How to deep clean your sofa and give it a fresh look, Property furniture tips, Home interior design style, Online house decor advice

How to Deep Clean Your Sofa and Give it a Fresh Look

17 April 2024

Even if you aren’t a couch potato, chances are that you still spend a lot of your time sitting on your sofa, so stains, crumbs, and dirt are likely to accumulate in time. Since the sofa is a central element in your living room, it is often the first thing that guests see when they come to visit. But if it is unclean, it won’t make a good impression. Besides, no one likes nasty odors coming from their sofa or allergens accumulating and triggering respiratory issues! This is why it is so important to clean your sofa regularly – it’s not just about keeping it looking brand new and extending its life, but also about ensuring your family stays healthy by killing germs and improving indoor air quality. To make things easier and avoid the headache and confusion when trying to decipher sofa tags and instructions, consider booking sofa cleaning services in Dubai.

It’s always best to leave cleaning jobs to professionals because they know exactly what to do to keep your sofa clean and improve its durability, effectively tackling tough odors and stains. However, if you have the time and the patience to do the job yourself, we will guide you through the steps you need to take to clean your sofa properly. Read on!

image source : unsplash.com

Take the time to understand the sofa’s fabric

It’s worth noting that sofas are all different, and their cleaning requirements may vary depending on the fabric they’re made of, their shape, and so on. So, before you start cleaning your sofa, it is essential to identify its fabric.

To do this, look at the bill of sale or the tags, as this will allow you to clean your sofa properly without damaging it. Whether it’s made of polyester, cotton, linen, or another material, you need to follow its specific care guidelines to ensure you do a good job. For instance, leather is easy to clean, but it doesn’t require too much water – you only have to wipe it with a damp cloth. Similarly, cotton can shrink when washing it, so it’s best to dry clean it, at least in the beginning, for a few times.

Check the instructions of the sofa’s manufacturer

When looking to deep clean your sofa, the best way to approach the process is to check the manufacturer’s instructions, as they are the ones who created the product, so they know better than anyone else how what its requirements are. Manufacturer’s instructions usually provide the information you need to clean the sofa, including products that you should utilize and the necessary precautions. It is essential to follow their instructions clearly, as this will help you maintain the appearance of your sofa and prolong its lifespan as much as possible.

Now, you might get confused while reading the sofa’s instructions, and that’s totally normal, as understanding the sofa tag labels can be really challenging. But don’t worry, we’ll help you make sense of them. There are four codes that you will likely see attached:

W, indicating that you can use water to clean the material of the sofa;
S, meaning that a solvent-based cleaner is required for cleaning instead of water;
WS, meaning that you are allowed to utilize water and/or cleaners that are solvent-based;

X, meaning that the material only requires a vacuum and shouldn’t be cleaned with solvent-based products or water.

Remove cushions and use a vacuum to start cleaning the sofa

Regardless of the type of your sofa, you won’t be able to clean it properly unless you remove the cushions, and anything else that lingers underneath or between them, like dog hair, crumbs, or dust. Once you do this, you can start cleaning around and under the cushions with a vacuum. A dry natural bristle brush can also be helpful in loosening dust and dirt.

Don’t ignore the sofa’s metal and wood details

Once you finish vacuuming the sofa, it’s time to pay attention to the wood or metal details. First, use dishwashing soap or natural soap to create a warm-water solution ( you may need a glass cleaner if the sofa has metal fixtures). Once you have the solution, dip a microfiber cloth into it (or, if you use a glass cleaner, spray it on the cloth), and scrub the sofa’s fixtures’ dirt carefully. Make sure to do this carefully to ensure you won’t get the solution on the sofa’s fabric or cushions. Finally, dry completely.

Clean your sofa

Now, it’s finally time for the big task: treating stains on your sofa and cleaning it properly. During this step, you might be tempted to use an upholstery cleaner and have the job done, but you shouldn’t rush into it. As mentioned, sofas are made of different materials and fabrics, and they have different cleaning requirements, so make sure to take these aspects into account when you start cleaning.

Understand the products that you need to use for your specific type of sofa, and carefully follow all the steps required to give it a deep cleaning. For instance, if you have a fabric sofa, you’ll need warm water, a microfiber cloth, a natural bridal fabric brush, and a vacuum. Begin by vacuuming the sofa to remove dust and dirt (it’s also a good idea to use the dry natural bristle brush for this), and then use the microfiber cloth to scrub circularly.

Let it dry

So, you’ve gone through all the steps and cleaned your sofa – congratulations, you did a great job! However, keep in mind that drying is also essential, and experts recommend air drying as the most effective solution. Covers tend to shrink if you put them in the dryer, and then they fit too tightly, so it’s best to opt for air drying to avoid this. However, there are some fabrics (like silk) that require drying with a hair dryer, as this helps prevent discoloring.

How to deep clean your sofa – bottom line

These are all the steps you need to take to ensure your sofa looks clean and fresh. As we mentioned before, it is a time-consuming and labor-intensive job, so if you don’t think you can approach the process carefully and patiently, you can always leave it to a professional. That way, you can focus on other matters in your life while having peace of mind knowing that your sofa will be spotless.

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