How to clean a greasy fabric sofa at home

Things to consider

Before cleaning, remove dust from the sofa. To do this, go over the furniture with a vacuum cleaner with an open pipe or a special attachment. There is another option: wet a sheet, lay it on the sofa and beat it out with a carpet beater. The particles will settle on the sheet.
If this does not help, proceed to the methods described below: they will help deal with the stains. It is better to first test any product on an inconspicuous area of furniture. This way you will make sure that everything will be in order with the upholstery.
Hard fabrics can be rubbed with a brush, and for soft fabrics, leather and leatherette, use a sponge or clean cloth.
After cleaning the furniture with your chosen product, allow the fabric to dry completely. Then it is advisable to vacuum the sofa again to remove any remaining particles of product, dust or dirt from the surface.
If you do not trust cleaning yourself or the contamination is too strong, contact a specialist. They will choose the appropriate method themselves.

How to clean upholstered furniture at home

Cleaning methods are divided into dry and wet. Different methods are used depending on the complexity of the dirt, the frequency of cleaning and the time allocated for cleaning.

Gloves should be worn to protect the skin of your hands from exposure to chemicals.

In addition to the sofa, you also need to regularly care for:

Armchairs
Chair seats
Cushions and poufs

People often forget to clean such furniture, but dust and pet hair also accumulate here, which becomes a breeding ground for infections and bacteria. As a rule, dry cleaning is used to care for small upholstered furniture.

Dry cleaning

This method is the simplest, as it does not require the preparation of special solutions or drying of furniture. Dry cleaning is recommended once a week. For it they use:

Brush
Vacuum cleaner
A spatula for knocking out.

The easiest way to care for furniture is with a brush. A product with stiff bristles is suitable for this. The brush cleans velor, pile, and fur capes well.

Brushes with a lightweight plastic base and a durable handle are considered the most convenient and durable.

It makes sense to use a vacuum cleaner for tapestry or matting. It is effective to combine cleaning with a vacuum cleaner and a brush.

Wet cleaning

Wet cleaning is recommended once a month. This rhythm will allow you to keep your upholstered furniture always neat and new. Regular wet cleaning will protect against the appearance of severe grime and old stains.

Wet cleaning has one feature - after it you need to dry the furniture, otherwise mold will grow in it. You can cover the sofa with a blanket, blanket or cape only after it has completely dried.

When using a vacuum cleaner, you need to wear a special attachment with a brush.

There are different ways to dry furniture:

Vacuum cleaner
Dry towels
Hairdryer
Natural drying

A vacuum cleaner uses air circulation to help moisture evaporate faster. This allows the sofa to dry naturally. At the same time, it helps remove moisture from deep layers if it gets there.

Dry towels help dry only the top layer of upholstery. To do this, they are laid out on furniture and removed after 1-2 minutes. The procedure can be repeated several times.

It is better to vacuum in a gentle, low mode.

Use a hairdryer to dry deep and heavily moistened areas. It is usually used when something has been spilled on a product. In this case, it is better to dry with cold air. High temperatures can dry out the filling of sofa cushions. When drying, the hair dryer should also not be brought too close to the product; it is better to keep it at a distance of 20-30 cm.

It is better to carry out natural drying with the windows open - this way the furniture will dry faster. They always complete all drying procedures. However, this method is not so fast.

White upholstery must be handled with extreme caution.

How to clean a sofa with a solution of soda, vinegar, glycerin and dishwashing liquid

The method is suitable for all types of upholstery, except leather and leatherette.

What do you need

1 liter of very warm water + for rinsing;
4 tablespoons dishwashing liquid;
2 tablespoons of soda;
2–4 tablespoons glycerin;
8 tablespoons vinegar 9%;
brush, sponge or cloth.

How to do

Dissolve dish soap and baking soda in water. Pour in glycerin and mix thoroughly. Then add vinegar and mix thoroughly again. A lush foam will appear on the surface of the solution.

YouTube channel LOVISOVET

Using a sponge, brush or cloth, rub the product into the sofa, paying special attention to dirty areas. It is better to do this with rubber gloves. Apply any remaining foam to the surface. Leave for 1 hour.

