Couch Cleaning Tips

The REAL Truth About Keeping Your Couch Clean

At Couch.com, we're all about telling it like it is. Many couch makers and retailers will tell you how easy to clean they are. We're here to give you the truth.

Some of Our Most Essential Tips and Tricks for Couch Cleaning

Best Methods for Cleaning Fabric Seats

Most modern fabric couches are polyester-based, making them cleanable in various ways with different solvents. From homemade remedies to store-bought products, there are plenty of options. However, it’s crucial to check the type of fabric on your couch. For example, linen may require dry cleaning instead of water-based solvents. For polyester-based couches, which are very common, starting with a bit of water can often remove stains like chocolate pudding or pen marks. If water doesn’t work, fabric upholstery cleaning products are the next step, and these are readily available online for quick delivery.

Easiest to Clean Couch Fabrics

When it comes to the easiest fabrics to clean, polyester-based materials like velvet and microfiber top the list. These synthetic materials are designed for easy maintenance, which is why they are popular in modern couches. Performance fabrics, also polyester-based, offer additional durability and ease of cleaning, making them a practical choice for households.

Airing Out Futon Cushions

Futons, which double as beds, tend to get dirtier due to frequent use. Besides regular cleaning, a great tip is to air out the cushions in sunlight. Sunlight has a natural antibacterial effect on fabric, helping to cleanse and refresh the cushions. Although direct sunlight isn’t typically recommended for long periods, short exposure can be beneficial.

Cleaning Leather Couches After Pet Accidents

If my cat pees on my leather couch, acting fast is crucial. Leather is porous, so it absorbs spills quickly. I start with wet paper towels to blot the area immediately, followed by a leather-safe upholstery cleaner. Checking labels is essential because leather and fabric cleaners differ. After cleaning, I always use a leather conditioner to maintain the material’s smoothness and durability.

*Full video transcript at the end*

Let’s talk solutions: How you can keep your cushions clean

  • Grab some baking soda and sprinkle it liberally on your cushions. Let the magic happen for about 15 minutes, then use your vacuum like a superhero in disguise to suck those odors away. Feel free to show off your victory dance moves while you’re at it!

Now, let’s address any unwanted stains that may have appeared during the mysterious slumber:

  • Create a gentle cleaning solution by mixing warm water with a small amount of dish soap. With the grace of a swan, gently blot the stain using a microfiber cloth. In other words, watch that stubborn stain vanish into thin air, just like a forgotten dream.

And for those couches equipped with washable cushion covers:

  • Hallelujah! Remove those covers and toss them into the washing machine. This will ensure a thorough cleanse, especially if you’ve discovered any stains on the couch seats. However, if your cushion covers aren’t washable, fear not! A quick search for the best washable cushion covers should solve your problem in a jiffy.

Now you can relax on your fresh and fabulous couch, knowing that you’ve conquered the aftermath of unwelcome sleepovers. Hence, you may now enjoy your new apartment to the fullest, master of your domain!

What is the best thing to clean fabric seats?

We understand that keeping your couch fresh and clean is a top priority, especially after uninvited sleepovers. Fear not, we’ve got your back with some trusty tips that will ensure your couch stays fabulous for years to come!

First, let’s tackle those pesky odors:

Picture this: you encounter a stain on your majestic fabric seats.

First things first: who can you blame?? Here’s what you need:

  • Find the best upholstery cleaner out there and use it! There are plenty of cleaning products to choose from- just make sure it’s compatible with your specific sofa fabric.
  • Make your own mighty weapon against stains: Make a gentle solution by combining warm water with a very small amount of dish soap. Then, prepare for battle!

Now, let’s embark on the cleaning journey:

  • Blot like a graceful swan: With a soft microfiber cloth, gently blot the stain. Imagine you’re erasing worries from your enchanted fabric kingdom.
  • Unleash the mystical powers of absorption: After you conquer the stain, let it air dry. The fresh air shall aid in banishing any remnants of dirt and moisture.

