How to clean upholstered furniture at home with soda and vinegar

Upholstered furniture is a favorite place for the whole family and a witness to their habits. After some time, the question arises of how to clean the sofa from a coffee stain, spilled juice, traces of ketchup from a pizza that fell on the upholstery, or an “autograph” left by a child.

Before calling a cleaning agency, try removing stains yourself with baking soda and vinegar. You will save not only time, but also money.

General cleaning rules

Before you try to clean your sofa with vinegar and soda, make sure that it will not harm it:

• The above methods are only suitable for fabric upholstery. A sofa upholstered in suede, natural or synthetic leather cannot be cleaned this way.
• Cleaning a sofa with vinegar and soda is contraindicated if the upholstery contains silk fibers. Silk does not like either acids or alkalis.
• If the recipe contains a recommendation to thoroughly scrub the sofa with a brush, it is not suitable for fleecy upholstery - velor, velvet. Also, flock and chenille do not like excessive friction. Be very careful when cleaning them with a brush or rag.
• Tapestry, velor and velvet do not tolerate heavy moisture. Choose recipes for them in which the sofa does not need to be washed.

Even if the upholstery of your furniture is not included in the list of exceptions, this does not mean that you can do anything with it.

Before cleaning the entire sofa with baking soda and vinegar, test your chosen method on a small, inconspicuous area. Do everything described in the recipe and dry the treated fabric. Now compare it with the rest of the upholstery.

The color hasn’t changed, the pattern hasn’t floated, the pile hasn’t started to fall off? Then the chosen method suits your sofa.

Keep in mind that after wet cleaning and drying, the pile of many upholstery becomes tougher. This can usually be fixed by simply rubbing the treated area with a dry brush. You can also pour a little fabric softener into clean water, which you will use to rinse the upholstery after cleaning. But do not add conditioner directly to vinegar solutions.

If the bristles are not softened by the brush, it means that the selected cleaning products are changing the structure of the fibers. In this case, it is better to choose a different cleaning method for your sofa.

Below are detailed descriptions of cleaning. All recipes use 9% white table vinegar and regular baking soda (not soda ash).

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

Cleaning a sofa with baking soda and vinegar

Cleaning the sofa with vinegar and soda will also help get rid of unpleasant odors, including the acrid smell of urine or the corrosive “aroma” of tobacco.

However, before using soda solutions, check whether the sofa upholstery will change color under the influence of the powder. To do this, carry out a test cleaning on a small area; if the fabric changes color after the procedure, you cannot use soda.

There are several ways to clean and disinfect upholstered furniture:

1. A combined solution of baking soda powder and acetic acid, which is suitable for removing blood, urine and other greasy stains. Take a spray bottle, pour in 1/3 tbsp. vinegar essence and 0.5 l. water. Then add 1 tbsp. l. soda powder. Spray the product evenly over the surface and leave for 10-15 minutes. Remove foam with a medium-hard brush, then wipe with a damp cloth.
2. Cleaning with vinegar solution. The solution is prepared from 1 tsp. 9% vinegar diluted in 1 liter. water. Soak a sheet in the prepared solution and cover the entire surface of the sofa with it. If one sheet is not enough, use two. Take a beater and thoroughly tap the upholstered furniture - all the dirt will remain on the sheet. Repeat the procedure until the sheet stops getting dirty. For a more delicate cleaning, reduce the amount of vinegar to 1/2 teaspoon. — this solution is suitable for cleaning velor sofas.

Preparatory stage

Cleaning a sofa (or the upholstery of any soft parts of furniture) with soda and vinegar is quite simple.

First, upholstered furniture must be vacuumed well (preferably with steam) and pet hair removed. This can also be done using a slightly damp soft cloth or sponge. This preparation will prevent unsightly stains on the upholstery.

Note! Before removing stains, apply the prepared solution to a small area of ​​upholstery in an inconspicuous place. After it dries, there should be no traces left on the upholstered furniture: abrasions, discoloration, etc.

To prepare the solution, use regular table vinegar with a strength of 9%. Higher concentrations can irreparably damage upholstery material.

Important! If you only have concentrated 70% vinegar essence, dilute 1 part of it with 7 parts of water.

Wet cleaning with baking soda and vinegar

Cleaning with a solution of vinegar and sodium bicarbonate can remove stains of various origins:

• traces of urine from children or animals;
• blood;
• greasy stains, traces of food or drinks;
• from most fruits or vegetables and their juices.

