How to clean a sofa from... How to clean a light-colored sofa at home without streaks? Cleaning the sofa from dirt and dust

Return upholstered furniture to life - the task is not difficult, and you can complete it yourself, without the help of professionals. Both household chemicals and folk remedies. But you should begin such a procedure only armed with necessary information so as not to worsen the situation.

How to clean a greasy sofa

Upholstered furniture is prone to getting dirty, especially if it white. Therefore, after purchasing a sofa, it is better to immediately acquire special covers. They are made from a material that can be easily washed using any detergent.

If a person did not suspect the existence of such capes, and the furniture is already covered with an unpleasant coating, then it’s time to clean the sofa upholstery. Before the main wash you need to:

Vacuum the sofa to remove all the crumbs, debris and dust. You should immediately carry out a thorough cleaning, and do not forget to look into hard-to-reach places.
After this, you need to take an unnecessary sheet, moisten it in a weak solution of vinegar (1 tablespoon of substance per 5 liters of water), and cover the sofa. Next, you need to take a stick and beat the product well.
If the upholstered furniture is in disrepair, then you should sprinkle particularly greasy areas with salt and leave for 3-4 hours. During this time, she will have time to absorb the maximum amount of fat.

Grease can be removed with glycerin. To do this, you need to moisten a cosmetic disc in the substance and walk it over the upholstery.

If the sofa is light in color, then you should proceed in the same way, only instead of glycerin you need to use milk or chalk, having previously dissolved it in water.

Laundry soap is a housewife's faithful friend, as it can cope with almost any contamination. To use it to make the sofa look decent, you should:

Grate 1 piece of laundry soap on a coarse grater;
add shavings to 5 l. warm water and stir until light foam forms;
moisten a soft sponge in the solution, treat the entire surface of the sofa and leave for 1-2 minutes;
After which, rinse off the soap thoroughly and let the sofa dry.

A solution of ammonia will help clean a greasy sofa. To prepare it, mix the substance with water in equal quantities and stir. Soak a cotton pad or soft cloth in the product and remove fat using blotting movements until they come off completely. After this, you need to wipe the upholstery with a clean cloth and let the sofa dry.

If there is a particularly greasy stain on the furniture, and the described procedure is powerless against it, then you need to take a soft brush and rub the greasy area.

Plain fabrics should be treated with cosmetic pads or wipes, while fluffy materials can be washed with sponges or brushes.

Another effective cleaning method is soda slurry. It fights not only grease, but also stains from tea, coffee and dirty marks. It is necessary to mix soda with water (1:1), but if the slurry turns out to be too liquid, then it is better to add more substances to make it thicker. After this, you should distribute the mixture over the entire surface of the upholstery and rub in the soda with a brush. Leave the substance on the sofa for 1-2 hours so that it has time to dry completely.

Baking soda in combination with alcohol will help remove greasy stains from the sofa, but it is better to use them for fresh stains. Necessary:

Sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda onto the greasy stain and leave for 1 hour;
after 60 minutes, collect the soda, pour fresh one in its place, and leave for another 40 minutes;
after the specified time, you should collect the substance with a vacuum cleaner;
the remaining stains must be treated with a cotton pad and medical alcohol.

All of the methods listed are quite effective, but if the sofa has not been cleaned for years, then you should not expect quick results. It is possible that the processing will have to be carried out more than once.

How to avoid streaks on upholstery

Leaks can form both from the use of professional foam compounds and from home remedies. The reason for this is the use of excessive amounts of water, incorrectly selected products and insufficient rinses.

To avoid such a problem, you need to use as much as possible less water, and carefully collect all the foam with napkins. First you should treat the sofa with a damp cloth, and then dry.

If any detergents were used that produce a large amount of foam, then high-quality rinsing will be required. But here it is important to try not to flood the sofa, and after the procedure, try to dry it as quickly as possible.

The sofa should dry on its own, but if it is too wet, then it would be useful to resort to forced drying. To do this, you can use a fan or hair dryer that has a cold air mode.

