How to dry clean a sofa at home with your own hands

Features of self-cleaning at home

It’s better to save your furniture yourself, and it’s not just about the money. Visiting specialists are unlikely to treat a stranger’s belongings with love. Do not be surprised if after a couple of such cleanings the fabric bursts and the filler irrevocably loses its elasticity.

Do-it-yourself dry cleaning of a sofa at home is not only saving money, but also caring for things.

If we talk about money, the savings are colossal. The services of a home cleaning company are not cheap. In addition, they use strong chemicals that are harmful to health and destroy the structure of the sofa fabric. Another thing is companies specializing in furniture cleaning; you can expect high-quality work from them. But their equipment is stationary, and delivery there will be required, which will entail additional costs.

By taking on the task of washing the sofa with your own hands, you can achieve an effect no worse than in dry cleaning. The main thing is to use the right products and maintain consistency. By sequentially following all the instructions described below, you can remove old stains, dust and unpleasant odors.

It is quite possible to clean a sofa yourself, the main thing is to choose the right equipment and cleaning products

The most common types of pollution

The sofa is a place of attraction and relaxation for the whole family. Children play on the sofa, pets relax, and at family celebrations it accommodates several guests at once and suffers the consequences of the feast. Food crumbs, grease stains, children's creativity and pet marks are just a small part of what a sofa is exposed to during daily use.

The most difficult stains to remove include blood and urine stains. Cleaning them off the sofa is not at all easy due to the fact that the liquid instantly penetrates deep into the upholstery and filling of the sofa. And urine also has a pungent and difficult-to-remove odor.

Special devices

All equipment required for cleaning furniture is divided into two types: household and professional. The first one can be found in every home and is quite suitable for cleaning a sofa at home.

Household tools:

• brush;
• rags;
• bucket;
• vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaner

Brush
This category may also include different types of washing vacuum cleaners and steam generators, if they were produced for domestic use.

Professional devices are quite expensive; few people would decide to buy one for the sake of one sofa. Such tools are intended for constant work. With intensive use, it quickly pays for itself, but in everyday life it will simply gather dust in the closet.

1. Professional washing vacuum cleaners. They differ from household ones mainly in size, power and complete disregard for design.
2. Furniture dryers. Essentially, these are just specialized hair dryers.
3. Minirotors. Electric brushes make it easier to clean hard-to-reach places.
4. Foam extractors. Modernized washing vacuum cleaners that use thick foam instead of water.

All machines are very powerful, you won’t be able to get gentle cleaning from them. But the one-time effect will be amazing; stubborn stains will disappear completely. True, along with the dirt, the upholstery of the sofa will become thinner, and the soft filling will become a little harder.

Minirotor

Foam extractor

Professional washing vacuum cleaner

Household chemicals

Dry cleaning products and universal chemicals (for any upholstery materials) are popular.

Rating of cleaning products for the sofa:

If there is a baby or an animal living in the house, it is advisable to have urine and odor neutralizers. The sofa can be cleaned well with OdorGone For Animal Silver, DuftaFresh.

Algorithm

The caring hands of the owner are not mindless machines. By cleaning your sofa yourself, the owner will never harm it. How to dry clean a sofa is described in detail below. You need to start with the simplest operation.

Getting rid of dust

This option is required for soft and fleecy fabrics, since the vacuum cleaner is not able to completely clean them. If the sofa upholstery is made of dense material, then the operation can be skipped, replacing it with a simple vacuum cleaner. But in any case, cleaning in this way will not be superfluous for preliminary softening of contaminants. In addition, this is the easiest way to dry clean.

1. You will need a large piece of material that can cover the main area of ​​the sofa.
2. The selected fabric must be soaked and thoroughly wrung out.
3. Cover the surface of the sofa with a damp blanket.
4. Beat out the sofa with a carpet beater.
5. Wash the sheet soaked in dirt.

Usually this algorithm is repeated several times, it all depends on the degree of contamination. Of course, you can just knock out the sofa and not start wet procedures. But then small particles will rise into the air and settle on the surrounding furniture, the ceiling and in the lungs. The damp cloth method prevents dislodged dust from returning to the sofa upholstery.

An ordinary beater will help get rid of dust in the sofa.

Removing solid contaminants

Serious stains that form a hard crust on the surface of the upholstery soften after the first stage. Now the dirt needs to be scraped off. A plastic spatula is ideal for this, but you can also use the back of a knife. The main thing is not to damage the sofa fabric with sharp edges.

A mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia will make it easier to soften dirt.

If the dirt does not budge, then you need to continue to soak it using a soap solution and a clothes brush. Only strong, hard matter can be scraped off. After treatment with a brush and soap solution, it is better to soak soft and fleecy fabrics with a dry cloth or vacuum them.

Before cleaning, hard dirt from the sofa should first be softened and removed.

