Keeping Fabric Sofas Clean

Caring for your fabric sofa is quite straightforward and you can handle most cleaning tasks yourself. But regular upkeep of sofas is also a must in order to prevent stains and marks from becoming set or ground in. Stains will happen from time to time and it’s good to know how to clean a sofa, so that you have a plan in place for when they do. Cosy Abode Australia’s resident cleaning expert, Anne, shares a few tips for maintaining and cleaning a fabric sofa. 

First, always read the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions that came with your sofa. Furniture makers research the best cleaning methods, and most new sofas in Australia come with a care leaflet, or a tag with symbols - affixed underneath or on the edge of the seat cushions. Always follow these recommendations first, especially within your warranty period, so you don’t void it.

Identify your sofa’s specific cleaning symbol:

Before you clean your sofa, you should try to identify its cleaning code. This is one of four letters, that most (not all) manufacturers include on a tag affixed somewhere under or behind the sofa. This code lets you know what methods you can safely use. See the meaning of each symbol below:

How could water possibly be bad for a fabric sofa?

If the tag, or the instructions, for your sofa show either an S or state ‘no water’, it is because the fabric is of a type that can actually be stained by water. Solvents have specific cleaning qualities and are faster evaporating than water, so your delicate fabric is exposed to moisture for much less time.

So, what if my sofa does get a stain?

If your sofa tag is marked with an “X”, you should only vacuum it with an attachment. If that doesn’t work you may need to call in a professional.

If your sofa is tagged with an “S”, you need to only use a solvent-based cleaner, with a label that explains the steps you need to follow.  

If your cleaning tag is “W” or “WS”, you can try to follow these steps.
(Please note these are suggestions only. We cannot guarantee the results as we cannot know the origins of stains or their specific type).

Okay, you’ll need the following items and ingredients on hand:

• A vacuum cleaner with upholstery attachment.
• Some light-coloured (& colourfast) microfibre cloths.
• A water bucket
• Some distilled water, NOT tap water (tap water contains minerals that can leave residues).
• Liquid dishwashing soap
• Distilled white vinegar

Note: We highly recommend that you make a test on an unseen part of the sofa’s material before you begin cleaning the exposed areas, just to make sure your cleaning method won’t leave a stain or remove colour from the fabric, or fade it. 

• Vacuum your couch first, so that you aren’t accidentally rubbing in more dirt when you’re cleaning.
• Pour 2 cups of distilled water in the bucket & add 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
• Dampen a microfibre cloth with this cleaning solution.
• Gently blot the stained areas with the cloth. Try to avoid rubbing or scrubbing as this can damage the fibre surface & be visible later.
• Moisten another clean microfibre cloth with only distilled water (no dishwashing liquid or vinegar), and blot the affected area to remove the residual cleaning solution. Don’t skip this step – do it even if you can’t see it.
• With another clean, dry microfibre cloth, blot the area one more time to absorb as much moisture as possible.
• Point a fan on the area to make sure it dries completely. Don't use a hair dryer or a heater at close range.

Deodorizing a smelly sofa:

Just like in your fridge, baking soda can help eliminate odours in your fabric sofa too. Baking soda captures odours and even loosens stains when applied to fabrics like that of your sofa. Apply baking soda generously onto the seat cushions, arms & backrest. Just let it sit on the surfaces for around 30 minutes to absorb light odours & up to an hour for a really pongy sofa. Once the time is up, remove the baking soda with your vacuum cleaner. Don’t rub it.

We hope this has been of help. Feel free to share this article with your friends, and please do let them know about Cosy Abode. Stay cosy!