Do not dry furniture near heating pipes or near various electrical appliances.

When it was not possible to avoid the appearance of stains, they still cannot be left on the upholstery, since such areas become dirty much faster. It is necessary to take a medium-hard brush and thoroughly rub the stains, and then suck out the remaining substance from the sofa using a vacuum cleaner. It is worth using this not too gentle method if the sofa is no longer new and there is no fear of damaging the upholstery.

Without hesitation, name your most favorite place in the house. Most people will immediately think of a sofa. How nice it is to lie down on it in the evening and look through interesting book, watch an exciting movie! You can even drink a cup of coffee and chew something. But over time, your pet becomes not so attractive: the upholstery loses its appearance and freshness, and becomes covered with strange stains and stains. And you urgently begin to look for the answer to the question of how to clean a sofa at home.

In this article:

Cleaning the sofa from dirt and dust

Upholstered furniture absorbs dust very quickly and provides shelter for microscopic insects. Make it a rule to clean the upholstered furniture in your home at least once a month, even if it looks quite clean and without stains.

The easiest way is to vacuum. To do this, use a thin nozzle that will get into the most secluded places - corners, crevices, the area under pillows. It is better, of course, to clean with a vacuum cleaner. Or periodically remove dust from the sofa using grandma’s proven method. To do this, cover it with a damp cloth soaked in a special solution - add two tablespoons of salt and vinegar per liter of water. The moisture on the fabric will collect the dislodged dust, and the salt and vinegar will refresh the colors.

Except folk ways You can also use household chemicals. Let's consider the most effective way how to clean a Vanish sofa:

You can dilute the product as recommended in the instructions - dissolve 1 part in 9 parts water. But heavy pollution or a light-colored sofa is better to clean with a more concentrated solution.
Whisk the liquid thoroughly until you get a stiff foam. Using an upholstery brush, apply the foam evenly to the upholstery of the sofa - exactly the foam, not the solution itself! Clean with circular movements, treating stains with Vanish especially thoroughly.
Wait a couple of hours and vacuum the upholstery.

Removing stains from upholstery

It is possible to clean a sofa from stains at home, although in some cases it is not easy to do. General rules stain removal:

First, test the product on an inconspicuous area of the sofa. Wait until the surface dries. Look at the reaction of the upholstery, only then use the product.
To avoid streaks, start removing the stain from the edge to the center.
Increase the concentration of the product gradually.

Coffee

Dilute a few drops of dishwashing detergent with water, add a little table vinegar (2 tablespoons per liter of water). Wipe the stain and dry with a dry cloth.

Fruit juice

Old sap stains are very difficult to get rid of, so remove them immediately. Mix ammonia with vinegar, wet the dirty area and let it dry. Rinse off any remaining solution warm water, dry.

Beer

Wipe the stain soap solution. Remove the smell with a weak solution of vinegar (2-3 tablespoons of vinegar per liter of water).

Wine

Blot the wine with a napkin or paper towel. Sprinkle the red wine stain with salt, brush it out and wipe it with a cloth soaked in alcohol. White wine is removed with alcohol.

Blood

Wipe off the fresh stain cold water and process laundry soap.
How to clean a sofa from old blood stains? If the upholstery is flock, use several methods:

Dissolve an aspirin tablet in 200 ml of water and wipe with a cotton swab.
It is better to clean a light-colored sofa this way: mix a tablespoon of salt in a liter of water, treat the dirty area, and after an hour thoroughly wipe it again with a saline solution.

Urine

Dry the sofa with paper towels. Treat with Vanish or other detergents.

Light sofas with fabric upholstery are incredibly popular. Thanks to the variety of models and materials, this piece of furniture can successfully fit into any interior. But light upholstery is less practical than dark upholstery and stains are more likely to appear on it during use. Therefore, owners of such a sofa need to be prepared for regular cleaning and timely removal of various stains.

