will lose its original look.

Velvet and plush cannot be washed. Also, these fabrics should not be brushed with a stiff bristle brush. When choosing detergents, choose those that do not contain chemical aggressive substances.

An excellent method for removing stains from these fabrics is to wipe the stained area with a cloth soaked in gasoline. After complete drying, the stain is cleaned ammonia.

How to care for chenille?

Various stains from this fabric are perfectly removed with a sponge and soapy water. Chenille is recommended to be cleaned regularly with a vacuum cleaner. Eliminate greasy contaminants allows a 6% ammonia solution in water.

Specific preparations based on perchlorethylene are suitable for this type of upholstery.

Velor cleaning

How to put the product in order if it is the velor upholstered furniture that is dirty? Cleaning is done warm water to which detergent is added. The velor care product must not contain abrasive particles or bleach.

If the upholstery is removable, then the removed fabric can be washed. But remember that the water temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. The push-up process deserves special attention. For velor, it is suitable only at minimum speeds. This upholstery should not be ironed.

Faux leather care

This is extremely practical stuff. Such soft upholstery, which, by the way, is quite simple, is distinguished by a particularly long service life.

To remove stubborn dirt, ordinary soap solution and rags are perfect. Remember, vacuuming such upholstery is not recommended. Hard brushes should not be used. This will lead to microdamages and scratches, which will easily be penetrated by dust and dirt. Products containing bleach are strictly contraindicated for this type of coating.

To give artificial leather a natural shine, it is recommended to wipe the surface with silicone after cleaning.

Cleaning faux nubuck

  1. Use a soft bristle brush when dry cleaning. This will eliminate dust, dirt accumulated on the furniture. This will return the upholstery to its natural roughness.
  2. Almost all detergents can be used to remove solid dirt.
  3. The exceptions are substances that contain aggressive chemical components, solvents, bleaches.

Genuine leather cleaning

This upholstered furniture is very stylish and practical. A leather sofa will last a long time if you properly care for it.

Before considering the cleaning of this upholstery, it is necessary to dwell on important point. Fat impregnation is able to dry out. This can cause the leather sofa to crack. To avoid this, treat its surface 1-2 times a year with a special sponge impregnated with stearin grease.

To clean genuine leather, use the tips:

  1. Dust and dirt are perfectly removed from the surface with a damp cloth. To enhance the cleaning effect, use a soap solution (but only non-concentrated).
  2. Alcohol allows you to rid natural skin of fruit stains, spilled coffee, wine, lipstick. Dampen the sponge and wipe the damaged areas.

From time to time the question: "How to clean the sofa at home?" becomes relevant. No matter how hard the family tries to keep their favorite corner or couch in pristine cleanliness, covering it with all kinds of covers and blankets, the problem of cleaning upholstered furniture at home becomes acute and requires immediate resolution. The presence of small children and pets exacerbates the situation in this direction.

It is easier to wash off fresh dirt than to subsequently puzzle over how to remove stains from a sofa that have a respectable age.

Little tricks to deal with fresh pollution

How to clean your favorite light sofa from coffee?– Fresh stains should be wiped off immediately with a dry, clean cloth. Then moisten the cloth with water, wring it out thoroughly and rub the stain again. Repeat the process until the stain disappears. If, nevertheless, a trace of your favorite drink remains, you need to drop a little dish detergent on a damp cloth and clean it. furniture until the resulting foam washes away the traces of careless behavior. Then again with a damp cloth, changing it several times, clean the problem area. Wait for complete drying. When the upholstery dries, check for a trace of coffee - if everything is in order - well, if the trace, even if minimal, remains, then you need to use a special product for cleaning your favorite sofa.

How to remove grease stains at home?- If your baby dropped a cutlet or other fatty product on the sofa, do not rush to scream and stomp your feet. In order to remove a greasy stain of fresh origin from upholstery, you should immediately sprinkle it with starch or fine table salt, wait half an hour. Then shake off the powder that has absorbed the grease with a brush and wash off the contamination with warm water and detergent. Be sure to wipe at the end with a clean, damp cloth so that the detergent does not leave streaks when it dries.

How to clean upholstered furniture at home from freshly spilled iodine?- Urgently run to the nearest supermarket for fresh milk. Moisten a cloth with milk and press firmly against the upholstery, moisten again and press. Repeat the procedure until the stain fades or disappears, then rinse the contaminated area with a cleaning solution and fresh water.

A mixture of vinegar and soda also helps in this case. It is necessary to sprinkle the stain with carbonate and drop a few drops of acid on it. After the reaction of vinegar and soda stops, such a lotion should be kept on the sofa for several hours, brush off the remaining powder with a brush and wash the upholstery with warm soapy water.

How to clean the sofa upholstery at home from blood stains?– Accidental blood from a broken knee needs to be washed immediately cold water. Under no circumstances should warm liquid be used to remove these types of stains. You need to wipe fresh blood with movements directed to the center of contamination so that the dirt does not stretch over a large surface. Then you need to take the usual brown laundry soap and lather a linen napkin or sponge. The resulting foam should wash the blood until it disappears completely. Next, you need to carefully, using the same damp rag or sponge, remove the soap suds and dry the sofa or chair in a natural way.

