Tips to Clean Your Upholstered Furniture

We all love to lounge on our couches. From binge watching our favorite shows to marathon naps, the couch might get the most use out of any furniture in our homes. But over time and lots of use, crumbs, spilled drinks, pet hair, dirt and oil build up on your couch making it look dull and dingy.

When was the last time you cleaned your couch? If the answer is somewhere between “I can’t remember” and never, don’t worry. Getting a clean couch is easy so you can rest and relax with peace of mind. Follow these step-by-step instructions with handy illustrations on how to clean a couch so your upholstered furniture looks just as good as the day you bought them.

1. Vacuum the Couch

Use a hand vacuum or brush attachment to remove any loose crumbs, dirt or debris. You’ll want to vacuum your couch on a fairly regular basis to keep it cleaner longer, making sure to vacuum once a week or twice a week if you have pets or kids.

2. Clean Wood or Metal Areas

Wipe down any non-fabric parts with a damp cloth. Use warm water and liquid soap to remove any tough stains.

3. Remove Stains

The upholstery on a piece of furniture like the Benton Mid-Century Sofa is durable and great for furniture that will get a lot of use. You can easily clean furniture like this and other upholstered Zinus pieces, like the Dachelle Upholstered Platform Bed, with water and an upholstery cleaning solution on stains. After determining your couch’s fabric type, you can make your own cleaner using ingredients found right in your kitchen!

Fabric upholstery: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar, 3/4 warm water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap or Castile soap in a spray bottle. Mist the soiled area and scrub with a soft cloth until the stain lifts, then use a second cloth moistened with clean water to remove the soap. Dry with a towel.

Leather upholstery: Mix 1/2 cup olive oil with 1/4 cup vinegar and put into a spray bottle. Spray the cleaner on the surface of the couch and buff with a soft cloth.

Synthetic upholstery: Mix 1/2 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of warm water and 1/2 tablespoon of liquid dish soap or Castile soap in a spray bottle. Mist the soiled area and scrub with a soft cloth until the stain is gone.

4. Let the Couch Dry

Use a towel to soak up any excess water remaining on the sofa surface and let the sofa air dry. Setting up a fan can help your couch dry faster to avoid potential mildew.