Surface preparation

Before you start cleaning your sofa at home, you need to do the following:

Decide on the type of detergent. What is suitable for leather furniture is sometimes not recommended for use on models with fabric upholstery and vice versa. This is the most important point, not only the result of home cleaning, but also the safety of the surface of the sofa will depend on it, so when choosing a product (improvised or industrial), strictly follow the recommendations for its use.
Thoroughly vacuum or wipe the cloth surface soft cloth, if the sofa is made of genuine leather or substitutes. This step should never be skipped, since by ignoring it, you can add dirty stains to the existing stains, which are then problematic to remove. light furniture.
Pre-treat existing stains by special means. If the sofa does not have pronounced stains, then you can immediately begin cleaning with the chosen product.

Thus, in order to clean the sofa without streaks, you need to choose the right product that will not damage the surface and tidy up the upholstery.

Leather sofas and microfiber models are the most resistant to stains and streaks and are easy to care for, unlike capricious materials such as jacquard or tapestry.

Some upholstery is specially impregnated with compounds that repel dirt and thereby make the furniture easier to care for.

Types of stains and methods for removing them

The main problem with white and light-colored sofas is persistent dirt that occurs during use. Often coffee and other highly colored drinks are spilled on upholstered furniture, or chocolate is dropped. Children and pets can also contribute - footprints ballpoint pen, markers, paints and urine stains can permanently damage appearance sofa

Fortunately, Most of these stains can be easily removed using industrial products.

The most popular products are Blis, Vanish, Tuba, Dr. Schnell, Unicum. They are available in spray format and form an active foam, which, when interacting with a stain, destroys it.

However, these remedies have significant drawbacks - they can cause allergic reactions, and if environmental safety is important, then you can turn to proven folk remedies.

Depending on the type of stains, they can be removed using various non-aggressive means:

Coffee stains can be removed using vinegar mixed with any mild detergent, such as Fairy or AOS. Then you need to thoroughly wipe everything with a damp cloth and blot dry with a napkin.
Fruit juice is removed from the upholstery using ammonia (ammonia) and 9% vinegar. They are mixed in equal parts and applied to the stain, allowing the mixture to dry. Then moisten the treated surface with water and remove the dirt with a brush.
Stains from beer and carbonated drinks are treated with a soap solution, and to remove odors, the surface is treated with a weak solution of table vinegar.

You can safely remove chewing gum from upholstered furniture only after pre-freezing. To do this, apply an ice pack to the affected area, and then scrape off the frozen gum using a blunt object, such as a plastic spatula or small ruler.
Blood stains can be easily removed with ordinary cold water, but only immediately; if the stain has dried, only aggressive household chemicals can remove it.
Traces from felt-tip pens and ballpoint pens can be effectively washed off with acetone. To do this, the stain is moistened generously and then allowed to dry. Then rinse and dry with a cloth.
Fresh red wine stains should be blotted with a dry cloth and sprinkled with salt. After drying, the debris is removed using a vacuum cleaner or a brush for upholstered furniture.

The urine of pets or children leaves not only traces, but also an odor. In order to revive the “soaked” upholstery, it is necessary to wash the stain with laundry soap, and after drying, treat it with a 9% table solution. You can treat the surface with hydrogen peroxide. It will prevent bacteria from multiplying and the smell will disappear.

Most fresh stains are easily removed, but some old ones are very difficult to remove even by professional means. Therefore, it is important not to waste precious time, especially since every housewife can find the listed folk remedies.

Household chemicals

Clean the sofa and refresh the upholstery - not an easy task. Fortunately, today everyone can take advantage modern achievements household industry and clean the sofa with special products that are easy to find in stores. The most popular products for fabric sofas are:

Vanish

Presented with three popular products: shampoo, antibacterial agent and powder for cleaning upholstered furniture and carpets. The latter should be used for dry cleaning. To do this, spread the product over the surface of the sofa with a brush and leave for half an hour, and then vacuum it.

Shampoo is also available that can be used in a washing vacuum cleaner.

Liquid product diluted with water according to the instructions, and then applied to upholstered furniture, left until dry, the residue is removed with a brush or household vacuum cleaner.