YouTube channel LOVISOVET

After this, clean the sofa with a wet cloth or sponge. Rinse it frequently under running water or in a basin.

YouTube channel LOVISOVET

Wipe off the product and any surface dirt until the water from the sponge or cloth runs clear.

Special household chemicals for stains on fabric

You can remove stains from sofa upholstery using household chemicals. In stores you can find special foams and sprays for cleaning upholstered furniture:

Tuba;
Nordland;
Vanish.

Nordland

Foam for cleaning upholstered furniture made of natural and synthetic upholstery. The product is sprayed onto the sofa in a thin layer from a distance of 25 cm. Then brushed over the surface. The foam is left until completely dry, after which the sofa is vacuumed.

Advantages:

ease of use;
removes fresh stains well;
removes unpleasant odors.

Flaws:

old stains may not be dealt with the first time;
if applied excessively, streaks will form;
takes a long time to dry.

Price: 360 rubles.

Tuba

Apply the composition using a sponge to the entire surface of the sofa, rub in, and leave for two hours. After which the sofa is vacuumed.

Advantages:

removes fresh stains;
removes unpleasant odors.

Flaws:

Several applications are required to remove heavy stains;
may lie unevenly on the upholstery;
divorces remain.

Price: 240 rubles.

Vanish

Spray for cleaning carpets and upholstery is sprayed onto contaminated areas. Then it is gently rubbed with a soft cloth. Leave until completely dry. After which the sofa is vacuumed.

Advantages:

removes stains;
has no unpleasant odor;
ease of use.

Flaws:

divorces remain;
Doesn't remove old stains the first time.

Price: 380 rubles. Step-by-step instructions on how to clean the Vanish sofa without damaging the upholstery are presented in this article.

How to clean a sofa with laundry soap or dishwashing liquid

The method is suitable for all types of upholstery.

What do you need

Laundry soap or dishwashing liquid;
1 liter of very warm water + for rinsing;
brush, sponge or cloth.

How to do

Lather the soap or liquid in water. The solution should be quite saturated.

YouTube channel “Tatyana Bakatova”

Clean the sofa with it, thoroughly rubbing the foam, especially into dirty areas.

Then replace the water with clean water. Rinse the brush or sponge and wipe the furniture to remove the product. Do this until the water is completely clear. Change it periodically and rinse the brush or sponge often.

Useless sofa cleaning products

There are tools that do not cope with their task:

"Carpet" . Doesn't remove stains and smells bad.
"Nordland" . After use, stains remain on the upholstery, does not remove stains and consists of harmful chemical compounds.
"My family" . The product is not able to remove even minor stains.
"Cinderella" . We use it for daily cleaning as it removes only fresh stains.

Sources

https://severdv.ru/uborka/ochishhaem-divan-ot-pyaten-v-domashnih-usloviyah/
https://Lifehacker.ru/kak-pochistit-divan/
https://yborka.online/uborka/mebel/divan/kak-pochistit-ot-zasalennosti
https://zen.yandex.ru/media/id/5c1df2d024879800ab906050/5de4cd6906cc4600ad7c74fb
https://mebel-expert.info/kak-pochistit-myagkuju-mebel-v-domashnih-usloviyah/
https://severdv.ru/uborka/sposoby-ochistki-divana-v-domashnih-usloviyah/
https://formulamebeli.com/shopping-tips/kak-pochistit-divan/
https://minutamami.ru/sposoby-pochistit-divan

How to clean a sofa with a commercial cleaner

There are different products for different types of fabric, so check the label before purchasing.

What do you need

A special cleaner for furniture and carpets (for example, “Shtihonit”, Unicum, “Big Wash”, “5+”) or a cleaner for car interiors (the Profoam cleaner is especially praised on the forums);
water for rinsing - optional;
brush, sponge or cloth.

How to do

Each product may have different uses, so follow the instructions on the package. Most often, the cleaner is applied directly in the form of foam or diluted in water to form a foam.

YouTube channel “Positive ideas Eh Hedgehogs”

Then it is usually spread over the sofa, left for a while and cleaned off with a dry or wet cloth.

How to clean the greasy surface of upholstered furniture

You can also get rid of shiny dark spots that form from frequent contact with the human body on the armrests and other parts of the sofa.

