The best way to keep your sofa clean is to keep it under wraps. Impossible, right? With living room being a hub of activity at almost all Indian homes, sofas bear the brunt of excessive usage. From watching television to having a warm family time, sofa is one furniture which is used the most. Repeated usage makes sofa sets dirty and dull. Various methods and tricks are tried to keep sofas from getting dirty. One such trick is to keep the living room locked until a guest is announced.
Another is using separate sofa cushions with removable cushion covers to allow easy sofa cleaning at home. Alternatively, sofa frames are wiped with a microfiber cloth or a mild vacuum cleaner and the covers washed. Each time you discover spilled coffee/juice, grubby hand-prints or stains from oily heads on sofa covers, here’s what you can do…
First aid for stains
- Blot the spill with tissue to soak up as much moisture as possible.
- Use a moist cloth or tissue on the spot.
- Should the spill leave a stain, rub the spot with a mild soap solution and wipe with a clean, damp cloth.
Cleaning fabric upholstery
Upholstery fabric is usually color-fast, and can be washed with detergent. Organic solvents, however, should be tested on an inconspicuous spot before use.
Cleaning sofa with baking soda is gentle and effective on delicate fabric. Cleaning sofa with vinegar and warm water with a spoon of liquid detergent is a general cleanser for stubborn stains. Borax in warm water is great for removing juice, wine and dark chocolate stains. Cleaning sofa with steam (cloth dipped in boiling hot water) is recommended for milky tea and coffee spills.
Certain stains may need specific cleaning agents. Diluted rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit from a chemist’s shop works fine) is good for removing ink stains from sofas. For removing blood stains from sofas, rinse with cold water (for fresh blood) or hot water (for dried blood) till the stain is faint and follow up by scrubbing with a mild detergent.
It is perhaps most challenging to remove oil stains from sofas. For food spills, scrape away as much particulate matter as possible and blot the oil stain with tissue. To remove completely, sprinkle borax powder to absorb the grease. Brush off when completely soaked and repeat till the oil is gone. To remove the yellow colour of turmeric, use lemon juice or white vinegar. Lipstick is another greasy stain and can be dealt with some nail polish remover (acetone) or turpentine diluted in water (1:1) to wipe it away.
Cleaning leather sofas
Even water can spoil the texture of really good leather which makes leather a sort of white elephant to maintain. However, there are some tips to cleaning leather sofas at home.
Leather that has become dirty may be cleaned with mild soap and warm water. Do not soak the leather and avoid liquid detergent-based cleansers. Wipe out the soap with a clean cloth dipped in warm water. Natural leather cleaners with beeswax are recommended over petroleum-based products. For mildew or mould on a damp patch, clean with a cloth soaked in vinegar which acts as a mild disinfectant.
With all these home remedies, it looks like it’s easy to maintain a sparkling sofa set. However, lack of time in today’s busy life may not give you even these few minutes of cleaning your sofa. Worry not, professional sofa cleaning services are there to take care of your busy schedule. These service providers are trained at using various cleaning agents and cleaning different types of sofas. Professional services not only help you save your precious time but also let you do away with the hassle of obtaining all the necessary material that goes into sofa cleaning.