Ordinary aspirin will perfectly cope with a bloody stain - you should dissolve 1 tablet of acetylsalicylic acid in cold water, moisten a cotton swab or sponge with the resulting solution and wipe the stain with inward movements. Then you need to wash the sponge in running water and, squeezing it slightly, wipe the place where the stain was, so that the subsequently dried fabric is streak-free.

How to clean a sofa at home from red wine?- A particularly topical issue after the celebration of the New Year or a solemn marriage. In this case, immediately blot the stain with a dry cloth or paper towel to remove the remnants of wine from the surface of upholstered furniture and generously cover the place spoiled with a drink with fine table salt. Leave such a powder until it dries completely, it is better to remove the salt with a vacuum cleaner.

How to clean a sofa from stains left by fruits or berries?- Drops of juice or splashes from accidentally crushed strawberries will be well removed with a sponge dipped in a solution of ammonia and vinegar. It is necessary to apply a small amount of liquid to the upholstery, wait until the stain disappears and immediately rinse this place with water using the same sponge.

How to remove a stain from a sofa or chair left by chocolate?– It is necessary to remove the remnants of goodies from the surface of upholstered furniture and immediately wash the stain with a warm solution of a mild detergent, such as vanilla.

How to clean a sofa or ottoman if chewing gum is stuck on the surface?- An excellent way to deal with such manifestations of childish pranks will be an ice compress. Fold the ice cubes in a strong plastic bag so that the water does not spoil the upholstery during the melting process, tie the package with a cord or rubber band and put it on top of the chewing gum. As soon as the harmfulness freezes, you can clean it painlessly for the fabric reverse side knife or soft scraper.

What can be
clean upholstered furniture from marks left by a pen or felt-tip pen? -
Nail polish remover or acetone works great on a fresh stationery stain. It is necessary to wipe the stain with a cotton swab dipped in solvent, allow this place to dry and rinse the cloth with a sponge and clean water.

How to clean a sofa from beer stains?- Traces of stormy joy or grief from an important football match on your favorite chair, it is easy to clean the upholstery by immediately washing it with warm soapy water, followed by wiping with a clean, damp cloth. So that the furniture does not become a source of a specific aroma, it is better to rinse the fabric with a weak vinegar solution prepared in a proportion of 50 ml per 1 liter of warm water.

Weekly cleaning of sofas with a vacuum cleaner is somewhat different from cleaning a carpet or floor textiles. You should prepare a solution of table salt at the rate of 1 teaspoon of sodium per liter of cold water, moisten a linen cloth in the composition and wrap it around the nozzle of a conventional vacuum cleaner. In this way, you can not only remove the accumulated dust, but also refresh the colors of the upholstery. If possible, it is better to purchase a special vacuum cleaner for cleaning sofas, which allows you to clean fabric upholstery both dry and wet.

All of the above methods are folk remedies. suitable for cleaning upholstered furniture at home only in case of fresh, non-cured stains of various origins. A sort of "ambulance" to remove and remove freshly left traces of the vigorous activity of the owners and their guests.

In the case when the stain was not noticed in a timely manner, the procedure for cleaning upholstered furniture with your own hands will be somewhat more laborious and directly depend on the quality of the fabric used in the upholstery.

Velours

home remedies

This type of upholstery remarkably attracts dust, pets, even from the short-haired breed, leave visible traces of their presence. If the dirt is fresh, you should immediately remove the dirt with a not very stiff brush, then wipe the problem area with a weak solution of vinegar. A velor sofa does not like a vacuum cleaner very much, all attempts to remove stains from a sofa with home remedies can hopelessly ruin an expensive coating. When buying such furniture, it is best to pay attention to models with removable covers so that they can be washed at any time.

Industrial cleaners for velor or velvet furniture

When buying design items with such capricious upholstery, it is best to purchase special care products at the same time. It can be advertised drugs, and not very well-known. The main thing is that they fit the type of fabric with which the furniture is finished.

Cleaning services

The best option for this type of furniture. professional equipment allows specialists in this field to remove almost all stains from fabric that needs careful treatment at home.

Flock

home remedies

Flock is less capricious than velor or velvet, it is not afraid of mechanical influences, it can be easily cleaned with a brush, then the sofa cleaned in this way can be vacuumed. Once a month, you can use an unnecessary sheet soaked in water. Having covered a sofa or chair with it, you just need to beat the furniture with a special carpet beater.

How to clean such a sofa from stains at home using household chemicals

For all its durability, flock does not tolerate all sorts of home remedies used to remove stains from the sofa. Therefore, you should have on hand dry-cleaning products suitable for this type of upholstery.

Cleaning services

Very suitable for such furniture, as the special equipment used for cleaning sofas allows you to remove stubborn stains without streaks, to which flock has a predisposition.