Upholstery made of leatherette and genuine leather should be treated with a solution of soap and soda or moisten a sponge in dishwashing detergent.
The tapestry covering is well cleaned with foam, which needs to be held for 5 minutes on contaminated areas and then removed with a sponge. Then lightly moisten the area and wipe with dry wipes. Then clean the entire product so that no processing boundaries are visible.
The pile in shiny areas will return to its original appearance if you clean the furniture with a soft sponge soaked in a cleaning product.

How to clean a sofa with a solution of lemon juice and baking soda

The method is suitable for all types of upholstery, except leather and leatherette.

What do you need

1 glass of very warm water + for rinsing;
5 tablespoons lemon juice;
5 tablespoons of soda;
brush, sponge or cloth.

How to do

Dissolve lemon juice and soda in water. They will react and foam will appear on the surface.

YouTube channel Robert von Rotz Roy

Apply the product to the stains and leave for a few minutes. Then scrub the fabric thoroughly with a brush, sponge or cloth. Rinse and remove any remaining product from the sofa.

How to quickly clean upholstered furniture with professional products

Special cleaning products are good because they help quickly and effectively deal with all dirt on any upholstery. This is a real saving of time and money. In addition, the furniture upholstery will definitely not be damaged.

1. Cleansing foam.

A popular product for cleaning sensitive upholstery, it works without wetting:

Before use, shake the can with the mixture and apply to the product.
Wipe the treated area with a cloth.
Repeat the procedure if the stains cannot be removed immediately. You can hold the product for 10–15 minutes and rub with a brush.
Clean the sofa with a vacuum cleaner or dry cloth.

At home, you can prepare a similar composition by mixing bath foam and shampoo in equal parts. The solution will not contain oil and cannot be called a “moisturizer.” Take a mixer and beat the mixture thoroughly. The mass should be compacted, and excess liquid will not penetrate under the upholstery.

2. Powders and cleaning products.

Using special powder products you can achieve the effect of professional dry cleaning. So, we clean the furniture with powder:

first of all, upholstered furniture should be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner;
the second stage is to scatter the powder over the upholstery and rub it into it;
wait 20 minutes;
take a vacuum cleaner and collect the powder product.

You can clean it even faster with special cleaning products. You need to spray and then wipe the product with a sponge. And it will be clean!

Instructions for cleaning furniture sets

To properly clean the furniture surface, you should follow the following procedure:

Remove dust. Vacuum the upholstery, focusing on the joints and corners. It is better to use a special furniture attachment with a brush. Knock out the fleecy sofa. Wet the sheet with water or soapy water and wring it out. Cover the furniture with a cloth and vigorously beat out the dust with a carpet beater. Using a sheet, you can remove dust without raising it into the air.
Manually remove any hard dirt if there is any. You can clean it with the blunt side of a knife, a spatula, or any other object with a blunt edge. Do not use this option for fabrics with pile - the dirt must first be softened with soap foam.
Clean the upholstery from stains and grease. To do this, use a suitable household chemical for cleaning sofas or a traditional method.

If the soft set smells, you can additionally treat the upholstery with a water solution of soap or shampoo with a pleasant aroma.

For fluffy sofas, cleaning is completed by passing over the entire surface with a soft or medium-hard brush. This procedure will refresh the color and add volume to the pile.

How to clean upholstered furniture with a steam cleaner

Household technical devices make our lives more comfortable. For example, using a steam cleaner, you can greatly facilitate cleaning the house, ironing clothes, disinfecting and cleaning dirt on the upholstery. Cleaning upholstered furniture can sometimes be difficult. Let's take a closer look at the operating principle of a steam cleaner, its types and design, as well as how to properly clean upholstered furniture with it.

Types of steam cleaners.

There are the following types of these household devices:

- manual type - they are small in size;

— compact medium size with a small vacuum cleaner attachment;

- a solid steam vacuum cleaner with great power and efficiency.

Principle of operation.

Using pressure, steam is supplied from the steam cleaner container in a powerful jet. The hot stream is able to clean in the most difficult to reach places and dissolve dirty stains and deposits while simultaneously disinfecting. The device can operate without the use of hazardous chemicals.