But wait, there’s more:

  • Daily maintenance enchantment: Regularly vacuum your fabric seats to keep them free from debris and honor their majesty because don’t want to see any more of those white specks on your green couch.

How do you clean upholstery quickly?

Don’t have time for a professional couch steam cleaning? Here are the secrets to swiftly clean your upholstery so that it’s dry in time for you to invite your guests to sit down without the dreaded “wet butt”:

  • Unleash the power of dry cleaning solvents: Seek out an excellent dry cleaning solvent and let it work its magic. Look for one that is safe for your specific fabric type, ensuring a victorious battle against stains.
  • Go to the fridge for some baking soda: Sprinkle a decent amount of baking soda on the stained area. Let it sit there for a minimum of 30 minutes (while you practice your acceptance speech for this remarkable cleaning feat).
     Brush away the evidence: With a soft-bristle brush, gently brush away the baking soda and then witness the stain vanish like a mirage in the desert.
     Absorb the remnants: Grab a clean cloth or sponge and lightly dab the area to absorb any last traces of the stain’s defeat.

What is the easiest to clean couch fabric?

These three fabrics stand out as the champions of cleanliness:

  1. Microfiber: This magical polyester-based fabric repels stains and spills like a shield of invincibility. And then marvel at its ability to resist dirt and moisture, making cleanup a breeze with simply water and a gentle detergent.
  2. Velvet: A mesmerizing blend of sophistication and practicality, velvet gracefully repels stains, allowing them to be effortlessly wiped away. Its dense fibers are like a fortress against spills, ensuring easy maintenance and peace of mind. It’s a synthetic fabric which is polyester-based, contrary to popular belief.
  3. Performance fabrics: These extraordinary fabrics are engineered to withstand life’s little accidents. Therefore, with stain-resistant properties and a durable nature, they are ready to face any challenge. You want to look for the term “performance” but they usually come with a higher price tag so heads up there. We think they’re worth it!

How often should you air out a futon?

To keep your futon couch fresh and fruity, consider these points:

  • Aim for airing out your futon every 2 to 4 weeks so that it has time to breathe.
  • Bask it in the glorious sunshine for a few hours. Hang your futon couch mattress for a few hours outdoors during a time of day when the air is relatively dry. In effect, this will kill any possible fungus or mold and prolong the life of your mattress.
  • Flip your cushions regularly and how some love to the other side too!

How do you clean a leather couch after a cat peed on it?

Meow that’s rough.. not to worry, we’ve got the purrrfect solution for you:

  • Act swiftly: The sooner you address cleaning your leather sofa, the better chance you have at salvaging your couch.
  • DIY something else, not this: it’s preferable to stick with water or specialized leather cleaning products. Common household solutions like baking soda, white vinegar, cream of tartar, and lemon juice, although popular, can actually be too harsh for the sensitive nature of leather couches, potentially exacerbating the issue.
  • Targeted cleaning: Use a leather cleaner specifically formulated for pet stains to thoroughly clean and sanitize the area. As a result, you can have high hopes that the smell disappears for good.
  • Condition and protect: Finish off by applying a leather conditioner to keep your couch looking and feeling fabulous.

Your couch shall be restored to its former glory, and feline aromas can be relegated to their rightful place: the litter box.

Want to know what the number one hardest thing to clean from a couch is? Check out our recent post!

The Full Transcript: The Truth About Cleaning Your Couch

0:00
Hey, couch cadets! It’s Alex with Couch.com. Today we are going to talk about couch cleaning. Cleaning your couch is essential, it’s important, and it’s something that creates a lot of anxiety with people. How am I going to clean my couch? What’s the best thing to clean my couch? Am I going to ruin my couch? You’re not going to ruin your couch. Everybody has to deal with this, and there are some great remedies and ways to do it.