Suede

home remedies

Resists washing with conventional detergents, vanish or detergent utensils. The stain must be removed immediately. The main rule in this case is not to let the stain dry out and eat into the upholstery. Simple stains on this type of fabric can be cleaned with homemade non-aggressive products - a powder solution or just a napkin dipped in ammonia - the latter is suitable for fatty contaminants.

Ordinary wet wipes for children's skin have proven themselves remarkably well - all more or less strong stains will disappear if the dirty area is wiped with them. In addition, the delicate composition will not damage the upholstery with this method of cleaning the sofa with your own hands.

How to remove a greasy stain from suede upholstery with chemicals

Do-it-yourself dry cleaning of a suede sofa should be done only after the debris has been removed with a vacuum cleaner.

Cleaning services

If suede has shiny spots, you can’t do without the help of professionals. It is unlikely that you can remove stains that have a decent statute of limitations from the sofa with your own hands. It is much easier to wash the upholstery with the help of special equipment.

Leather

home remedies

Perfectly tolerates all types of home cleaning, with the exception of mechanical. Therefore, the question: “How to clean leather upholstery?” occurs rarely. The main condition that you need to know before removing the stain put on your leather sofa is not to forget to treat the coating after work with a special compound that restores the fatty film on such furniture.

A chemical agent for cleaning upholstered leather furniture must necessarily contain various oils that prevent cracking of the surface, after how this furniture cleaner was used. You need to clean leatherette furniture according to the same rules as leather furniture - wash it off dirt, then clean it from stains and cover it with a greasy special compound.

Cleaning services

Leatherette or genuine leather does not really need professionals. However, if the upholstery is damaged, you should not delay contacting the repair shop so that a small crack or cut does not damage the entire surface of an expensive piece of furniture.

  • Do not be stingy with the purchase of a special washing vacuum cleaner for furniture - with such a device you can easily cope with the most difficult stains without using household chemicals, which, as you know, is not very useful for upholstery, no matter how expensive and sparing it is.
  • Be sure to test specialized chemistry on an inconspicuous piece of upholstery before each use, not counting on the fact that the last time the effect was amazing - all such preparations tend to deteriorate after opening much faster than hermetically sealed ones. Plus, they also have an expiration date.
  • Do not listen to relatives or friends who advise you to clean the furniture with exactly the tool that they use. Always pre-check its effect on your sofa or chair.

There are many tools that will help remove any kind of stains from upholstered furniture. You can pick up powders, gels and foams that are very effective. But it is not always allowed to use them on certain upholstery. In this case, you can use verified folk remedies, which are no less effective than store-bought household chemicals.

If dust or small spots appear on upholstered furniture, it is recommended to use a specially developed cleaning technology - it is different for each individual case.

Dry cleaning is not always suitable for cleaning chairs, sofas and other interior items. You can deal with various stains on your own.

Using only a vacuum cleaner for cleaning does not give the desired effect. To get a good result, you also need to use a special tool. It is recommended to dissolve 35 ground table salt in 1200 ml of pure water. It is necessary to wait until all the crystals completely disappear. Then take a piece of gauze and fold it into several layers. Then moisten it in the resulting salty liquid and wrap such a compress around the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner. The method will not only refresh light-colored furniture, but is also used to clean other fabric surfaces. So you can remove the dust that has eaten into the material, and various old stains. This method is suitable if you need to clean chairs with fabric upholstery.

It is not recommended to use a vacuum cleaner for, which has a velor or velvet coating, because too stiff bristles harm the pile of the material. As a result, a chair or any other object with such a fabric will look worn and old.

You can get rid of dust not only in the standard way, which is described above. You can use the old folk method- soda and vinegar essence (ordinary vinegar is also suitable). It is necessary to dissolve 45 g of baking soda and 25 ml of vinegar in 1200 ml of water. The liquid should be warm. Now you need to take an unnecessary sheet and lower it into the finished solution. Then carefully wring out and cover the furniture to be cleaned. After that, the surface of the sofa or other object to be cleaned must be beaten out until the sheet becomes dark and dirty. Then rinse it in clean water and repeat all the steps again. After several treatments, the sheet will no longer be dirty after being knocked out, so that the furniture will be completely cleaned.

If the furniture is already old, then a neutral solution will save from greasy. It is necessary to dissolve 20 ml of any liquid soap in 1 liter of water. Then moisten a piece of cotton cloth in the liquid and rub the interior item (actions should be in one direction). At the end, collect the foam and wipe the surface with a sponge dipped in clean water.

You can remove dirt from leather or leatherette furniture with medical alcohol (use only with a 10% concentration). Soak gauze in the liquid and apply to places with dirt for 10 minutes. Then wipe thoroughly and rinse with water. Clean upholstery made of chenille, flock, suede, velor or nubuck can also be effectively cleaned with alcohol. But in this case, do not use gauze for the procedure, but a special rubber brush (you can use the one that is used for shoes). Then rinse everything with water.

