Gentle and effective: it’s so easy to clean your upholstered furniture and leather sofa

Not only in the cold season do we like to cuddle up on the sofa with a book and something to drink. No matter whether you enjoy wine or small snacks on your couch. This quickly creates stains and the crumbs slip into every crack, no matter how small. Otherwise, upholstered furniture and leather sofas are also heavily used by pets, children, guests, and ourselves. But you don’t always have to get a new sofa right away. With these simple upholstery cleaning tricks, your couch will look new again.

The first steps in dealing with upholstered furniture

Upholstered furniture with a fabric cover is pleasantly soft and much warmer than leather, but also more difficult to clean. In general, every sofa – regardless of the material it is made of – should be vacuumed regularly. This will remove most of the dirt and dust easily and effectively. Also, think of the cracks – these are where crumbs and small coins tend to hide and are treacherous. Loose pillows should be pounded out in the open air and turned from time to time. The regular repositioning will make the pillows wear out evenly.

You can make future cleaning easier when you buy the couch or sofa. Make sure you have removable covers because you can easily wash them in the washing machine. However, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Synthetic materials such as microfiber are also more durable and easier to clean than fabrics made from natural fibers such as cotton, linen, or wool. Colorful upholstered furniture with a pattern is in principle better suited than plain, light-colored seating: They get just as dirty, but the stains are much less noticeable due to the pattern.

Remove unsightly stains from upholstered furniture

If there is a stain, it is important to remove it as quickly as possible, because the fresher the stain, the better the chances of getting it completely gone. Always carefully dab the stains with a clean cloth or rag – do not rub! That would only work the dirt deeper into the material. You should also always wipe the stain from the outside inwards so that it does not spread any further. You should urgently test each cleaning agent beforehand in an inconspicuous place to check the colorfastness of the upholstered couch.

When it comes to proven, inexpensive home remedies for cleaning the couch, your first choice should always be baking soda. This not only removes stains but also neutralizes odors and has a disinfectant effect. Bacteria and dust mites that romp about on every sofa also don’t like baking soda at all.

Just want to fight the smell? Then dry cleaning is sufficient. To do this, sprinkle the baking soda on the couch, leave it on overnight and then simply vacuum it off the next day. Unpleasant smells disappear with ease.

Damp cleaning against stains on upholstered furniture works in a similar way: sprinkle the baking soda on the stain, rub it with a damp cloth, allow it to dry, and then vacuum. If necessary, repeat the application a few times.

Often, however, a little warm water and a sponge are enough. A dash of grease-dissolving detergent in the water also works wonders. However, never use greasy products such as soap: this is absorbed into the upholstery and leaves unattractive grease stains. You must then let the upholstered sofa dry well so that no mold forms.

Fabric sofas made of microfiber are very popular because of their resilience and softness. A microfiber couch looks like suede but is easier to care for and more dirt-resistant. This should also be vacuumed regularly and, if necessary, only cleaned with a sponge and a little water. Window and glass cleaners have proven their worth for stubborn stains. Simply put this on the cloth or sponge and carefully work on the stain.

Additional tip: Remove pet hair from upholstery

Do you have pets? Then you also know it: The hair of the best animal lover is just flying around everywhere. These are often difficult to remove from carpets and upholstered furniture with a vacuum cleaner. We have a few simple tricks ready: Put on a rubber glove (alternatively, a nylon stocking or wide adhesive tape is also possible) and stroke it over the sofa. Also very effective: a hand brush with rubber bristles! You will be amazed at how much hair gets stuck on it.

Cleaning and maintaining leather couches

Leather sofas are very popular, but not exactly cheap. The right care is all the more important so that you can enjoy your couch for a long time. Leather is like human skin: it has natural moisture content and if not properly cared for, it can dry out over time. Unsightly cracks quickly form in the leather. Sunlight also bleaches the leather and promotes tearing, as does insufficient humidity in the room. Especially in winter, when the heaters are switched on, you should hang the evaporator on the radiator or, alternatively, place a bowl with water on the heater.

Never place your leather sofa in the blazing sun and rub it regularly – at least once or twice a year – with a leather care lotion. Of course, you can buy a special product, but creams that you already have at home also serve their purpose. This includes body lotion and sunscreen. Baby wipes are also perfect for wiping the leather couch. Smooth leather can be made to shine again with egg whites and ballpoint pen stains can be removed with milk.

If your sofa is stained, a little curd soap dissolved in water will help. Before every wet cleaning, you should check the leather in an invisible place. If small droplets form on the leather surface, the couch is washable. But if the water pulls in, you can only dust your sofa or wipe it with a damp cloth. Vacuum or dust your leather couch regularly and only use distilled or boiled water for damp cleaning, otherwise additional limescale stains will form on your sofa.

How to properly clean synthetic leather sofas

Synthetic leather looks almost exactly like real leather but is cheaper and easier to care for. It consists of textile materials with a special embossing that imitates the leather look. But be careful! In contrast to real leather, artificial leather must not be greased, but only cleaned with water and washing-up liquid. Always wipe the synthetic leather sofa with a damp cloth (not wet!), Otherwise, the seams could be damaged.

If you have a white synthetic leather sofa, you can also add some white laundry detergent to the water. Otherwise, mild detergents and gall soap will help. A dirt eraser also works wonders for dirt on your synthetic leather couch.

In any case, you should always approach the stain with feeling and not rub or rub. Then the sofa must always dry well, otherwise, there is a risk of mold. In case of doubt, however, you should always rely on professional couch cleaning.