The principle of operation is very simple: water from the tank, in which it is brought to the state of steam, comes out of the nozzle. And no trace of dirt remains! After such a magical transformation of any upholstered furniture, is it any wonder the popularity of this device.

A little about the advantages of a steam cleaner compared to other cleaning methods.

Of course, many home and professional options have been developed for cleaning upholstered furniture from all kinds of contaminants, but the work of a steam cleaner surpasses them in efficiency.

Unfortunately, your favorite sofas and armchairs no longer look as good as new after using the most proven and well-known stain removal methods. After drying, you can often see remaining stains and heterogeneity of shades. Although for furniture made of leather and leatherette, conventional products remain a priority.

Many people use a vacuum cleaner to clean furniture upholstery. It will cope well with minor dirt and dust, but it is not capable of disinfecting surfaces. There are many detergents on the market today that can be diluted to a paste, treated with stains and then washed off. But it is quite difficult to clean all the upholstery with them.

As for the process of cleaning furniture with a steam cleaner, it is easier to perform and more effective. You can't imagine how quickly dirt is removed from upholstered furniture! The product is disinfected and at the same time unpleasant odors disappear.

The correct way to clean sofas and other upholstered furniture is:

— Pre-dry clean with a special vacuum cleaner attachment.

— Detected stains and shiny areas must be treated with products as recommended by the manufacturer.

— Wait for the sofa to dry.

— Before the second stage, you should prepare the required number of napkins to remove dirt.

— Pour water into the steam cleaner container with the necessary attachments and brushes. Now you can put it to work.

— Section by section, treat the entire surface of the upholstered furniture, quickly removing dirt with napkins.

- Finish the cleaning by drying the sofa with the built-in vacuum cleaner of the steam cleaner, or leave it to dry with natural ventilation.

Important point! Do not use a steam cleaner to clean the wooden armrests of upholstered furniture, as under the influence of hot steam the varnish coating will begin to peel off and the wood will warp.

Thus, cleaning with a steam cleaner has a lot of advantages compared to other methods. This:

- an easy way to clean furniture;

— significant time savings;

— uniform cleansing;

— elimination of unpleasant odors;

— cleansing the most inaccessible places that usually remain untreated;

— disinfection;

— elimination of dust mites and other sources of allergies;

- cleaning without chemicals.

List of recommendations for use.

To ensure that your steam cleaner serves you well and for a long time, listen to the manufacturers’ advice:

— use filtered water for cleaning;

— prepare more napkins to absorb dirty water;

- treat in small areas, constantly collecting water on napkins to quickly remove dirt;

— carry out such cleaning regularly, because it is much easier to get rid of small dirt.

The steam cleaner turns caring for upholstered furniture into an easy and pleasant procedure, and most importantly, it does it quickly. No one wants to spend hours working on a sofa when they could free up that time for themselves and their family.

How to properly care for your sofa

The best way to extend the life of your sofa is to choose a model that suits your lifestyle before purchasing. For example, you should not take furniture with velvet or plush upholstery to a house where there are small children. A leather sofa for the owner of a dog or cat is also not the most practical option. Preference should be given to wear-resistant upholstery materials, such as chenille, matting, jacquard - they are dense and resistant to mechanical stress. Also choose a color not only for beauty, but also for practical reasons. Well, if it so happens that at first glance you decide to settle on a specific model, then you will have to fight to preserve its original appearance.

General tips for caring for your sofa

The salvation for a sofa with any type of upholstery is a cover. A regular bedspread will also replace it. They will protect furniture from small debris, crumbs, and dust. Once a week, while cleaning the house, removing the cover/bedspread and throwing it in the wash is much easier than cleaning the entire sofa.
If the sofa is so good that it is simply impossible to hide it in a cover, regularly carry out preventative cleaning! Beat or vacuum it, remove pet hair with a brush.
Finish caring for your sofa by damp cleaning. To do this, simply wipe the surface of the sofa, its armrests, back and sides with a slightly damp cloth.

Attention! Don't overdo it with moisture! Otherwise, you risk ruining the sofa with stains. The cleaning cloth or sponge must be wrung out very well.