“Shtihonit” from Bagi

This product can be used as a complex product and as a stain remover. In order to clean stains and refresh the sofa, 100-150 ml of “Shtikhonit” is diluted in 5 liters of water and evenly distributed over the carpet using a sponge. Then the surface is cleaned with a brush.

It is important not to let this product dry on the surface of upholstered furniture., as it can leave stains that are difficult to wash off. After brushing, the sofa must be vacuumed immediately to remove any liquid.

Pro Brite

It is a liquid with a convenient spray that is applied to the entire surface of the sofa. Using a brush you can treat difficult stains. Leave on the upholstery for no more than 20 minutes and remove with a vacuum cleaner. This product is environmentally safe and can be used by people prone to allergic reactions.

For leather sofas In light shades, special shampoos are produced that remove dirt and care for the surface.

Available means

There are several popular ways to clean a sofa from dust and dirt. Here are the most popular ones:

Vinegar and salt. 50 grams of one and the second component are dissolved in 1 liter of water and applied with a sponge or spray bottle to the entire surface of the sofa. You can soak a sheet in the solution and cover upholstered furniture with it. After drying, vacuum the surface to remove any remaining product. This method allows you to get rid of dust and simple stains, as well as restore the brightness of the colors of the upholstery.
Shampoo and ammonia. Add 10-15 drops of ammonia to 30 grams of shampoo and dilute it in a liter of water. Treat the surface of the sofa with the resulting solution, leave for half an hour and wash off with a cloth. After drying, the upholstered furniture can be vacuumed.

Home remedies will work if the upholstery doesn't have serious pollution, and also as measures for regular cleaning and maintaining the appearance of the sofa. For more difficult stains or furniture that has not been cleaned for a long time, you should give preference to industrial household products.

Upholstered furniture is vacuumed weekly, knocked out once every 3 months, and removable covers are washed once every six months. Leather upholstery is cleaned with special products, suede, plush and velvet are cleaned dry, and flock and microfiber are washed with soapy water. For each type of pollution, a different method is used. After reading this article, you will learn more about how to clean a sofa from stains and stains at home.

It is recommended to clean the upholstery once a week with a regular or washing vacuum cleaner.
Removable covers can be washed by yourself or by dry cleaning every six months.
It’s very good if you know what fabric your upholstery is made of, whether you can use wet cleaning or only dry cleaning, how durable the paints are, etc.
Once every 2-3 months, upholstered furniture is knocked out.

How to knock out a sofa at home

We will need: an unnecessary clean sheet, water, salt and vinegar. Dilute 4 tbsp in two liters of water. l. vinegar and the same amount of table salt, moisten the sheet in this solution and twist or squeeze thoroughly washing machine. Cover the sofa or chair and carefully beat it out with a beater (do not overdo it so as not to damage the fibers of the fabric). All dust will remain on the fabric, salt and vinegar will refresh the colors and remove unpleasant odors. As soon as the sheet becomes dusty, remove and rinse it, repeat the procedure a couple of times so that all the dust transfers into the sheet.

If a stain appears on the upholstery, it is best to get rid of it immediately. Most household stains will not leave a trace if you clean them with the right product without waiting for them to dry. Over time, contaminants react with the air and become much more difficult to clean.
Before using any product, try it on an inconspicuous area of the upholstery; if the colors have not faded, then you can safely use it.
Any stains are removed by rubbing from the edges to the center, this is done so that the stain does not spread.
Cleaning is carried out in the direction of the fabric fibers.

Now let's summarize the information on how to clean a sofa from stains without streaks.

Coffee and tea

It's a shame when coffee is spilled on your favorite sofa - this is not a rare occurrence. It’s not difficult to help if you immediately clean the upholstery with a mixture of water, detergent and vinegar (use 2 tablespoons of vinegar and a little detergent per liter of water) with a sponge soaked in the solution, wipe the coffee stain, remove any remaining water and detergent with a dry cloth .

