4 Easy Ways To Clean Sofa Stains

These are usually the easiest sofas to clean and this cleaning code is the most common one. Solvents can damage this fabric, so steer clear of those. Vacuuming is fine for these sofas.

This code is fairly rare; you might see it if your sofa is made of a unique or unusual material.

You can pick up commercial fabric solvents at home supply stores or order them online. [5] X Research source Vacuuming is safe for these sofas.

Vacuuming is safe for materials without care tags. If the fabric is particularly delicate, you may want to adjust the suction to the gentlest setting.

It’s difficult to evaluate the seriousness of a stain without vacuuming it first, so always start by running the hand vac or an attachment over the upholstery.

You can add extra cleaning power to your solution by mixing in a little vinegar. Some professionals recommend using distilled water when cleaning upholstery, since it doesn’t leave behind mineral stains when it dries. If you’re particularly worried about your sofa, or if it’s extremely expensive, you may want to heed this advice—it’s up to you![10] X Research source

It’s important not to saturate the fabric, so be sure to use a dampened cloth, not a soaked one. [12] X Research source

If you don’t want to get a new cloth, just be sure to rinse the soapy solution out of your original microfiber cloth before using it for rinsing. If the stain hasn’t lifted completely at this point, you can repeat blotting with the solution and rinsing with clean water until it disappears.

Avoid using a hair dryer to dry delicate fabrics, since the heat could possibly damage it. Using the cool setting is probably fine, though!

You can get these common cleaning products at grocery and home improvement stores.

The sooner you address the stain, the better your chances are of removing it. Keep in mind that if your couch has an “X” cleaning code, vacuuming is the only type of cleaning you can safely do to remove stains.

Microfiber, suede and leather can usually be cleaned with this technique. If the stain doesn’t lift, you may want to follow up with a water-based soapy solution. [16] X Research source

Alternatively, you can use a mixture of 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of olive oil and 1⁄4 cup (59 mL) of white vinegar. Mix them together in a spray bottle, spray the mixture on the stain, and buff it out with a clean cloth.

Pat the area dry with a clean towel after the stain lifts. This is usually safe for leather, microfiber, and suede sofas. Treat beer or coffee stains with a mixture of 1 teaspoon (4. 9 mL) of liquid dish or laundry detergent and a small amount of warm water. Rub the mixture into the stain and blot it out with a paper towel. You can also pre-treat the stain by rubbing it with ice.

This is usually safe for leather, microfiber, suede, and water-safe fabrics like cotton and linen.

Letting the fabric air dry could cause a ring stain around the problem area. These solvents are very strong, so be sure to crack a window and follow any other safety instructions specified by your particular product.

You may want to crack a window if you’re working in a small area so you don’t get too warm. This will also help to dry the fabric.

Microfiber cloth attachments are also effective for this job. You can add a fabric-safe or upholstery shampoo to the water if your steamer uses it, but plain water should do the trick for most stains. You can buy a handheld steamer for this or rent a larger model at a home improvement store.

The stain should start lifting after a few passes with the steamer. If you added soap or upholstery shampoo, you’ll need to repeat the process with plain water to rinse it away before letting the fabric dry.