If the covers can be removed from a sofa, armchair or other object, then it is better to do so in order to wash them in a washing machine with a suitable powder. But before that, you should find out if it is allowed to apply automatic washing to this type of material so that deformations do not appear in the future.

The most popular folk remedies

If for some reason it is not possible to use special cleaning preparations for furniture, then you can clean with folk remedies that have already been tested for centuries and are no less effective.

For example, this method is suitable for rooms where children, pets or people who are prone to allergies live.

Popular methods:

  1. Vinegar and salt. This mixture is very effective. It can be used in many different ways. Dissolve the mixture in water and use to wipe the dirty surface. Salt can be sprinkled on stains that are still wet. You can wet an unnecessary piece of fabric in a solution, and then cover the furniture with it and start knocking it out. Knocking out is a proven method, and together with a strong composition, the effect will be good. Vinegar and salt can remove many different old stains, dust, grease, and more.
  2. Laundry soap. It must be dissolved in slightly warm clean water. Instead of laundry soap, any liquid will do. Soak a piece of cotton cloth in the solution. Do not overmoisten the furniture, otherwise it will dry for a long time, there is a risk of mold.
  3. A mixture of vinegar, washing powder and baking soda. Take all components in a small spoon. The resulting composition is supposed to be dissolved in warm water(approximately 1 l). The product is foamy, so it is better to use a spray bottle to apply it, and then rub it with a sponge. It should be applied from the edge of the furniture surface to its center. This composition is great for light fabrics. If you have to clean the flock, then it is better to use a composition with vinegar or a simple soapy solution.
  4. Steaming. This is the express method. If you need to quickly clean the furniture, you can use a steam generator, steam cleaner or clothes steamer. Hot steam can remove various stains, even old, greasy and difficult to remove.

Before using folk remedies, you must first conduct a test on furniture. It is recommended to choose an inconspicuous place, apply the product on it, and check the result after 20-60 minutes.

If used on the same day different formulations, then it is necessary to make an interval between their use at 4 hours. These compounds must not be allowed to mix.

How to remove various stains

If the wine still has a fresh stain on the upholstery made of light material, then it is better to sprinkle it with salt. It acts as a sorbent, so it will begin to draw liquid out of the material. When the stain dries, it must be further treated with a weakly concentrated solution of alcohol or ordinary vodka.

If the candle has melted, then with your own hands it will be difficult to remove traces of it on the furniture. It is recommended to heat up the iron. Then cover with an ordinary paper napkin without a pattern a place with such a stain and iron it with a heated (but not hot) iron.

If chewing gum is stuck to the upholstery, then at home it will be easy enough to remove it. This will require ice. First you need to wrap it in any clean plastic bag. Then cover the place with chewing gum with such a compress and wait until the mass completely hardens and hardens. After that, it will be enough just to scrape off the material.

There is another similar method that helps with the fabric surface. It is necessary to pour 400 ml of purified water into an enameled container. Boil it and fall asleep 40 chamomile inflorescences. Then boil for 10 minutes and wait until the solution cools down. After that, filter the liquid through a sieve or cheesecloth, rolled up in several layers. Next, the broth is poured into ice molds. When the liquid hardens, with the help of cubes it will be possible to clean the furniture from the stain - just apply ice to it. By the way, this applies to carpet cleaning as well. But sharp objects are not recommended to use, so as not to damage the structure of the material. When the chewing gum is completely removed, it remains only to wipe the surface of the furniture with slightly acidified water. To do this, dissolve 25 ml of vinegar in 0.5 liters of water.

Stains from berries cannot be removed clean water- it is necessary to prepare a special solution. Take in the same amount table vinegar and ammonia. Then moisten a sponge in ordinary water and apply to the stains. If they appeared just a few minutes ago, then this processing step can be skipped. After that, the solution must be used to treat places with dirt. Then wait 10 minutes. After that, moisten the sponge again in water and remove excess composition. In the end, it remains only to vacuum this place with any nozzle - the main thing is that it be using wet gauze.

To get rid of coffee stains, you need to mix 40 ml of vinegar, 45 ml of dish detergent and 50 ml of plain water. Then cover the container with foil and wait 30 minutes. After that, gently rub the contaminated area with a sponge.

Contamination from kvass and beer can be removed with a soapy solution. It is necessary to grind a small piece of baby soap on a grater and dissolve in 1300 ml of water. Next, you need to use the foam itself.

Stains on various surfaces

You can get rid of dirt on the flock with a soap and alcohol solution. You can also use water-based cleaners. Acetic solution is also suitable, but only if it has a low concentration. Liquid ammonia is allowed. Of the “tools”, wet wipes (not containing alcohol), any piece of delicate cloth, brushes, sponges, but not too hard, are suitable. Vacuuming is also allowed to process furniture. Prohibited cleaning products are those that are quite aggressive. For example, these are washing powder, solvents, alcohol, various petroleum products, products containing oil.