Old stains from these drinks are not so easy to remove, especially from light-colored upholstery; there are two opposite ways. You can use a high-quality stain remover or call professionals who specialize in cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture.

The second method is not for the faint of heart: if the stains could not be removed, they are in a visible place, there are many of them and they spoil the appearance of the sofa, then it is easier to disguise them than to remove them. Wedge by wedge - this method is used for dyeing fabrics by the master Hand Made(puppeteers, seamstresses, designers). The fabric is dyed with strong coffee or tea leaves.

Instructions (the author is not responsible for the results obtained): brew several liters of strong tea or coffee, no need to add sugar, strain through cheesecloth. Before covering the entire surface with tea leaves, try on an inconspicuous area. Apply the tea leaves evenly using a sponge and wait until it dries. Evaluate the result - if you like it, then move on to painting the front side. You can use stencils to create a coffee pattern.

Tea or coffee gives the fabric a beautiful warm shade; sometimes during dyeing, turmeric, which has a yellowish tint, is added to fix the color and salt is added to the tea leaves (1 tsp per liter). When painting furniture, the following effect is obtained: the dye will be darker at the seams, this creates the effect of noble antiquity.

Cute patches, bright pillows, and bedspreads can also serve as camouflage.

Fat

Animal stains

If your sofa was damaged by an animal, a dog or cat inadvertently left traces of its presence on it, then it is most logical to use special products that can be purchased at any pet store. Products of this type are available in powder, liquid or aerosol form. Suitable for upholstered furniture: “NATURE’S MIRACLE”, “OdorGone”, “Zoovorsin” or "Pet Stain&Odor".

All of these products are designed specifically to remove feces and other contaminants left by pets. Such products contain enzymes that break down organic contaminants, eliminate animal odors and destroy microbes that use organic matter as food.

Watercolor, gouache, oil paints

The mother of a young artist should know how to clean furniture and clothes from the most common types of paint:

Oil paints removed with a special solvent that has a pungent odor; you can use it at home butter, after applying the oil, wash the surface thoroughly with laundry soap.

Watercolor Water-soluble, coloring pigments can be washed off with laundry soap. Don't wait for the paint to dry, act right away! Old watercolor stains are almost impossible to remove.

Gouache- This is a quick-drying paint on adhesive based, which cannot be washed hot water, this can only fix the stain on the fabric. Gouache is difficult to remove from natural fabric, the situation is better with synthetic materials.

Fresh gouache can be easily washed off with ordinary soap, but dried stains must first be scraped off and only then cleaned with a brush and soapy water. You can also use acetone, nail polish remover or medical alcohol; cleaning may have to be repeated 2-3 times.

Chewing gum and plasticine. Every mother knows how difficult it is to deal with such spots. Fortunately, there are special products that can be used to clean upholstery from chewing gum, resin, glue and other sticky substances. Here are some of them: Chewing Gum Removers,ANTI-GUM or Pramol GUMEX.

Chocolate

Jam, chocolate, and cake cream are not removed immediately, but the dirt is allowed to dry, brushed off, and the residue is washed off with a sponge in a soapy solution.

Cosmetics

Traces of cosmetics are removed with a sponge soaked in an alcohol solution (2 tablespoons of alcohol per half glass of water)

Blood

There are several ways to remove a blood stain from upholstery:

This is to use one of the universal stain removers.
A fresh stain can be easily washed off with laundry soap. It is important to know that blood stains cannot be washed away with hot water. Soak the sponge in cold water and rub the stain, then rub the surface with laundry soap or shampoo, after a while remove the remaining detergent with a wet sponge.
Flock upholstery is cleaned of dried blood using aspirin. To do this, dissolve an aspirin tablet in 2/3 tbsp. water, wet the cotton wool and remove the stain.
For upholstered furniture in pastel colors, a different composition is used (0.5 tablespoons of salt per half liter of water): the contamination is treated twice with an interval of 1 hour.

Leather furniture

A thing of status and expensive, such material requires special treatment. Office furniture most often suffers from ink and coffee. Freshly spilled coffee will not leave marks on leather upholstery if you immediately blot it with a napkin and wipe it off damp cloth.

