No matter how hard you try, spills and dirt on your couch are bound to happen and you will be faced with the question of how to spot clean your fabric sofa.
The first step you want to take when cleaning your sofa is to vacuum it. That might sound like a no-brainer but did you know that if you leave dirt on when you go to clean your couch it can actually make your couch dirtier, which in turn defeats the purpose of cleaning it? It may seem like a small step, but vacuuming it first makes all the difference.
After you have it all vacuumed, you are going to want to take a look at the tag to see what kind of fabric you are dealing with. All fabric washes differently and the last thing you want to do is ruin your couch. The tag should have one of five letters. W means clean with a water-based detergent. S tells you to use a water-free product, such as a dry cleaning solution. WS means you can use either one. O means the material is organic and can only be cleaned using cold water, and X means don’t touch it! You need to have the sofa cleaned by a professional.
Once you’ve established which cleaning route you need to go and have gathered your materials, which include Ivory bar soap, a brush, distilled water and a soft cotton cloth, you are going to want to remove all of the cushions and pillows. If they have removable covers, pop them off and throw them in the washing machine (please call us first to be sure your fabric is machine washable)!
Gently blot your sofa with your detergent solution using a brush. Soft, circular motions are best for getting dirt off and not hurting the fabric. Wipe off any excess soap with a clean cotton cloth when you are finished blotting. Dip your rag in cold distilled water and rinse the area you scrubbed. You should already start to see a difference in your fabric.
Wipe down any part that’s not fabric, such as wooden legs or arm rests. Then leave the sofa to dry, it will take a few hours, maybe even a day! Once it is all dry, you can put it back together, replacing the cushions and pillows. When all is said and done, step back and look at how wonderful your newly cleaned sofa looks!