Tapestry and jacquard are allowed to be cleaned with soap and vinegar, vodka, ammonia. It is forbidden to use pure alcohol, acetone, various bleaches and substances that contain chlorine.

As for velor, it can also be cleaned with ordinary soapy water. Vinegar, alcohol, ammonia are suitable - they are supposed to be diluted in water. It is forbidden to use acetone, products with chlorine, aggressive reagents, petroleum products. Oily substances are also prohibited.

Chenille is easy to clean with alcohol, vinegar, ammonia and soap. It is better to refrain from using detergent, oils, petroleum products, bleaches, solvents, acetone and chlorine-containing compounds. The same substances are not applicable to silk. Vinegar and soap foam are also suitable for cleaning it.

Conclusion

Before you get started, be sure to know how to clean upholstered furniture from stains. There are 2 main methods - with the use of special tools and without them. You can use both store-bought household chemicals and folk remedies, which are also very effective. All these options will help keep upholstered furniture in good condition - it will be not only clean, but also well-groomed.

And, of course, we must not forget that not all methods are suitable for each material, but only those that do not spoil it. Therefore, it is first necessary to apply any of the funds to a small area. If everything is fine, you can clean up.


Comprehensive cleaning of the apartment involves putting things in order in all its areas. When you have washed the floors, removed the dust, vacuumed and sorted out the general mess, you should also pay attention to home upholstered furniture. Often from daily use on it a lot of stains and other contaminants.

In this article, we will tell you how to clean upholstered furniture at home, focus on the main cleaning tools, popular upholstery, and pay attention to some subtleties.

Furniture is an integral part of our interior

Upholstered furniture is present in every home, it brings with it convenience and comfort. But in order for the enjoyment to be perfect, it is necessary that the furniture be clean, free of stains and streaks. There are many different methods, chairs and other items, and they all start from the type of material and the nature of the pollution.

Note that prevention during operation is never superfluous, which means that all housewives should know the basic rules for caring for upholstered furniture. By by and large The recommendations are banal, but that's why they are valuable:

  • When cleaning weekly, it is worth vacuuming sofas and other pieces of furniture, while it is advisable to use a special nozzle in the form of a small brush. It is best to remove dust in medium strength mode, so as not to stretch the upholstery of the object, and not to deform its insides, pulling the material into the vacuum cleaner pipe.
  • When working with transforming furniture, do not forget to remove dust from its insides, treat all surfaces, climb into all places.
  • Depending on the type of upholstery, you can use different household appliances. A steam generator or an appropriate type of vacuum cleaner helps to disinfect the surface during wet cleaning. This type of processing is not terrible for all types of upholstery.
  • When stains form, it is necessary to immediately react and remove them, otherwise they will be deeply absorbed into the structure of the material, and it will be difficult or impossible to do this. At the same time, use proven tools, and test new ones in inconspicuous areas.
  • Each type of material has its own care rules, so leather furniture or flock items are cleaned of stains and dirt in different ways.

A vacuum cleaner will always help remove accumulated dust

There are many means for removing stains and getting rid of dirt on furniture, although there are universal ones that are suitable for different objects.

For example, a dish detergent that can remove traces of chocolate, jam, sweets and other sweets that children so often indulge in upholstery shows itself perfectly. In this case, the composition must be diluted in warm water, wash off the dirt, then rinse the treated area with clean water, and dry.

If children have their joys, adults have theirs. Ordinary soapy water will help get rid of traces and stains of spilled beer, and if the fabric continues to smell unpleasant, wipe it with an additional solution of water and vinegar, which will kill all odors.

Ice helps to get rid of chewing gum on furniture. To do this, it is folded into a plastic bag and applied to the chewing gum, it freezes and falls off, and we clean the rest with a brush.

Using a brush to clean a sofa

Various materials

The upholstery of upholstered furniture can be made of fabric, flock, velor, suede, leather, and each material requires its own approach.

Flock

There can be many problems with fabric during operation, but flock upholstery will become more practical. A vacuum cleaner will help keep flock-upholstered furniture in good condition. With careful handling, other products will not even be required, but if you still manage to leave a stain, follow these tips:

  • Soap solution is very effective in removing grease stains, when cleaning greasy surfaces. To carry out work at home, it is enough to wet a cloth and wipe in the direction of the pile. After removing all stains, the surface is gently rubbed with a dry cloth, trying to dry.
  • An alcohol solution will help remove marks from pens, markers, and cosmetics. To do this, wet the sponge in an alcohol solution and wipe the stain from the edges to the center, this is the most successful technique.
  • Laundry detergent will help remove traces of spilled drinks on a flocked sofa. First of all, it is necessary to collect maximum moisture with a paper towel, and then wash the place washing powder and how to rub with a brush.

Unlike velor and chenille, flock does not allow moisture to pass through it so much, it is more prone to washing. When cleaning stains on furniture upholstered in chenille and velor, it is acceptable to use the same methods, but try to minimize the amount of water used to clean the dirt.