To prepare the solution, add 2 tbsp to 0.5 liters of water. l. vinegar, 1 tbsp. l. soda, mix well. The prepared solution is poured into a spray bottle, sprayed on the surface of the sofa, left for 20 minutes, after which the contaminated areas are wiped with a brush with medium-hard bristles or a foam sponge. Wipe off any remaining product with a cloth moistened with clean water. Allow the upholstery to dry, then vacuum thoroughly.

You can clean your sofa with baking soda and vinegar, mixing them with laundry detergent, laundry liquid or dishwashing liquid. To prepare the product, pour 0.5 liters of hot water into a basin, add 1 tsp. detergent or 1 tbsp. l. washing powder, 1/3 cup table vinegar.

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The mixture is poured into a spray bottle, add 1 tbsp. l. soda, quickly close the container and spray on contaminated areas. If a spray bottle is not available, the solution can be applied with a sponge, but in this case the upholstery gets more wet and takes longer to dry.

Rub the moistened surface with a dry brush or the abrasive part of a sponge. Excess product is removed with a clean rag moistened with water, and then with a dry cloth. After complete drying, the pile can be straightened with a brush.

To clean light-colored sofas, the usual products can be combined with sodium tetraborate; in this case, soda and vinegar are taken in equal proportions, and tetraborate is added as a bleach in the amount of 1 tsp.

To remove urine stains, use acetic acid and baking soda in turn, combining them with hydrogen peroxide.

To do this, first apply an aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate to the upholstery of the sofa using a spray bottle (take 1 tablespoon of soda for 1 liter of water). Then spray with a 1% vinegar solution, and after 15-20 minutes - with hydrogen peroxide. The remaining substances are wiped off with a clean damp cloth, dried, and then vacuumed. When cleaning dark furniture, use hydrogen peroxide with caution so as not to discolor the upholstery.

Sofa cleaning solution made from vinegar, soda and “Fairy”

The method is suitable for removing general dirt, grease, street dirt, tea, coffee, grease, and beer stains. The product will also help restore the faded color of upholstery fabric. Fairy can be replaced with any other dishwashing liquid, as well as high-quality liquid soap.

Cleaning instructions:

1. Mix 80-100 ml of vinegar, 1 tsp in a spray bottle. "Fairy" and about 400 ml of hot water.
2. Add 1 tbsp to the mixture. l. soda Be careful - the product foams quickly and strongly. Close the bottle.
3. Spray the resulting solution evenly onto the surface of the upholstery.
4. Wait a few minutes for the “chemistry” to dissolve the dirt.
5. Scrub the most dirty areas with a brush.
6. When all stains have been wiped off and dissolved, remove the dirty liquid with a sponge and clean water.
7. Wipe the upholstery dry with a cotton towel and dry the sofa.

Consider the type of upholstery

There are different ways to clean a sofa. You need to choose a cleaning method taking into account the material with which the sofa is covered.

Flock

This is a very practical type of upholstery. It can be cleaned by any means . But old stains can be difficult to remove.

Therefore, the main rule for caring for a flock sofa is regular dry and sometimes wet cleaning.

Large stains can be washed with shampoo for upholstered furniture or car interiors.

Faux suede

Artificial materials are not as difficult to care for as natural ones. Suede material can be processed using all known methods.

The main precautions are to use hot steam only when absolutely necessary and not to scrub the upholstery too much.

Natural suede

To preserve the presentability of a suede sofa for as long as possible, you need to treat it with a special protective agent . This will avoid frequent aggressive cleaning.

You can wash such a sofa with folk or chemical means, using brushes and rags designed for caring for suede. You can buy them at a shoe store.

Velor

In order not to spoil the velor when cleaning the sofa, you need to remember the safety rules.

This fabric cannot be vacuumed . It is not recommended to use fluffy rags and napkins.

You can clean the sofa only in the direction of the pile. The ideal option in this case is wet cleaning using a mild soap solution and microfiber.

Genuine Leather

The skin easily tolerates various types of exposure , and it is not difficult to clean it. Difficulties can only be caused by stains from ink or, for example, brilliant green.

You can find out exactly how to clean a genuine leather sofa from this article.

Eco leather, leatherette

Faux leather is very practical. Almost no dirt remains on it and it can be cleaned by any means. You can't just use:

• rough brushes,
• sponges,
• scrapers.

Plain fabric

To choose the right way to clean a fabric sofa, you need to consider:

1. compound,
2. color,
3. texture of the material.

The thinner and lighter the fabric, the more careful it should be treated . You can read more about this in this article.

How to clean a sofa with baking soda at home

At home, removing stubborn stains can be very difficult. To deal with stains and get rid of odors without using an aggressive detergent, you can clean the sofa with soda and vinegar, peroxide, washing powder or alcohol.

