Updated: 05/06/2021 11:12:50
Expert: Anna Maslova
Baking soda is a universal furniture cleaner. It will quickly remove stains and dirt (both recent and old), and get rid of unpleasant odors, dust and dirt. Baking soda will return the sofa fabric to its former brightness. It can be used for natural and artificial fabrics. Finally, soda is an affordable remedy for anyone.
In this article, we have prepared a selection of 9 effective recipes using baking soda for cleaning your sofa.
How to return a sofa to its original appearance
Upholstered furniture can be washed using sodium bicarbonate and table vinegar.
Folk remedies have a number of advantages over industrial ones. They:
- do not cause allergies;
- not dangerous for children and animals (but vinegar must be diluted);
- cheap;
- cope well with fresh and old stains;
- eliminate unpleasant odors.
Cleaning a sofa at home is possible - you will need baking soda and vinegar.
The “aroma” of cat urine is very corrosive - owners of furry predators know this. Not all expensive cleaning gels remove it. And sodium bicarbonate and acid are effective.
First, the sofa should be prepared: vacuum it. If the upholstery is leather or dermantine, you can wipe the surface with a damp cloth and dry it. The next stage is cleaning the sofa with soda (with the addition of additional components if necessary).
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Household chemicals - fast, effective and streak-free!
Particularly difficult stains cannot always be removed using folk remedies. Chemical liquids are more reliable, versatile and easy to use.
Vanish
Vanish is one of the most famous chemical products designed to remove stains from fabrics and various surfaces. It is also suitable for cleaning sofas. The price of the product is from 120 to 300 rubles, depending on the volume.
You can learn more about this tool from this article.
Bugs Stikhonit
This Israeli product copes well with all problems related to the cleanliness and hygiene of upholstered furniture.
It removes any dirt and odors, disinfects upholstery , and even restores its original color. Sold as a spray.
Before applying the product, the surface must be moistened with water. Then spray Bugi and wipe away dirt with a cloth, sponge or brush (depending on the degree of dirt and type of upholstery).
Nordland
Foam for cleaning soft surfaces. Ideally copes with all types of pollution. It can be used for washing any surfaces, so in many homes it becomes a universal housewife's assistant.
The foam is applied to the surface and then washed off with a damp sponge . Treated areas can be dried with a hairdryer.
To treat sofas, you should use products in the form of a liquid composition or foam. It is not recommended to use powders, as they may leave stains and streaks.
Simple cleaning methods
Clean with soda and washing powder
To remove stubborn stains, dilute a couple of tablespoons of washing powder in half a liter of hot water. Add 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate and 4 tablespoons of 9% vinegar to the solution.
After mixing, you need to apply the mixture to the upholstery of the product, while the foam has not yet fallen off. Then wait until it dries completely. The final stage is to vacuum the sofa.
How to remove odor from furniture
Soda with acid removes stains from coffee and tea well, not too strong stains, but most importantly, it successfully fights odors. To clean your sofa, mix a tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate and 200 ml of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray evenly over the surface.
When everything is dry, you need to mix vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio and also pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray it and wait for it to dry. Collect dry residues using a vacuum cleaner. As you can see, cleaning a sofa with soda and vinegar is not difficult, but you need to set aside time for this.
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Video: removing stains from a sofa
Homemade cleaning products
Using baking soda and vinegar
- How to prepare the solution
A solution that is too concentrated may damage the fabric or leather. It will become discolored. Therefore, you should take only 9% table vinegar, and not essence. The essence will damage the coating and may cause burns on your hands if you do not protect them with gloves.
It is advisable not to mix the products, but to do everything in stages: first treat the surface with one product, then another (usually vinegar is taken first, then bicarbonate, but some recipes have a different sequence).
- How to apply to fabric correctly
If the product is a liquid substance, then the best way is to apply it with a spray bottle. This way you can achieve even distribution.
If it is a powder mixture, you should arm yourself with a medium-hard brush. It is necessary to remember: soft fabrics (velor, velvet) should not be rubbed too hard so as not to spoil them. A sponge (the kind intended for washing dishes) is suitable for such surfaces.
- How to prepare the surface
Crumbs should be removed from the upholstery and dust should be swept away. If necessary, you need to wash the furniture using a damp cloth and dry it.
You should not rearrange the sofa so that it receives a lot of sunlight: this leads to loss of the original color.
If you have small children or pets, your sofa will need to be cleaned frequently.
We only use soda
Sodium bicarbonate powder should be poured onto the seat and contaminated surfaces so that it covers the entire area with a layer of 1-2 cm. Leave in this form for 50 minutes. Then collect the powder with a vacuum cleaner.
The method is suitable for removing fresh wet stains. In addition, bicarbonate kills bacteria and dust mites, so such “prevention” is worth carrying out from time to time.
You can prepare a soda-based wet cleaning product. You will need: sodium bicarbonate (1 part) and hydrogen peroxide (2 parts). The mixture should be used to treat the most “damaged” parts of the upholstery. This must be done carefully: if the product gets on the fabric outside the stain, it can make it several tones lighter.
We use one vinegar
Vinegar can be used to clean not only leather (natural or artificial), but also fabric surfaces: velor, linen, silk, tapestry. A vinegar solution works great on greasy stains.