General cleaning

After removing solid dirt, you can proceed to the next stage of basic upholstery cleaning. At this stage, the entire surface of the sofa is covered with a cleaning solution and brushed. Protruding, dirty foam is removed with a vacuum cleaner. To speed up work, you can use industrial tools, divided into the following categories:

1. Dirt-cleaning foam. Sold in aerosol packaging. A good universal solution for cleaning a sofa, after which you do not need to dry the fabric.
2. Powders and liquid detergents. There are special products for treating furniture, but you can also use regular ones for washing clothes or washing dishes. The effect is good, but if you do not rinse the fabric enough after treatment, whitish spots will appear.
3. Stain removers. Universal products, produced both in powders and aerosols, and in liquid form. Like all substances intended for widespread use, they do not cope with severe pollution. Although minor stains can be easily removed from the sofa upholstery.
4. Solid cleaning products for furniture. Usually made in the form of soap. When used, the effect is little different from ordinary household products, only the smell is better.

The trouble with industrial drugs is that when used, you get a ready-made mixture with given proportions. If the dirt is difficult to remove, you cannot add a little soda or lemon to speed up the process. Therefore, these products are good for washing a sofa in a hurry. When it comes to major cleaning, it's best to make your own dry cleaning mixture.

The recipe is very simple, it consists of ingredients that are always present in everyday life. Add 70 g of vinegar to half a liter of warm water, which is about 7 tablespoons. Pour 2 tablespoons of soda into the resulting solution and add any detergent to create foam. This mixture will work no worse than store-bought and will save you money. Before use, it is better to test the product on inconspicuous parts of the sofa upholstery. Fabrics vary; for some, this mixture may be too harsh. Then you just need to add water to reduce the concentration.

Removing stains

Different types of dirt on the sofa upholstery require different types of cleaning. Juice was spilled somewhere, fatty food was dripped in - all this can be understood by visual inspection. Therefore, before starting work, we carry out diagnostics or remember where this stain on the sofa came from.

1. Tea stains and ordinary dirt can be washed off with a simple soap solution rubbed in with a clothes brush.
2. Coffee stains. If the trace of an invigorating drink on the sofa is not removed using the first method, then use the following recipe. Add ammonia to hot water at a rate of 1/7 and then dissolve soap shavings at a ratio of 1/4. After the stain disappears, the solution must be thoroughly rinsed off.
3. Juice stains. Removed with a solution of water and table vinegar. A tablespoon of acid is added to a glass of liquid.
4. Wine and fat. Can be washed using a mixture of soda and water in a ratio of 1/3. The solution should be allowed to dry and then vacuumed.
5. Paraffin and candle wax. Place clean napkins over the stains and iron them. The operation must be performed several times.
6. Blood stains. They are removed from the sofa exclusively with clean cold water. Using other remedies may worsen the situation.

These compounds are not too aggressive; they are suitable for all types of fabric, including light-colored upholstery. When removing a stain, it is advisable to move from the center of the stain to its edge; this is the easiest way to clean a sofa. After drying the furniture, streaks may appear. To prevent this from happening, you need to move the brush straight along the fibers of the fabric. The rule is also mandatory for fleecy surfaces; this will allow the fibers to be laid in one direction.

If the origin of the stain cannot be determined, you will have to use universal means. Using affordable, everyday ingredients, you can make excellent cleaning solutions for cleaning your sofa.

1. Using vinegar and soda. To work, you will need a closed container, for example, a plastic bottle, preferably with a spray bottle. We pour hot water into it, determine the temperature by touch: the hand should be comfortable when immersed. Add 9% acetic acid solution at the rate of 300 g per liter of liquid. Shake it up. Add 2 tablespoons of soda. A chemical reaction will begin with the release of abundant foam. At this time, apply washing liquid to the stain. After 5 minutes, the solution should be washed off with a damp sponge.
2. Using citric acid. An excellent product that allows you to not only clean dirt from your sofa upholstery, but also get rid of unpleasant odors. The mixture is diluted in 0.5 liters of warm water; you will need one teaspoon each of acid and salt. To create foam, add a little dishwashing liquid. Wash off the solution applied to the dirt after 5 minutes.
3. Using aspirin. Mix several aspirin tablets with a small amount of water until a liquid paste forms. We moisten the surface of the stain to be treated on the sofa upholstery and cover it with the resulting product. Leave for 20-30 minutes and wash off. If the contamination is not completely removed, the operation should be repeated.
4. Using ammonia. Add 1 teaspoon of ammonia to hair shampoo. Leave on the dirt for 15-20 minutes. The product must be rinsed very thoroughly to avoid streaks on the sofa cover.
5. Using stain removing soap. A very simple, affordable detergent. The stain is moistened generously, then rubbed with soap. The applied soap is rubbed with a clothes brush until a thick foam forms. After 15 minutes, rinse the sofa in the area of ​​the stain several times.

After cleaning

The last important step will be drying the furniture. If there is nowhere to rush, then it is better to leave the sofa alone. But if you don’t know exactly how long it will take for the sofa to dry, and guests are expected to arrive in an hour, you can use a hairdryer. Industrial hair dryers can not only dry fabric, but also melt tin. Therefore, when working with them, you should start with minimal modes. A hair dryer, on the other hand, is too weak and may burn out before finishing the job. You need to turn off the device periodically to allow it to cool down.