Leather sofa care

A luxurious leather sofa requires special care. Genuine leather is a porous material; small debris, crumbs, and dust get clogged into the pores and folds of such furniture. Especially large specks scratch the surface of the skin and deprive it of its original shine.

To maintain the elasticity and shine of the leather upholstery of the sofa, a few simple procedures are enough.

When the sofa is free of dust, wipe it with a barely damp cloth.
Next, the main thing is that to give the skin a noble shine and protect pores and cracks from dust and dirt, cosmetic Vaseline or any cosmetic oil will come in handy. Take some Vaseline/oil with a rag or sponge and rub it well on all sides of the sofa. Remove excess with a dry paper towel.

Attention! The sofa should not be greasy and look like Pancake Day pancakes! A natural shine should simply appear on the skin, and the surface should become smooth, without roughness.

Read more: Proper care of leather furniture.

Caring for a sofa with fabric upholstery

Fabric upholstery, even made from dense materials such as jacquard, chenille, matting, tapestry or boucle, does not tolerate high humidity! If a large amount of liquid gets inside the sofa, it can irreversibly damage the filling and cause the appearance of a musty smell and mold. Therefore, under no circumstances should you wet the sofa. Only a professional with special equipment can wet clean furniture without damaging it. When cleaning fabric upholstery yourself, you can only use a vacuum cleaner and very well-wrung out damp rags/sponges.

If you're planning on cleaning up a stain on your sofa, remember that different types of fabric upholstery may react differently to a particular detergent. The upholstery may become discolored, frayed, or even corroded and torn. Therefore, choose the right detergent and test it on an inconspicuous area of the sofa before cleaning.

Wet cleaning of upholstered furniture

If the furniture is labeled for wet cleaning, you can clean it yourself by hand or with a vacuum cleaner. A more advanced option is cleaning furniture with a Kirby multifunctional unit. In parallel with removing dirt, they can:

Disinfect the upholstery;
Clean wooden or metal elements of the furniture structure;
Humidify the air in the room.

Since such a unit is expensive, most often wet cleaning of furniture in Russia is carried out manually or with an extractor filled with a washing solution.

Manual water cleaning

One of the most popular folk cleaning products is a solution and foam made from grated laundry soap or dishwashing detergent. Usually these funds are available. They are inexpensive and do not pollute the air with toxic chemical compounds. This is how you can clean upholstered furniture without worrying about the mucous membranes of your eyes or respiratory organs, or the skin of your hands.

The Vanish series of household chemicals is very popular in Russia. It contains:

Stain remover in a convenient spray bottle, thanks to which the product is applied precisely and is used sparingly;
Active foam, ready to use;
Shampoo for manual processing of textiles and carpets.

IMPORTANT : wet cleaning is fraught with dampening of the interior contents of the furniture, the appearance of mold, mildew, and the smell of dampness. Do not use detergent solutions, but use foam made from them. This will help you clean the upholstery without getting it too wet.

Hardware wet cleaning

To work, you will need a washing vacuum cleaner (extractor). Its design provides two reservoirs - for cleaning solution and for collecting dirty foam after treatment. Special attachments ensure high-quality processing of all areas of upholstery. The more powerful the unit, the more powerfully it injects the detergent into the textile structure and the better the suction, leaving the fabric almost dry.

We are often asked which extractor is best for dry cleaning upholstered furniture at home? For amateur use, an inexpensive semi-professional model with sufficient power and tank capacity is suitable. The following extractors are used in professional furniture cleaning:

With a tank capacity of 20-40 liters;
Powerful vacuum motor;
High vacuum force parameters, on which the dirt suction force depends;
Metal anti-vandal housing;
A set of additional attachments for different jobs.

Another very important question is what chemicals to use for dry cleaning furniture. Chemical products for cleaning textile furniture upholstery are divided into household and professional. For example, the first include:

Shampoo for washing vacuum cleaner Vanish (Poland);
Super-concentrated shampoo for Astonish extractor with disinfectant properties (UK);
Eco-friendly cleaning foam Emsal Tuba (Germany);
Shampoo for washing vacuum cleaners Green&Clean Professional (Poland).