For a teaspoon of table vinegar, take a tablespoon of water. You need to soak a large piece of cloth, such as a sheet, in this solution. Cover the sofa with a cloth and “walk” over it with patting movements. Then remove the sheet, rinse, soak it in liquid again, and place it on the sofa. The operation must be repeated until dirt remains on the fabric.
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Eliminate odor from the sofa with vinegar
Vinegar also helps eliminate odors from old furniture, pets, “children's surprises,” tobacco, etc.
The easiest way to get rid of them is to cover the sofa with a sheet soaked in a 1% vinegar solution and leave for 20 minutes. For very persistent odors, the procedure must be carried out several times in a row. As an alternative, you can use a microfiber cloth, first moisten it in a vinegar solution (1%) with the addition of 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide.
Additional Information! To prepare 1 liter of 1% vinegar solution, mix 110 ml of 9% table vinegar and 890 ml of water or 1 tbsp. spoon of 70% vinegar essence and 985 ml of water.
Other ways to clean upholstered furniture
Method 1 – laundry soap and bicarbonate
If there is a small child or a curious animal in the house, you should give preference to laundry soap, which will definitely not harm anyone.
After grating a bar of soap, you need to add a tablespoon of bicarbonate and a little warm water to it. Water is needed so that both ingredients can better interact with each other.
After spreading the mixture over the surface of the sofa, leave it for about half an hour and rinse off with a damp sponge.
Bicarbonate powder and white vinegar solution remove stains, eliminate odors and refresh the color of fabric, returning furniture to its original appearance.
Method 2 – wet cleaning with baking soda and vinegar
You can try another method, the authors of which suggest combining both cleaning products and applying them at the same time.
You need to combine a third of a tablespoon of acid and 0.5 liters of water. Add a tablespoon of bicarbonate to the resulting mixture. Pour everything into a spray bottle and apply evenly to the sofa cover. After 15 minutes, remove the product with a brush and rinse with a damp sponge.
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Method 3 – dry cleaning video
This method was discussed a little higher. It is necessary to scatter bicarbonate powder over the surface of the sofa, and after a short period of time, collect it with a vacuum cleaner.
Dry cleaning a sofa with soda is suitable for surfaces for which moisture is dangerous: velvet, silk, and other expensive fabrics.
Mechanical cleaning
Some upholstery can be cleaned simply by knocking it out. This helps remove dust from furniture and refresh its color. You can beat it out with a dry brush, a wet one, or in the snow. For better results, mechanical cleaning of upholstered furniture can be effectively combined with chemical cleaning. Products for such cleaning are gentle on the fabric, refresh its color, add a pleasant aroma, and are universal - for sofas, armchairs, and cars.
Knockout
This method is an excellent alternative to a vacuum cleaner. This method is especially suitable for fabrics with pile, which are not so easy to vacuum. The advantages of embossing are its simplicity and the fact that it does not damage the paint of the fabric.
Cover the entire sofa with a wet cloth and knock out the dust through the cloth with a beater or something else.
There is knocking out, there is dry and wet. With the dry method, dust is removed from the sofa with a special plastic spatula or any handy stick. With the wet method, the sofa is first covered with a wet sheet and then knocked out. This method prevents dust from flying around the apartment.
Dust will settle on the wet fabric and we will see it immediately.
Cleaning with a regular vacuum cleaner
Traditionally used for dry processing of furniture. When cleaning, pay attention to difficult places and hard-to-reach corners. For effective cleaning, lay down a damp sheet and vacuum the furniture through it.
Cleaning with special brushes
Cleaning with an extractor is one of the most convenient methods. Suitable for both dry and wet cleaning. For dry cleaning, choose a nozzle without bristles that will pick up dust in all crevices and creases. To remove animal hair, use a different attachment.
Cleaning with a steam cleaner
Upholstered furniture can also be cleaned with steam using a steamer or steam generator. Be careful - you can get burned. Use the equipment carefully, pour clean water inside without adding soap or cleaning products. It is advisable to carry out such cleaning every quarter.
Recommendations for upholstered furniture
Upholstered furniture must be cared for with care, as careless cleaning will lead to discoloration, damage to the fibers and other imperfections that will not be easy to disguise.
Thus, a steam cleaner is recommended for use on fabric surfaces. It is not advisable to dry the sofa with a hot hairdryer after cleaning: the leather and other coverings may not withstand such treatment.
If you need to clean the eco-leather covering, you need to use a damp sponge. The treatment should be soft and gentle. Do not scrub furniture with a brush.
A damp cloth is suitable for velor. You should use a neutral product, for example, soda and laundry soap.
Suede fabric is “afraid” of moisture, so dry cleaning is the ideal option. But vinyl and leather can be washed, but you need to carefully wipe the coating at the end of cleaning with a clean cloth, since even small particles of the product will discolor the coating.
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Advantages and disadvantages of the product
The advantages of the methods described above include low cost, availability and ease of implementation. These are effective ways. Not only dirt is removed, but also odor.
The only disadvantages include the need to very carefully remove the remnants of the cleaning product and spend a relatively long time on all the work, including the preparatory stages. But even a schoolchild can be entrusted with such cleaning without fear that he will involuntarily harm himself or damage the furniture.
It is better to remove small children and curious animals from the room, but a schoolchild can be trusted with such cleaning