0:24
What’s the best thing to clean fabric seats? Most fabric couches these days are polyester-based, which means they are cleanable in various ways using various different solvents. You can use stuff that is made at home, like a home remedy, and you can use things that are bought in a store. There are plenty of fabric upholstery cleaning products out there, but check the type of fabric that you have. If you have linen, for instance, you may not be able to put any sort of water-based solvent on it whatsoever and you may need to go a different route, like dry cleaning. It really does depend on the type of fabric that you have on your couch. That being said, when it comes to the law of averages, most people have a polyester-based couch, and most polyester-based couches are very simple to clean. First, you want to try a little bit of water—a little dab’ll do ya—just to see if whatever you spilled on it, like chocolate pudding or pen marks, will come out. If the water doesn’t work, then you need to bring out the big guns. Here, we would go to a typical fabric upholstery cleaning product. A lot of these moonlight as rug upholstery cleaning products or rug cleaning products. You want to check the labels and make sure that it’s good for your type of fabric, but there are so many products out there, and today with Amazon and things of that nature, you can have something at your door that night, the next day, or two days later to be able to clean your couch.

1:50
What is the easiest to clean couch fabric? Generally speaking, couches today are made predominantly with polyester-based materials. That’s simply because they are easy to clean. Polyester fabrics include things like velvet and microfiber. These are both different words for polyester or different types of polyester. There are other synthetic materials, like performance fabrics and things of that nature, that are actually polyester-based.

2:20
How often should you air out a futon? Futons are couches that you have in your home that can convert into beds—generally places for you, your buddies, or your family members to fall asleep on and crash. That means that they are prone to getting a little bit dirtier if people are spending more of their time or their life on it. Outside of cleaning the fabric, one great tip that we have for you is to air out your cushions outside of the house, preferably in sunlight or sunshine. The sun has been found to have this sort of magical antibacterial effect on fabric cushions. So if you have cushions, generally you feel like you shouldn’t be putting them in direct sunlight; however, for short periods of time, it can have a very positive effect, be cleansing, and have an antibacterial effect as well on the cushion fabric.

3:16
How do you clean your leather couch after your cat has peed on it? Very quickly, if your cat peed on your sofa, there’s one hard and fast rule: you gotta act fast. When it comes to cat pee on couch cushions, you want to move as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence. Leather, even though it is extremely easy to clean, is a porous material, which means that things will seep into it. It’s a fabric, it’s a skin—nobody wants to think about that, but it’s true. Use paper towel, wet paper towel—whether you have cleaning products ready or not, you want to get to it quickly. Then we want to use any sort of upholstery cleaning products that are safe for leather, and those can be different than those that are safe for fabric or upholstered cushions because the genetic makeup, literally and figuratively, is quite different. So you want to check the labels. And finally, we recommend finishing it off—always, anytime you clean leather with any sort of liquid solvent or cleaning product—you want to finish it off with some nice leather conditioner product. So if you have a leather couch, you might as well spend $10-$15 on a very nice leather conditioning product because that’s going to keep it nice and smooth and sort of give you a reset anytime you need to clean it.

A smiling man with short brown hair and a beard stands on a beach during sunset. He is wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with small white dots. The ocean and sandy shore are in the background, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
Alex Back is the founder and CEO of Couch.com. Previously, he was the co-founder and COO of the popular furniture brand, Apt2B, which was acquired by a large US retail furniture chain in 2018. He worked to integrate Apt2B, one of the very first online furniture retailers on the Shopify platform, into the operations of the 100 year old larger business entity and was deeply immersed in the business operations of both online and brick and mortar retail for 4 years before leaving in 2023 to start Couch.com. Working in various parts of the furniture industry since 2004, he has 20 years experience in retail sales, e-commerce, marketing, operations, logistics and wholesale manufacturing and distribution. He has worked extensively with partners such as Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond and Amazon and his work has been highlighted in many publications such as Forbes, CNN and HGTV, among others. Alex is delighted to bring his experience and authority on couches and the furniture industry to this platform, along with many of his industry colleagues who are helping him keep the Couch.com audience informed and engaged on a daily basis.
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Alex Back
Couch.com CEO & Founder