In a well-ventilated area, things dry much faster.

How long a sofa takes to dry after dry cleaning depends on the upholstery material and soft filling. After achieving complete drying, you need to go over the fabric with a vacuum cleaner. Actually, for dense materials such as jacquard, scotchgard, tapestry, matting, the cleaning is complete. For fleecy and soft fabrics, you need to work a little more. After drying, the pile usually cakes, so it needs to be carefully smoothed out with a soft brush. Under no circumstances should you allow circular movements, this will only worsen the situation.

Dry cleaning methods

Each stain is cleaned individually. For example, dry cleaning is carried out regularly. It is enough to knock out the dust or walk over the surface of the furniture with a vacuum cleaner.

Dry cleaning features:

1. Knocking can be done using a plastic carpet beater. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the surface.
2. For another option, take an old sheet. Moisten it and spread it on the furniture. After this, they pass over it again with a beater. Rinse with water and shake out again. The procedure is carried out until the sheet is clean.
3. You can add more color to your furniture. To do this, the sofa is sprayed with a solution of vinegar dissolved in a liter of water.
4. Another way is to moisten gauze and wrap it around the vacuum cleaner hose. As soon as a piece of gauze becomes dirty, it is washed and the procedure is repeated.

These methods are suitable for furniture with rare upholstery, such as silk. You can clean the sofa using powder. For this:

• the sofa is cleaned of dust;
• apply the powder with a brush;
• leave for some time;
• clean with a vacuum cleaner.

These methods help you dry clean your sofa yourself.

Precautionary measures

First of all, you need to take care of yourself and your loved ones. The products used in dry cleaning have an alkaline or acidic structure. They do not harm the fabric, but can harm the skin or cause allergies. Therefore, working without rubber gloves is strictly prohibited.

Many detergents contain volatile substances that can cause burns to the mucous membranes. Therefore, it is better to use a mask, even if the room is well ventilated. This rule also applies to homemade solutions using alcohol and ammonia. Volatile compounds of these substances can pick up and transport harmful elements released during the cleaning process through the air.

It is imperative to isolate children during dry cleaning.

Any product, whether made independently or purchased in a store, should first be tried on an inconspicuous part of the furniture. It is better to do this from the back of the sofa. After applying the solution, you should let it dry. If it does not damage the fabric or its coloring, you can safely use the product on the entire surface. There are fabrics for which there are restrictions on the use of certain chemicals:

1. Flock is afraid of alcohol.
2. Artificial suede and microfiber do not like water. Dry clean only.
3. When cleaning jacquard, the temperature of the washing solution should be no more than 40 degrees.
4. Plush and velvet can be damaged by aggressive detergents.
5. Velor does not tolerate abrasives well.
6. When cleaning scotch guard, do not use bleach.

The use of bleaches, acetones, and acids in their pure form is strictly prohibited. They can only be used in small concentrations. Very hot water can age the upholstery, colors will fade, and elasticity will disappear. Apply cleaning solutions only to a sponge or brush, and not to the sofa cover. Light-colored upholstery should only be cleaned with white cloths, otherwise it may become stained. A poorly washed fabric will be destroyed by residual detergents, so you should carefully remove all traces of cleaning.

After studying the simple instructions, everyone will become a specialist no worse than a professional from a cleaning company. If the owner himself takes care of his favorite furniture, he will do a much better job. The money you save can be spent on sweets and eaten with a cup of fragrant coffee, sitting comfortably on a clean, favorite sofa. But at the same time, we should not forget about caution so that we do not have to start dry cleaning at home again.

How to properly care for your sofa

In order for the sofa to please you with its attractive appearance for as long as possible, you need to constantly care for it. The steps you take to care for your sofa depend primarily on its upholstery.

• For chenille furniture, monthly dry cleaning is appropriate. The resulting stain is removed with water and a small amount of soap. It is prohibited to use aggressive chemicals, as they can easily damage the texture of the coating.
• Smooth, lint-free jacquard should also be dry cleaned at least 2 times a month. It is not recommended to wash this fabric.
• A flock sofa can be cleaned with water, but without using alcohol, as it destroys the glue that binds the fibers of the fabric. The rolled pile should be steamed with an iron at a distance of 10 cm.
• To restore lint on Teflon and velor fabrics, dry cleaning is used. This upholstery does not tolerate mechanical stress, which is why it is not recommended to use alcohol or chemical cleaners.
• Leather furniture should only be wiped with a dry cloth. Strong friction and artificial drying with a hairdryer or other devices should be avoided.

In addition to individual rules, there are also general recommendations for caring for a sofa made of any fabric. To prevent stains or crumbs from appearing, the user can place a blanket or blanket on the furniture. To remove dust, furniture can be knocked out or vacuumed, and also wiped with a damp or dry cloth, depending on the type of upholstery.

Not every material with which a sofa is upholstered can withstand various detergents and chemicals. Stain removers can discolor or corrode fabric. For this reason, before using any product, you should carefully read its composition and test the detergent in an inconspicuous area.