Sofa upholstery made of flock, a popular material

Suede

Suede upholstery is perfectly vacuumed, it is also quite possible to use ordinary brushes for cleaning clothes made of this material. The same soapy solution will help remove stains. However, after washing, suede needs to return to its former beauty and volume, this is done using the same brush that helps to comb the pile.

On suede, greasy spots are very noticeable, which have a characteristic sheen. Use a soapy solution to clean such greasy spots and salinity. The use of stain removers for faux suede upholstery is fraught with material damage, be extremely careful with them.

Leather

It is not easy to clean leather furniture from dirt, therefore, before starting work, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the care tips from the manufacturer. Most often, they advise using a dry microfiber cloth and special formulations so as not to harm expensive material.

Among such compositions, stearin lubricant recommended for use once a year, creams and gels for gentle and gentle skin care can be distinguished. The use of such compounds gives the skin elasticity, and, of course, removes impurities from its surface. With regular lubrication of the material, the likelihood of its cracking and discoloration will be minimal, and the dirt will not adhere much.

Processing a leather sofa with special tools

Things are better with leatherette, alcohol, aqueous solutions can be applied to it. Rubbing alcohol does an excellent job of removing greasy stains, greasy surfaces, marks from pens and pencils, markers, traces of cosmetics.

An ordinary napkin will help to absorb fresh fat, then the stain can be wiped with a cloth soaked in alcohol, and then with a dry rag. Thus, the removal of dirt from the leatherette upholstery will be quick and painless.

Do not forget about our favorite soap solution, which will wash tea, wine, traces of fruits and other sweets from leatherette.

For various kinds materials, special cleaning products are sold in hardware stores. They help remove dirt, remove stains and sanitize furniture upholstery.

Cases

A great option if you use special covers for your furniture, which carefully protect it from household pollution. In this case, they can simply be removed and sent to washing machine. In it, at a low temperature and gentle detergents, you can easily wash the material from all stains and other contaminants.

Using a sofa cover

If the cover is out of order, it will not be difficult for us to change it for a new one, and besides, it will not be as expensive as replacing furniture. However, even in the presence of covers, some dirt manages to get on the furniture, so it also needs to be cleaned:

  • First of all, it is necessary to remove the covers from time to time and vacuum the upholstery using gentle brushes. It is important to try to get into all hard-to-reach places.
  • The covers themselves are turned inside out and sent to be washed, while you choose the temperature depending on the material of the cover: at a higher temperature of 40-50 °, delicate cotton fabrics, or artificial materials at a temperature not higher than 30-40 °.
  • After washing, the covers must be dried. It is advisable to put them on furniture slightly damp, and after they are completely dry, you can start using it.

Covers are a very handy item in the household that simplifies the care of sofas and armchairs. Therefore, in order not to once again wonder how to clean upholstered furniture, consider purchasing covers.

Washing vacuum cleaner with a steam generator from a well-known company

Modern household appliances will help not only to clean the upholstery of upholstered furniture from dust, but also to disinfect it by removing microorganisms and bacteria. A steam cleaner can help you do this at home. The pressurized steam kills all bacteria and delivers the gentle wet cleaning that our sofa and armchairs need. polished wooden furniture you can also steam it without fear of spoiling it.

In this case, you do not use any chemicals, only ordinary water, heated to a vapor state, is used. Such processing is not afraid of all upholstery materials, even fabric. Some modern washing vacuum cleaners are equipped with a steam generator, and this is very convenient when working around the house.

Regular cleaning and maintenance of upholstered furniture will keep it in good condition. You will be comfortable to rest on it, gain strength, and your health will not be at risk.

We also note that upholstered furniture is easier to clean than polished wood, and even more so to remove household dirt from it. In addition, polished furniture is necessary, which is not relevant in our case.

Every housewife can clean upholstered furniture at home. To do this, you can use household chemicals. You can use folk recipes. They use baking soda, salt, vinegar and ammonia as a cleaning agent. When cleaning stains, you need to consider what fabric the furniture is covered with so as not to spoil it when cleaning. For breeding different kind stains need to use a specific tool. Precautions must be taken when using chemicals. A fresh stain is much easier to remove than an old one.

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    Furniture stain cleaning at home

    The fabric, which is covered with upholstered furniture, loses its fresh appearance during operation. Even a very neat hostess, with prolonged sitting and lying on the couch, remains greasy stains from sebum, clothes, settling dust. If households like to eat or drink tea while sitting on upholstered furniture, then often greasy or colored stains from food and drinks remain on it.

    Children in the house also add stains to furniture. Footprints dirty hands, traits from ballpoint pen and felt-tip pens, plasticine, colored paints remain on the fabric. Animals love, running from the street, not having time to wash their paws, jump on their favorite chair or chair. If the stain is not removed immediately, it can be extremely difficult to remove in the future.

    When cleaning furniture, you need to take into account the specifics of pollution. A tool that easily removes dirt may be useless to deal with a felt-tip pen.

    V big cities There are many dry cleaners who clean furniture. But knowing how to clean upholstered furniture at home, you can do it yourself using household chemicals or folk recipes.

