Most useful DIY tips to clean a sofa

If you think that after a hard day’s work, all you want is lie down on your couch, then you are not the only one.  Not only is a sofa or a couch the most preferred piece of furniture for most of us but also an important part of the living rooms and even the bedrooms.  This is why it is also used more than other furniture pieces and thus gets dirtier more easily and quickly. Dusting the sofa on a regular basis is not enough to keep it clean and there are several other sofa cleaning methods you can try on your own. The following are some of the DIY tips to clean a sofa:

1. Vacuuming the sofa or the couch is one of the best DIY tips to clean a sofa

So the first and the easiest method you can try to clean your sofa completely is to use a vacuum cleaner.  Whether it is food leftovers, dust or spills, vacuuming can pull out most types of impurities from the couch surface.  So whenever you notice any of these, make sure you take out time to vacuum your sofa. Vacuuming once a week can help you achieve good results.

2. Remove the stains keeping the material of the sofa in mind

Besides cleaning the dust and the leftovers, you also need to clean the stains that develop due to the spills etc.  While it is true those professional dry cleaners can do this job with you but there are many tricks that you too can try at home.  For this you will have to make some homemade cleaners depending upon the fabric you are dealing with. As an example, for fabric upholstery, you can mix together ¼ cup vinegar in ¾ cup warm water and 1 tablespoon of soap. For leather sofas, you can mix together ¼ cup vinegar with ½ cup olive oil whereas for synthetic materials, mix ½ tablespoon of liquid soap with ½ cup vinegar and 1 cup warm water. Remember to spray these cleaners and then scrub the stained part gently. Let the area dry.

3.Remember to clean the metal and wooden areas as well.

Cleaning the fabric alone won’t help. You also need to make sure that the wooden handles and metal areas too are cleaned on a regular basis to make your sofa look like new.  For cleaning any non-fabric parts of the couch, you can use a mix of liquid soap with some warm water. Wipe using a cotton cloth and then let the area dry completely.

 

4. Read the manufacturer’s tags carefully

If your sofa is store bought or the fabric used has manufacturer’s tags on it, then don’t forget to read the washing or cleaning instructions given.  These tags will advise you on the cleaning process and will help you clean the sofa in such a way that it isn’t damaged.

These DIY tips should prove useful and must be followed to extend the life of these important furniture pieces. However professional sofa cleaners or dry cleaners are also just a call away.