Here are our tips and solutions for cleaning a non-removable fabric sofa like a pro. Textile cleaning products, cleaning machines, cleaning techniques: we tell you everything in this article.
The centerpiece of the decor, the sofa is a piece of furniture on which we love to spend countless hours and it is put to the test. Especially since many of us have to share it with small children and pets. As a result, it is very exposed to accidental spills, dirt, and stains.
Do you think your fabric sofa looks great and want it to stay that way for as long as possible? So that it can go through the years and stay like new, it is necessary to maintain it regularly with professional company sofa cleaners.
Sofa cleaner: precautions to take
Before embarking on your cleaning operations, you need to make sure that you are going to do things right.
For this, you must know the characteristics of the fabric that covers your sofa. Cotton, linen, wool, modal, velvet fabric, viscose, bi-materials. There is something for everyone, but each textile material, whether in natural or synthetic fibers, has its characteristics.
The preliminary questions:
- What is the nature of the fabric to be cleaned?
- Is my sofa wet or dry washable?
- Are certain cleaning products prohibited?
- Can I use a sofa stain remover to treat stubborn stains?
It is therefore important to ask the right questions about the professional cleaning techniques to use and to answer them precisely.
Our recommendations :
- Remember to dust your sofa before cleaning with a suitable vacuum cleaner
- Always read the manufacturer’s care and washing instructions carefully and follow them so as not to risk irreparably damaging or tarnishing the sofa. You will find this information on the label of your sofa or in the instructions provided at the time of purchase.
If in doubt, contact the manufacturer directly. - Perform a preliminary test on a small hidden area of the sofa with a cloth or cotton swab. If you find that the colors are bleeding, the fabric is shrinking; it is shiny, or it is losing its hold, then change the cleaning method.
How do you machine wash fabric sofa covers?
Are your fabric sofa covers machine-washable? This is the ideal situation!- Preferably choose a low-temperature cycle (wool or delicate laundry), and opt for a low spin.
- Air dry to avoid shrinking the fibers by turning the covers over after a few hours and replacing them when completely dry.
- Important: for impeccable professional cleanliness, remember to treat stains before machine washing using a suitable textile stain remover; spray directly on the stain, leave to act for the time shown, and wash in the washing machine.
How to deep clean a fabric sofa?
Clean a fabric sofa with a dry shampoo
- Carpet cleaner which is also suitable for rugs, armchairs, and other delicate textiles,
- Sofa fabric cleaner.
In any case, the dry shampoo for fabric sofa comes in the form of an absorbent powder and allows fragile textiles that cannot stand water to be restored to the freshness of cleanliness.
This solution will allow you to detach, deodorize and revive the color of your fabric sofa.
Its cleaning and deodorizing properties will also be very effective for cleaning a non-removable fabric sofa.
- Just sprinkle the product over the entire surface.
- Leave to act (the break time depends on the manufacturer and the degree of soiling).
- Vacuum to remove excess.
Clean a fabric sofa with a disinfectant spray
The spray disinfectant destroys bacteria, viruses, and fungi and instantly refreshes textiles that do not tolerate being washed. Just spray the surface to make your fabric sofa look clean and fresh again.
Clean a dry fabric sofa with baking soda
Very useful for maintaining sofa fabrics that cannot be cleaned with water, baking soda is an economical and very effective cleaning powder for removing stains, absorbing stubborn odors, and reviving colors.
- Generously sprinkle the baking soda on all the surfaces to be treated, not forgetting the armrests
- Massage in with your hand.
- Leave on for two hours
- Scrub with a bristle brush, insisting on the soiled areas.
- Carefully vacuum the product with the vacuum cleaner using a soft bristle brush.
Good to know: mixed with a little talc, baking soda will be even more effective in removing perspiration or musty odors.
Cleaning a fabric sofa with a steam cleaner
You can clean and sanitize your fabric sofa using a steam cleaner. It is a very effective method for eliminating microbes present in textile fibers, dissolving certain stains without rubbing, and eliminating bad odors, but the fabric must be lightly soiled.
Clean a fabric sofa with an injector-extractor
This high-performance deep cleaning method is recommended for dealing with stubborn stains. The injector-extractor sprays a mixture of detergent solution and pressurized water at the heart of the fibers, then immediately sucks up the dirt-laden water, causing the sanitation of the materials. Perfect for eliminating dust mites.
How do you clean stains on your fabric sofa?
If your sofa is not removable, there are many solutions to treat stubborn stains in a localized way and without creating halos.
Clean fabric sofa with fabric stain remover
Usable on the most fragile surfaces, it can be:
- Multi-surface textile stain remover that acts as a sofa stain remover, carpet stain remover, and carpet shampoo
- Specific stain remover because it is sometimes necessary to choose the right stain remover to remove certain common stains such as red wine, chocolate, grease, or coffee
Clean fabric sofa with a natural stain remover
If you prefer a natural and non-aggressive homemade solution (bicarbonate of soda, black soap, white vinegar, Marseille soap, etc.), the procedure remains the same:
- With lukewarm water, dampen a soft sponge.
- Apply the product on the cloth (and not directly on the fabric)
- Observe the stain from the outside
- Dab or rub gently in circular motions
- Rinse with a clean microfiber cloth
- Finish with a washcloth or a microfiber cloth, which you will pass gently in all directions to absorb the water well.
- Dry with a hairdryer set on lukewarm air.
Warning: be careful not to soak your sofa, excessive wetting of the fabric can cause halos.
Cleaning your fabric sofa: good practices
- Dust your fabric sofa regularly with a vacuum cleaner to prevent dirt from accumulating in the fibers; check in the cracks, nooks, and crannies, and pass a roller of special adhesive to remove fluff and animal hair if necessary.
- Act quickly when the sofa is stained. Indeed, the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to treat the stain.
Read more: Why disinfect and decontaminate?