Fresh marks from a ballpoint pen can be easily erased with a cosmetic disc soaked in alcohol. If the pen is not leaking today, then the following composition will help: 1 tbsp. l. salt, 2-3 drops of dishwashing detergent, a couple of tablespoons of water, the slurry is applied to the ink and left for 4-5 hours. After this period, the dried mixture is swept away with a soft brush, the residue is wiped off with a damp cloth. Don't forget to moisten the treated area with oil.

Ink from light-colored furniture can be removed pure or with glycerin mixed with ammonia; you need to apply the product to the stain and wipe it off with a sponge after a few minutes. Glycerin cannot be used for colored and dark leather, because it leaves a whitish coating on the surface, but it is best suited for light-colored furniture.

White skin

Upholstered furniture made of white leather is easily soiled, but very beautiful; it requires careful handling and skillful cleaning. The best remedy to restore the skin's whiteness and beautiful view- cow's milk. The upholstery is wiped with a cotton swab or soft cloth dipped in milk.

Many types of stains, including those from oily foods, can be removed from white skin ammonia. After you have erased the stain with ammonia, moisten the surface with glycerin, castor, linseed or refined sunflower oil. This is done because ammonia dries out the leather and if you leave everything as it is, then after a while cracks will appear and the upholstery will lose its beauty. When cleaning is finished, polish the surface with a soft cloth or piece of suede. Instead of ammonia, you can use low concentration vinegar.

To keep the upholstery looking perfect for a long time, wipe it 2-3 times a week with napkins for leather furniture: “ TURTLE WAX (FG6569)», « Leather Wipes», « Starwax"and use special products intended for skin, which are sold in any store household chemicals.

Skin that is specially cared for. products last much longer than the one that is cleaned traditional methods. You may argue that these products are expensive, but replacing damaged leather furniture costs more, and inviting a valued client to sit in a chair covered with a network of cracks...

Care products leather furniture: “Dual Power”, “Leather Furniture cleaner”, “Motul M3 Perfect Leather”, “Nanox (USA) Cleaner-conditioner for leather”, “Doctor Wax”, “Astonish Leather Cleaner”, “Hi-Gear Leather Lux” these the same products are suitable for caring for car interiors and products made from artificial leather.

Different types of upholstery

Flock

This is a practical upholstery with nylon pile on a cotton base. Flock repels dirt, does not fade, it can be cleaned using chemicals, dry and wet methods.

Velours

The velor fabric is cleaned with a soft brush in one direction, after which a piece of fabric is moistened in a vinegar solution (a teaspoon per liter of water), squeezed well and the fabric is gently wiped.

Suede

It does not tolerate moisture, is delicate and very beautiful; you can clean it with a suede brush with rubber bristles. This cleaning is enough to remove shiny stains. If you have suede upholstery, treat it with care, because it does not tolerate friction, water and chemicals. If stains occur, trust the cleaning to professionals.

Plush and velvet

Beautiful materials, which are used less and less nowadays due to the complexity of care. There is no need to clean them with hard brushes, which break the delicate fibers, which over time can lead to bald spots. Velvet and plush are cleaned very carefully with a vacuum cleaner through a cloth; after you have finished vacuuming, remove the dusty sheet and lightly wipe the surface with a damp rag.

Despite the fact that the fabric is very delicate, it can be cleaned without harm. greasy stains pure gasoline. Fat can be easily removed from velvet by rolling the crumb of a warm bun over it.

Microfiber

Microfiber is washed with a soft sponge and soap; dirt can be washed off very easily. This modern material beautiful, but does not tolerate rough influences at all, do not use hard brushes for cleaning and do not rub excessively.

Tapestry

This is what some housewives call durable upholstery made of cotton fabric. It is wear-resistant, practical material, often textured. Despite its practicality, the tapestry does not like water, natural material may shrink a little, so treat such furniture with care, use dry vacuuming and knocking it out through a damp sheet.