    Safety and Precautions

    When cleaning furniture, aggressive chemicals are most often used, so you need to work with gloves. Before use, you need to test the product on a small inconspicuous area of ​​furniture upholstery.

    Without knowing the composition of the fabric, you can get a faded stain, a hole or damage to the fabric. For example, flock does not tolerate alcohol. Stains on microfiber cloth should not be washed with liquid detergents. Furniture covered with white fabric, eco-leather or leather should not be washed with colored sponges. There is a high risk that they will shed and spoil light furniture.

    Tools

    Cleaning of upholstered furniture does not require any special devices.Every good hostess has everything you need:

    • foam rubber or melamine sponges;
    • soft and hard clothes brush;
    • liquid soap;
    • detergents;
    • salt, vinegar, starch, ammonia, acetone, aspirin and other substances that are always in the house.

    Cleaning algorithm

    Starting to clean the surface, you should follow a certain algorithm of actions. With any method of removing stains, it is approximately the same:

    • Training. Prepare a solution to remove contaminants. It must be placed next to the contaminated surface, so that it is convenient to reach and use it.
    • Applying the stain. The time of its removal depends on the severity and lifetime of the stain. The older the stain, the longer it will take to remove. First, the prepared mixture is applied to the contaminated area. The stain will be saturated with it and the process of destruction of pollution will begin.
    • Expectation. After 5-10 minutes, you can begin to remove the stain with a soft brush. Smooth movements need to rub the area. The more hairy the fabric, the more gently it must be handled so that in the future there are no noticeable combed places after removing the stains.
    • Removing chemicals from upholstery. After cleaning the stain, be sure to wash off the cleaning agent from the surface of the upholstered furniture. A sponge or napkin is wetted in clean water and the cleaned area is wiped several times.

    If after the performed operations the stain remains, the procedure must be repeated, increasing the waiting time for the destruction of the stain.

    If there are few spots and they are slightly noticeable, you can use special napkins to remove dust from upholstery. Soak them in salted water and wipe the cloth. Then walk on the surface with a soft brush, then wipe the upholstery with a dry cloth or paper towel. This solution works well on most fresh stains.

    Sofas and armchairs should be cleaned periodically with a vacuum cleaner. This will remove excess dust and liquids accidentally spilled on the sofa, will not mix with dirt and will be much easier to remove. When removing fresh stains, you can avoid their penetration into the depth of the material and complex cleaning that requires special techniques and household chemicals.

    Types of fabrics and their cleaning

    Different fabrics have different characteristics from each other, and the general approach to cleaning fabrics often leads to undesirable results. When cleaning upholstery, you need to consider the properties of the fabric:

    • Leatherette can not be cleaned with hard brushes and chemicals containing acid. Cleaning is carried out with a regular sponge or a very soft brush. A melamine sponge lightly moistened with water is excellent for cleaning leatherette. It acts like an eraser, erasing stains from the surface.
    • For velor, neutral detergents are used, which are applied with a damp cloth or cloth. A rag is led in the direction of the pile, leaving no excess moisture.
    • When cleaning suede and nubuck, do not use high temperatures. It is also contraindicated to wet them too much.
    • The tapestry is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner with a soft nozzle. It cannot be washed.
    • Vinyl is an unpretentious fabric, tolerates most detergents and is not afraid of moisture.
    • The skin can only be wiped with a damp cloth dipped in water or special means for leather goods. In critical cases, a weak solution of detergent can be applied to the stain, but immediately washed off and wiped dry without leaving streaks.
    • For cleaning fabrics white color use only white sponges and any optical brightener. Then wipe with a damp cloth.

    If you choose the wrong stain remover, the upholstery of upholstered furniture may suffer and look even worse than before cleaning.

    Different types of spots

    Most often, stains remain on upholstered furniture:

    • fat;
    • guilt;
    • coffee, tea;
    • pieces of food;
    • cream;
    • plasticine;
    • paints;
    • urine;
    • cream.

    And, of course, in any home, dust settles on upholstered furniture.

    There are two simple ways to clean upholstery from dust. It's best to do them in sequence.

    • Knockout. Furniture is difficult to take out into the street to carefully knock it out. It is not advisable to do this at home, since the dust raised into the air will settle again on the sofa and on other objects in the room. Knock out upholstered furniture in the following way. A large sheet is wetted with water, wrung out. Then it is folded in two layers and the sofa is covered with it. A sofa is knocked out on a damp sheet. Dust, rising from the inner layers and the surface of the upholstery, will settle on the damp fabric. As a result, you can see that the sheet is dirty, and the sofa is cleaner.
    • A vacuum cleaner. To thoroughly clean the sofa from dust, it is worth adding a vacuum cleaner to the knockout. If the power of the existing vacuum cleaner is large and there is a nozzle for cleaning furniture, then the work will bring additional results and refresh appearance upholstered furniture. You need to pass over the entire surface, including the back and armrests. Old vacuum cleaners often let some of the dust out, the low power of the device will not be able to get dust from the deep layers of the upholstery, so there is not much point in using such units.