Dry cleaning a sofa with baking soda

Baking soda is considered an effective cleaning agent for upholstered furniture. It disinfects and kills pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms: for example, dust mites.

To get rid of a stain without using a solution, simply sprinkle baking soda over the stain in a 1-2 cm layer. Leave for 40-50 minutes, then use a vacuum cleaner to collect the powder.

Dry cleaning works well for removing fresh stains.

Soda powder can also be used to dry the sofa after using liquid solutions. When you remove the solution, simply fill the wet area with baking soda - it absorbs moisture well, allowing the sofa to dry out faster.

Lifehacks on the topic

Small household tricks shared by experienced housewives will help you deal with dirt of any complexity:

1. 
   Stains from spilled coffee or tea are best wiped off with a regular soap solution.

2. If there is chewing gum stuck to the upholstery, you need to put an ice cube on it. When it melts, the chewing gum can be easily removed without damaging the fabric.
3. It is easier to clean jam or marmalade with soapy water and a drop of vinegar.
4. To remove stains from fresh berries, you need a mixture of vinegar and ammonia, mixed one to one.
5. If wine is spilled on the sofa, the stain should be covered with salt for a few minutes.
6. Grease stains are covered with soda, starch or salt for 10 minutes.
7. To remove blood stains, housewives are advised to use cold water with an aspirin tablet dissolved in it.

This article will tell you how to clean greasy sofa upholstery.

Dry cleaning a sofa with baking soda

It is recommended to rid the sofa of stains using dry sodium bicarbonate. The product can remove traces of tea, juices, dirt, ballpoint pens and children's paints. Dry soda is used to remove grease and update the color of upholstery. Sodium bicarbonate is applied to both dry and damp upholstery and left for 30 minutes. If necessary, especially dirty areas should be cleaned with a damp sponge or brush and then vacuumed.

To remove particularly difficult stains, you can prepare a paste of 1 part baking soda and 1 part water or detergent. The resulting paste is applied to the stain with a brush and allowed to dry. Then remove with a brush or vacuum cleaner.

Which Vanish to choose?

The manufacturer offers a line of “Vanish” products, which differ in shape and method of application. To clean the sofa and not harm its upholstery, you should choose the necessary product from this variety:

• The shampoo is effective against old and persistent stains. Suitable not only for cleaning upholstered furniture, but also floor coverings.
• Shampoo for a washing vacuum cleaner, the name of which indicates its method of use. Cleaning with this method minimizes operating time and significantly enhances the cleaning effect.
• Antibacterial shampoo is used for manual cleaning only.
  With its help you can remove dirt, unpleasant odors, and mustiness. This product effectively kills pathogens.
• The powder is used when it is necessary to clean using the dry method, without using water.
  It does not require preliminary dilution or moistening of the upholstery of upholstered furniture. The procedure will require a powder with a brush or a vacuum cleaner. This product should not be used to clean delicate fabrics.
• A stain remover in the form of a spray is used to locally clean the fabric. It quickly removes fresh stains.

Do not wipe wooden and metal finishing elements with Vanish.

How to use the product so that there are no streaks left?

To make the cleaning process effective, use the general recommendations for the selected product:

1. The shampoo is diluted with water at room temperature in a ratio of 1 to 9. The product is whipped into foam and applied to the upholstery using a sponge, avoiding getting too wet.
   If the contamination is fresh, then the composition is applied and left to act for 10 minutes. If it is necessary to clean the entire surface of the sofa, Vanish is left for 7 hours.

   With heavily ingrained dirt, this time increases to a day. Then all that remains is to vacuum up the dirt.

2. Vanish spray does not require preliminary preparation. Shake the container, turn the cap, spray the product onto the problem area. Rub the spray into the surface of the sofa with a sponge. After 5 minutes, remove dirt and any remaining spray with a soft cloth.
3. The powder is applied in an even layer to the surface and rubbed into the upholstery of the sofa with a brush. The product is left to act for half an hour. After which it is removed along with the dirt with a vacuum cleaner.

Do not use Vanish to clean furniture with bright upholstery. Any product in this line consists of oxygen-containing bleach, which, together with the stain, is capable of removing the dye from the treated area.