And if dry cleaning doesn’t help much, then use “ Vanish" for carpets, following the instructions, whip up a strong foam and apply to the upholstery with a brush or broom, making sure that the fabric does not get wet. The dried foam is carefully removed with a vacuum cleaner. Before use " Vanish" The sofa is also thoroughly vacuumed.

Anastasia, June 11, 2017.

The sofa attracts not only the husband with a bottle of beer in his hands, but also particles of dust. They accumulate on the cover and in the filler, changing the color of the furniture and creating ideal conditions for the reproduction of microscopic mites and various bacteria. To protect loved ones from dermatological problems and respiratory diseases that arise due to dirt and germs, you should clean and disinfect your sofa every month using available products.

No dust

You can deal with dust deposits with a vacuum cleaner. Some modern models are equipped with a wet cleaning function and fall into the “Washing” category. In addition to the dust collector, such devices have a built-in compartment for soapy water. The vacuum cleaner sprays liquid onto the sofa cover and inside the filling, dissolving the dirt, and then sucks it back along with bacteria and mites. The disadvantage of this method is that the furniture remains wet and takes a long time to dry, spreading unpleasant odors.

The second option is a regular vacuum cleaner with a special thin attachment. It is recommended to turn on the device at the minimum setting so that the filler does not form lumps. The small brush even penetrates into the crevices between the armrests and the seat, cleaning the furniture from dust and hairs. The nozzle should be wrapped in gauze soaked in saline solution: per liter of liquid 30 g of dry ingredient. A damp cloth traps dirt particles, preventing them from becoming airborne.

Grandmother's method
If you don't have a vacuum cleaner at home, you can clean the sofa with your hands or a plastic carpet beater. You will need a large sheet that is dipped into a basin or bath of water. You can add a little fabric softener to ensure that your upholstered furniture has a pleasant scent after cleaning. Wring out the fabric by hand or in the washing machine until it remains slightly damp. Cover the sofa with a sheet and go over it with a beater. The blows must be strong so that dust rises from deep layers of filler. Beat the sofa until the shade of the sheet turns grayish or black, depending on the amount of dirt.

Send the sheet immediately to washing machine so that later you don’t have to look for ways to bleach the fabric and blot upholstered furniture with napkins or kitchen towels. Dry the cover with a hairdryer or fan, and in the summer, just open the windows, and the remaining moisture will evaporate from the sofa in a matter of hours.

Important: The sheet method does not work on leather or substitute, only on fabric upholstery. To consolidate the effect of such cleaning, it is recommended to go over the sofa with a vacuum cleaner.

Home remedies for stains

Someone spilled coffee or a glass of red wine on the sofa? A plate with soup or a piece of food has been knocked over fried meat? You need to not panic, but act:

Blot the liquid with paper towels to prevent it from being absorbed into the filler.
Sprinkle a thick layer of salt on greasy stains or baking soda which absorbs pollution.
Do not let the stain dry by postponing cleaning until an indefinite “tomorrow”.

The choice of cleaning product depends on the type of dirt and the material from which the sofa cover is made. It is important to take into account the color of upholstered furniture, as well as test any folk mixture for back wall, because some compositions leave streaks and discolor the fabric, creating additional problems.

Coffee and fruit juice
Coffee stains, like tea stains, can be removed using several methods:

by preparing a soap solution from 3 drops of detergent and 2 tablespoons of vinegar, diluted in a liter of warm water;
salt: dissolve 1–2 tablespoons in a glass of liquid;
laundry or liquid soap.

The second and third options work with fresh stains, while the first breaks down stubborn stains, but can discolor dark fabric.

You will need a dish sponge or a soft brush. Treat the problem area of the sofa with a solution or moisten it with water and rub it with soap. Leave for 5-10 minutes so that the product penetrates into the filler. Rub with a sponge and blot off any remaining solution with a clean napkin. Leave to dry.

A solution made from ammonia and table vinegar can deal with stains left from spilled juice. Pour 30–40 ml of each ingredient into a container, stir and apply with a sponge to the problem area. When the stain dries, wash off the remaining vinegar and ammonia with warm water. If the stains have not disappeared completely, you can repeat the procedure, but very carefully.

