How to Wash a Sofa

Vacuum all the upholstered surfaces on the sofa. Try the available hose attachments until you find what works best for the fabric on the couch. Lint and pet hair rollers are useful on coarse fabric that is difficult to vacuum clean.

Test the stain remover on a small section of the sofa upholstery that is usually covered by cushions or against a wall. Allow the cleaning product to dry completely. View the test portion under bright light to make sure no discoloration has been caused.

Treat all the stained areas on the sofa with a stain-removing product that does not discolor the upholstery. Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for the individual product. Blot as much of the color as possible from the treated stains with clean towels.

Remove any covers that come off of the sofa cushions or pillows. Wash the removed upholstery covers with a mild laundry soap on the most gentle setting the machine offers. Take the washed covers from the machine and hang them to air dry.

Fill the upholstery cleaning unit with upholstery shampoo and water. Some units have separate tanks for the shampoo and water. Steam cleaning units may not require any cleaning products.

Wash the upholstery on the couch methodically. Start at the highest point and move down gradually. Spend extra time on stained areas to clean them thoroughly.

Press clean towels to the fabric to remove as much moisture as possible. Wait for the sofa to dry completely, which can take as long as eight to ten hours. Replace the covers on the cushions and pillows to reassemble the clean couch.