If you’re anything like us, your couch is one of your favorite places to spend time. You probably spend a lot of time there watching TV, reading books, or simply just relaxing with friends and family. But as much as we love our couches, they tend to get dirty pretty fast. The good news is that it’s not hard to clean them (even the difficult places) if you know the right tricks. If you have a natural inclination when it comes to cleaning and are ready to ditch all those chemical-heavy cleaners you keep around the house, then read on! Here are 20 smart ways you can start cleaning your couch without breaking a sweat.
Clean Couch Stains
If you have a stain on your couch, the very first thing you should do is determine what caused it. A lot of times a stain is just an accumulation of dust, oil, or food particles (especially if you have kids or pets). This can be easily cleaned off with a brush or a rag and some warm water. If you have a food stain, you can try soaking it in warm water with a bit of baking soda (which is a natural stain remover) to help lift the stain. If that doesn’t work, you may want to try a product like Goo Gone or OdorXit. These are odor-removing sprays that have worked wonders on many a stain in our house.
Clean a Fabric Couch
If you have a fabric couch, your best bet is to clean it with a vacuum cleaner. If you don’t use this often, you can also use a soft-bristled brush to help loosen up any dirt or crumbs that have accumulated. If you spill anything on your fabric couch, immediately blot the area with a dry cloth (don’t use water, which can leave behind an odor or discoloration). To help prevent spills from happening in the first place, you can place a few decorative throw pillows that you don’t care about behind your sofa’s headrests. This will help prevent crumbs from falling behind the couch.
Clean a Microfiber Couch
A microfiber couch is a synthetic fabric that often comes with a high price tag. As such, it’s important to take good care of it so it lasts you a long time. This means keeping it clean by vacuuming it regularly, spot-cleaning any areas where dust or crumbs have accumulated, and avoiding putting blankets or other loose items on top of it. Even though it’s recommended to vacuum your microfiber couch, you don’t want to use a vacuum that is too strong because it can damage the fabric. You may also want to switch out the vacuum bag regularly or use the disposable vacuum bags that are available at most hardware stores.
Use baking soda and vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar are two household staples that can help you clean a wide range of things, including your couch! The baking soda will help lift stains and scuffs from your couch, and the vinegar will help neutralize and deodorize things. If you have a stain on your couch, try sprinkling it with baking soda, letting it sit for at least 15 minutes, and then vacuuming the area. This will help lift the stain. If your couch is just a bit dirty and could use a bit of a freshen-up, create a solution with a cup of distilled white vinegar and a cup of water, and then use a clean sponge to apply the solution to your couch.
Hand-wash only
We know that a lot of people have a love-hate relationship with their couch. On one hand, it can be really comfy, but on the other hand, it can get dirty very quickly—especially if you have kids or pets. If you own a fabric couch, we recommend spot-cleaning it as often as you need to. If you own a microfiber couch, you might want to consider hand-washing it about once a month, especially if you have messy kids or pets. If you have a fabric couch, try spot-cleaning it with warm water and mild detergent. If you own a microfiber couch, don’t use detergent because it can degrade the fabric. Instead, you can use baking soda, white vinegar, or a solution of distilled water and distilled white vinegar.
Bleach game changer
If your couch is extra dirty, has a lot of stains, or just needs a good deep clean, you can use bleach to help lift stains and odors. But before you run out and start pouring bleach all over your couch, you should know that there are different ways to use bleach for cleaning. You can use a spray-on bleach product (we recommend Oxi Clean), or you can soak your couch in a solution of water and bleach. For the latter method, you’ll want to make a solution of about 1/4 cup of bleach per 1 gallon of water. You can place your couch in a large plastic bag and then add the bleach solution to it. Shake it well to make sure everything is mixed, and then let it sit for 8 hours. After that, you can take your couch out of the bag and rinse it off with warm water.
Try a dry shampoo
If you have a microfiber couch, you’ll definitely want to vacuum it regularly. But if you have kids or pets, you might find that this isn’t enough to keep it clean. In that case, you might want to try using a dry shampoo to freshen up your couch. If you have a couch with removable/washable covers, you can vacuum the outside of it and then sprinkle the inside with a bit of dry shampoo. Let it sit for 24 hours and then vacuum it again. If you don’t have removable covers, you can sprinkle dry shampoo directly inside the couch and then shake it around to distribute it evenly.
Couches are such an important part of any living room. They’re how we host guests, watch TV, and just relax. And while we love them, they can get dirty very quickly. Luckily, cleaning them doesn’t have to be difficult. From cleaning a stain to deep-cleaning your couch, there are many ways to clean your couch without spending too much time or money. So go ahead, put on your comfy sweats, grab a snack, and relax on your clean couch!
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