Important: When working with the ammonia mixture, you need to wear rubber gloves so as not to burn the skin, and a gauze bandage, because ammonia fumes can cause dizziness.

Chocolate, markers and chewing gum
When there are children in the house, mothers have to regularly scrub the walls and upholstered furniture from art and chocolate residues, and some fidgets manage to drop or stick chewing gum on the sofa, which instantly sticks to the lint and does not want to come off. How to save your nerves and clean the covers?

Handles chocolate detergent for dishes on water based. You need to wait until the stain dries, sweep away the residue with a brush, and then treat the contaminated surface with a soap solution.

It is recommended to rinse light-colored sofas several times so that there are no brown stains left. Work carefully with jacquard upholstery, using a foam sponge to dry. Less capricious fabrics can be blotted with paper towels.

This method saves you from spilled cocoa and jam or jam stains.

Ink marks left by pens or felt-tip pens are recommended to be treated with solvents:

acetone;
nail polish remover;
alcohol;
hairspray;
window cleaning spray.

Apply a little liquid to a cotton swab, gently blot the stain, being careful not to touch clean areas, and leave to dry. After 30–40 minutes, walk over the problem area with a brush or hard sponge soaked in plain water or soap solution. Remove any remaining liquid and dry the sofa.

Tip: Fresh traces of pens or felt-tip pens left on artificial leather or genuine leather can be removed with a regular eraser. The main thing is not to overdo it and not to erase the upholstery itself along with the ink.

Chewing gum is one of the most serious tests that patience and cold can cope with:

Apply a few ice cubes to the stain. Wait until the chewing gum hardens.
Arm yourself with a dull knife or an iron nail file, pry and peel off the product.
Remove residues with a dry cloth or soft brush. If necessary, rinse off residue with cold water.

Urine and beer
The cat decided to take revenge and marked the sofa? Punish the furry scoundrel, and treat the urine stain with a product from:

potassium permanganate: on liter jar a few crystals so that the liquid turns deep pink;
lemon juice: squeeze and do not dilute;
vinegar: part component to 4 parts water;
peroxide: 8 drops per 500 ml of liquid.

Apply the solution to the urine stain, rub and rinse off the residue with water. If yellowness remains, repeat the procedure. You can act comprehensively:

Apply to the problem area thin layer soda
Prepare a solution of 100 ml of water, the same amount of peroxide and a few drops of detergent.
Pour the liquid into a spray bottle and shake.
Spray the solution onto the baking soda. Wait until it starts to foam.
After 2-3 hours, sweep away the residue with a brush and dry with a towel.

Treat beer stains with water and vinegar: for 1 liter of the first, 3 tablespoons of the second component.

Blood and fat

Sprinkle traces of fried meat or mayonnaise with soda and leave for an hour so that the powder absorbs greasy stains. Sweep away any remaining sorbent and walk over the problem area with a cloth soaked in alcohol. You can replace soda with starch or table salt. Rub soapy water into the dried traces of fat with a porous sponge, wait 15–20 minutes, rinse off the solution and repeat the procedure several times.

There are several ways to deal with bloody divorces:

Cool the stain with ice or water from the freezer and blot with a damp cloth.
Crush a few aspirin tablets and add a little liquid to make a paste. Rub the mixture into the stain, blot with a sponge soaked in saline solution.

Traces of red wine are removed with salt, while white wine is best removed with alcohol.

In the household chemicals department you can find many products for cleaning the sofa, fighting dust and stains, but homemade recipes are more affordable and safe. We must not forget that jacquard and tapestry fabrics do not tolerate moisture well, and it is better to treat artificial leather and natural leather not with soap solutions, but with whipped egg whites. If the sofa, even after hygienic procedures, emits an unpleasant odor, you need to cover it with salt and fragrance for a day, and then the furniture will delight the eye with cleanliness and the nose with a pleasant aroma.