SleepCosee WashCare Tips: How to Keep your Sofa Clean and Long-Lasting

In the years 2020 and 2021, pandemic and global lockdown made us spend more time at home and with our families. Keeping the house clean and disinfected was more important than any other chore. Any piece of furniture that can be covered in dust or stained is easy to clean. But a dusty stained sofa is time-consuming.

So how are we supposed to keep the sofa clean?

Well, there is no doubt that cleaning the sofa cushion is the most difficult part. Sofa seats do not usually have covers or sheets on them. But all the sofas come with their cleaning tags. With the help of these tags, you can determine how to take care of the upholstery.

In this article, we will guide you through various options to keep your seating area clean and hygienic.

Commonly used Upholstery and How to clean them.

Sofa cushions can be for seats, back support, armrest, throw pillows, or just for appearance. But the fillings and upholstery decide how comfortable they are. Each type of fabric has a unique feel and a different technique to clean up.

Polyester Upholstery

Seat cushions in the modern styled sofa are filled with foam. This allows the sofa to retain its shape for a longer duration. The most easily available fabric is polyester. It has a good list of pros for sofa cushions. Here are the steps to help you clean your polyester fabric sofa.

1 - Vacuum Clean

Even though the seat cushion covers are removable it is recommended to clean up the dirt with a vacuum cleaner.

2 - Scrub

If the upholstery looks dirty even after vacuuming, take a soft-bristled brush and scrub the seats. This will loosen up the dried stains and help out in releasing the dirt deep inside.

3 - Make a Cleaning Mix

Take 1 tsp white vinegar, 1 tsp shampoo, 1 tsp of disinfectant, and 1 cup of warm water and mix it well in a spray bottle. At the end add 1 tsp of baking soda and tightly close the spray top.

4 - Dab it on the cushions

Spray the cleaning mixture on a clean cloth and dab it on the cushions. You can spray the mixture directly on the sofa, but make sure to not damp it too much.

5 - Wipe down and let it dry

Take a dry cotton towel and wipe down the cushions. Do not dry it in direct sunlight and hot air. Allow the sofa to dry in shade.
The same list can be followed for cotton fabric covers. Also, it is easy to remove and wash cotton covers.

Microfiber/Suede Upholstery

Microfiber or suede upholstery does not attract the stains easily. Hence it is the most preferred choice. But the suede fabric attracts fur, threads, hair, and many such dirt particles. Also, the light-colored sofa shows off the swirl marks.

The good part about the microfiber fabric is, it is alcohol friendly. To get rid of the dust particles follow this thumb rule: scrub, brush and cleanse.

1 - Scrubbing and Rubbing

For suede, it is easy to tidy up. Spray rubbing alcohol in one part and scrub with a white sponge or cloth. Repeat this step in small parts one after the other.

2 - Brushing

After the alcohol evaporates, take a soft bristle brush and brush it on the sofa in circular motions. This will help you to fluff the fabric and remove the fur and hair from the fabric.

3 - Cleanse with Water

After brushing off, repeat scrubbing with a sponge or cloth along with distilled water. This way you can get rid of any stains and dirt that has remained the first time.

Leather Upholstery

Leather sofa cushions are comparatively easy to clean. Leather does not absorb liquid easily, hence fewer stains.

There are varieties of finishes available for leather upholstery. The most commonly used leather is protected leather. It is easy to clean them, yet you must check for the cleaning tags.

1- Vacuum the sofa

Firstly clean the seat cushions with a vacuum cleaner. With this, you can clean the nooks and corners properly.

2 - Use Microfiber Cloth

Once vacuumed, wipe down the sofa cushions with a clean microfiber cloth. The microfiber cloth will help to keep leather scratch-free.

3 - Cleaning Solution

To clean a leather sofa all you need is water and white vinegar. Mix both of them in equal parts. Dip a corner of the microfiber cloth and wipe down the leather. Do not wet the cloth too much, as it may pool down into seams and soak the cushions.

4 - Wipe it Dry

The next step is to take a dry microfiber cloth and wipe the leather dry. This way you can ensure that no excess water has seeped into the cushion.

5 - Leather Conditioner

For leather, there are products available as conditioners. But If you do not wish to spend on such products you can opt for coconut oil, baby oil, or leather honey oil. To keep the leather soft and long-lasting you should use a conditioner every 6 months.

Call the professionals

Sometimes it is better to ask a professional to do the job right. Once in a while it is okay to take help from outside instead of cleaning the house yourself.

There are cleaning services offered by many companies. They have specific vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners, special cleaning liquids and detergents.

Throw Pillows and Bolsters Cleaning

Throw pillows are sofa cushions for better comfort and upgrading the look of the sofa. We can find a variety of cushions like jacquard cushions, printed cushions, plain white fillers etc. They are easy to clean and part of every comfort for the user.

How to clean Polyester fibers cushions

For throw pillows and bolsters it is recommended that you invest in some good quality cushion covers. For throw pillows, the best filling is Polyester fibers. Polyester fibers filings do not lose their shape and are machine washable. In case you spill coffee, or get the cushions stained with something just toss them in the washing machine. You will have your cushions as good as new.

Finally with all the cleaning done. Use your sofa as a place to work all day or just sit and enjoy a nice sitcom. Or maybe It is time for you to enjoy your movie night on a clean, soft sofa.