Tips for Cleaning Upholstery

Spot Treatment

• Vacuum the cushions and under them before doing any other cleaning of upholstery on your furniture. You want to remove as much dirt, crumbs and lost items. Then spot treat your upholstery before steam cleaning it. Arizona Carpet Care says to spray stain remover on spots and allow the solution to sit for a few minutes first. Once the solution has had time to sink into the fabric, dampen a cloth with water and gently scrub the stain until it is gone or nearly gone. These extra first steps will make steam cleaning work better.

Leather Sofas

• Leather sofas do not need to be steam cleaned. Spot clean this type of fabric with a moisturizing soap and a soft cloth. Rubbing alcohol will remove ink stains. Apply a quarter size amount of rubbing alcohol to a soft cloth. Gently rub the stain. You may need two or three applications to totally remove ink stains.

Moisture

• CreativeHomemaking.com says that moisture can be a problem when it comes to cleaning upholstery. Do not soak your furniture in water. Use a steam cleaner, and only use a small amount of water when spot treating. Steam cleaners are designed to clean fabrics and carpets while sucking water back up and collecting it in a holding tank. Your couch or chairs will get slightly damp, but they should not be soaked. Allow your furniture to dry completely before using it.

  When removing oil based stains such as peanut butter, makeup or food items, use very hot soapy water and press down on the stain to soak up the oil. Scrub the stain several times until all the oil is absorbed.