Among the best professional products for caring for furniture upholstery are Chemspec, US Producs, Spartan, Prochem, Franklin, Taski. Manufacturers produce special series of preparations for leather furniture.

Traditional cleaning methods

Many available products are used to clean textile upholstery:

Table salt and soda;
A solution of soda, vinegar, citric acid;
Hydrogen peroxide;
Ethyl alcohol, solution and foam from detergents, dish gel, laundry soap.

There are many articles on our website describing ways to care for upholstered furniture, remove stains from grease, ink, wax, red wine, urine, gouache, blood, chewing gum, coffee and cosmetics. Each stain has its own method, taking into account the properties of the pollutant. All stains from the upholstery are removed for total cleaning. Do the same with greasy places.

If you need to dry clean furniture, where to start? Always start with dry vacuuming. You will collect at least half of the dust and all small debris, wool, hair, crumbs. Then, during wet cleaning, all this will not get wet and will not stain the textiles even more.

If there are stains, treat with a stain remover and remove using traditional methods. Test any cleaning product on a small, inconspicuous area of the upholstery to avoid damaging the furniture. Remove stains immediately; fresh ones are much easier to deal with than dried ones. Call specialists from a specialized company to clean light-colored furniture, delicate materials, rare, and worn-out exclusive upholstery. There is no need to skimp on this. You will ruin an expensive thing and will regret not inviting professionals.

The main reasons for soiling sofa upholstery

When choosing products and tools, it is imperative to take into account the upholstery material.
Knowing the risk factors for stains and grease, contamination can be prevented, which is much easier than removing it.

Deteriorate the condition of the upholstery:

High indoor humidity. Dust particles that fly in the air are attracted to the upholstery of a damp sofa and settle on it, forming a dirty coating.
Poor quality DIY cleaning. If you do not follow the technology, you can spread dirt all over the upholstery and increase its penetration into the fibers, as well as damage the woven or leather covering.
Insufficient room insulation. Dust and raindrops fall through open windows and cracks and settle on the sofa cover.
Lack of personal hygiene. The carelessness of the owners leads to the rapid occurrence of pollution.

Upholstered furniture suffers the most in families with children and pets who are difficult to keep track of.

Upholstery care rules

To protect furniture from persistent dirt and deformation, start taking care of it immediately after purchase. If you follow certain principles, the upholstery will look like new for a long time:

Do not keep interior items in rooms where the temperature is below two degrees Celsius and the humidity is above 70 percent.
Place sofas at least a meter away from heating sources.
Protect upholstered furniture from direct sunlight.
Wash your pet's paws after a walk.
Teach children to take care of furniture.

No matter how beautiful the upholstery of a new item is, it will quickly lose its original appearance if you do not use a blanket, a removable cover or a protective blanket from the first days. The heaviest load falls on the headrests, seat, back, armrests and sides of the sofa.

If you are unable to remove dirty stains on your own, you should use the services of cleaning companies. Professional dry cleaning involves the use of special equipment and cleaning products, as well as the work of specialists with extensive experience.

Special devices

All equipment required for cleaning furniture is divided into two types: household and professional. The first one can be found in every home and is quite suitable for cleaning a sofa at home.

Household tools:

brush;
rags;
bucket;
vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaner

Brush

This category may also include different types of washing vacuum cleaners and steam generators, if they were produced for domestic use.

Professional devices are quite expensive; few people would decide to buy one for the sake of one sofa. Such tools are intended for constant work. With intensive use, it quickly pays for itself, but in everyday life it will simply gather dust in the closet.

Professional washing vacuum cleaners. They differ from household ones mainly in size, power and complete disregard for design.
Furniture dryers. Essentially, these are just specialized hair dryers.
Minirotors. Electric brushes make it easier to clean hard-to-reach places.
Foam extractors. Modernized washing vacuum cleaners that use thick foam instead of water.

All machines are very powerful, you won’t be able to get gentle cleaning from them. But the one-time effect will be amazing; stubborn stains will disappear completely. True, along with the dirt, the upholstery of the sofa will become thinner, and the soft filling will become a little harder.

Minirotor

Foam extractor

Professional washing vacuum cleaner