    After cleaning the furniture from dust, old stains left on the upholstery become more noticeable. Folk remedies will help to remove them correctly and effectively:

    • Tea and coffee - you need to immediately get wet with a dry cloth, then wipe the place thoroughly with a damp cloth dipped in soapy water with the addition of vinegar. For one liter of soap solution take 2 tbsp. l. 9% vinegar.
    • Wine - remove the liquid that did not have time to be absorbed into the fabric with a damp cloth, sprinkle the stain liberally with salt, leave for 1 hour. Then brush off the salt crystals with a brush or vacuum.
    • Fruits, juices - a mixture of vinegar and ammonia (1: 1) is applied to the stain, when the area dries, they are wiped with a clean, damp cloth.
    • Chocolate, condensed milk should not be smeared on the surface. It is necessary to wait until the stain dries, gently scrape off the dried crust with a spatula. Then walk over this place with a soft brush with soapy water.
    • Grease stains - cover with salt or starch, which will absorb some of the fat, then rinse.
    • Grease - moisten with soapy water, then wipe with a clean, damp cloth.
    • Chewing gum - perfectly cleaned when frozen. Cool the area by placing a plastic bag with ice on top. After 10 minutes, it will easily move away from the upholstery, leaving no trace.
    • Blood - never use warm or hot water. Wipe as quickly as possible with a wet cloth soaked in cold water with aspirin and salt until no traces of blood remain on the cloth.
    • Ink - guaranteed to be removed with acetone, which is contained in nail polish remover.

    Any dirt and stains can be quickly washed off with the well-known Vanish product. When creating its formula, manufacturers took into account the properties of all fabrics and all pollutants. He successfully fights fresh and old stains. After 10-15 min. after its application, the spots disappear. If Vanish is not available, you can use shampoo to create foam and add 3-5 drops of ammonia to the solution.

    A great alternative to upholstery cleaners is steaming. If there is a household steamer or a vacuum cleaner with a steam generator, you need to direct the steam jet to the polluted place. After 1 minute, walk over the place with a dry cloth.

    Steam without excess moisture cleans the surface of the sofa and armchairs. In the process, odors are removed, color returns and refreshes, furniture is updated. The steam from the apparatus reaches the deep layers of the upholstery and destroys the bacteria living in it. It must be remembered that after such cleaning the sofa must be thoroughly dried.

    Strong-smelling spots

    Special shampoos for furniture can eliminate odors from drinks and liquids that have got on the upholstery. The agent is diluted according to the instructions and the surface is treated. Sometimes the first time you can not completely get rid of the smell. The smells of beer and urine are too strong. If it was not immediately possible to wash off the liquid, and it got inside on the filler, the furniture exudes a sharp unpleasant odor for a long time, even if the stain is visually imperceptible.

    The smells of fruit juices or beer can be removed with a solution of water and vinegar - 1 tbsp is taken per liter of water. l. acetic essence. A clean cloth is moistened with a liquid, slightly wrung out and applied to the surface of a sofa or chair. The fabric is pressed against the upholstery of the sofa with force for impregnation. The treatment is repeated several times. Then the sofa is thoroughly dried. The vinegar will dry out in 2-3 days. To add fragrance to furniture, fragrances or fabric softener can be added to the solution.

    The smell of urine, especially cat urine, is much more difficult to remove. When decomposed in air, substances are formed that are practically insoluble in water. To remove persistent odors from upholstery and foam rubber, you can try the following folk remedies:

    • The smell of human urine on dark-colored furniture is removed using tincture of iodine: 15-20 drops of 5% alcohol tincture of iodine are dissolved in 1 liter of water. Clean the upholstery with this solution and try to moisten the filler to a great depth. Light upholstery should be cleaned with water with vinegar, lemon juice, mixed in a proportion of 2-3 tbsp. l. per 0.5 l of water, or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
    • Traces of cat urine can be removed in only a few steps. To begin with, the entire upholstery is moistened with a solution (1 part of 9% vinegar to 3 parts of water), and the furniture is dried. Then the smelling surface is sprinkled with soda and hydrogen peroxide is sprayed from above with a spray bottle (1 bottle per half liter of water). The soda will start to foam. It is left on the upholstery for 2-3 hours, then the dry residues are brushed or vacuumed. Wipe the area with a damp clean cloth.

    Vanish Carpet Cleaner fights urine odor well. The powder is dissolved in water. Wet the stain with the solution so that the agent penetrates as deep as possible. From above, you need to press on the upholstery so that the agent spreads over the entire area of ​​​​the stain. Then wipe the upper fabric dry and create conditions for drying the furniture. 3-4 days in the room you need to maintain heat and good air circulation. Vacuum thoroughly after complete drying.

    Measures to get rid of upholstered furniture from pollution must be carried out at least 1 time per month, and if there are allergy sufferers in the house, then more often.