How to remove odor from a couch using baking soda and vinegar

The easiest way to eliminate unpleasant odors is to cover the furniture with a sheet soaked in a 1% solution of table vinegar. It is advisable to carry out this procedure several times in a row until the unpleasant odor completely disappears. You can simply moisten a napkin with a 1% solution of vinegar, to which you need to add 1 tsp. hydrogen peroxide. Dry baking soda also adsorbs odor well. To do this, scatter it evenly over the surface of the sofa upholstery, leave it for 2-3 hours, and then carefully collect it with a vacuum cleaner. The problem of how to clean urine from a sofa can be solved with the help of sodium bicarbonate and acetic acid. These substances break down the components of urine, permanently eliminating its odor. To begin with, a fresh stain should be carefully and repeatedly blotted with paper napkins to prevent the urine from being absorbed into the upholstery and filling of the sofa.

Contaminated areas are generously moistened with a solution of vinegar diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2, covered with a paper napkin, and left to dry completely. After this, the stains are wiped with dry sodium bicarbonate powder. Then a mixture of 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and 1 part cold water is applied to the contaminated areas with a spray bottle.

You can add ½ tsp to the solution. liquid detergent. Mixing on the surface of the upholstery, the substances will begin to foam, releasing oxygen, which will destroy the components of urine. After 2-3 hours, wipe the upholstery with a clean sponge or napkin and then dry it.

Ready-made chemicals

You can also clean the sofa with chemicals. While studying the sofa cleaning product, we familiarize ourselves with its description and rules of use. The description indicates what type of fabric it is intended for:

• "Vanish" The line of this product includes shampoo, antibacterial agent and powder. For coatings that do not tolerate moisture, we use the latter (cleaning using the dry method);
• "Marseille Soap" Contains olive oil and baking soda. Used to clean small stains. Wet the soap, rub the stained area and after 20 minutes rinse with a damp cloth;
• "Denkmit" - foam for cleaning carpet and sofa upholstery. We use it for velvet, tapestry and silk coverings;
• "Sama" Effectively fights old stains, dirt and bacteria;
• Bagi "It's quiet." We use it as a stain remover and as a complete cleaning agent;

Advice! Do not let the product dry, otherwise it will leave streaks that are difficult to wash off.

• "Pro Brite" An environmentally friendly product, suitable for people with allergies. It has a sprayer that is convenient for applying the product to local areas of the upholstery;
• "Dufta", "Simple Solution", "Nature's Miracle". These products effectively combat unpleasant odors and completely eliminate them.

Prevention

Upholstered furniture requires cleaning every 2-3 months, because dust accumulates in it, which is unsafe for health: allergies, runny nose, and asthma can develop. This frequency will keep the upholstery fresh for a long time.

The following recommendations will help prevent rapid wear of the sofa:

1. Remove stains “hot on the heels” as they appear.
2. Avoid eating on the sofa, otherwise it will hardly be possible to maintain the neat appearance of the furniture.
3. Buy a removable cover; it can be easily removed from the sofa and washed.
4. Clean furniture from dust as often as possible - ideally monthly. At the same time, it is worth unfolding the sofa, also cleaning it from the inside.
5. Protect colored upholstery with patterns from the sun's rays so that it does not fade. Ultraviolet light is also not the best friend for leather - small cracks may appear on the material.
6. After cleaning, a leather sofa can be lubricated with Vaseline as a preventive measure, which will soften the surface and give it a shine. Be sure to wait until the product is completely absorbed.

These recommendations will help you quickly and effectively clean your sofa at home and extend the life of your favorite item. And careful handling of furniture will allow you to resort to the use of aggressive household chemicals as little as possible.

Don't eat on the couch

Removable covers help protect furniture

Refreshing Cleansing

If the furniture has become dusty during renovation or simply looks stale because it has been sitting in a barn for a long time, a refreshing treatment with soda and vinegar will help.
It will restore the bright color of the upholstery material, eliminate foreign odors, and soften the pile. The work is carried out as follows:

1. Treat the sofa surface with a soda solution (1 tablespoon of powder per 1 liter of water) using a sprayer.
2. After the upholstery is dry, the furniture is vacuumed.
3. Now apply the vinegar solution in the same way (1 tbsp. 9% vinegar per 1 liter of water).
4. After a few minutes, clean the surface of the sofa with a medium-hard brush.

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To remove the smell of vinegar from the room, you need to clean it with the vents or windows open.

Traditional methods

Our grandmothers used simple products for cleaning upholstered furniture. These methods still work today. Basic folk methods:

• Soda and vinegar
• Soap solution
• Dishwashing liquid
• Knockout
• Salt
• Hydrogen peroxide

Removing stains from a sofa using folk remedies is very effective.

Soda and vinegar

Every housewife knows these remedies. These products are universal and cope with a variety of contaminants. They eliminate grease, grease stains, and drinks. Using vinegar, you can successfully restore upholstery to its brightness. This versatility is due to two factors:

1. Baking soda and vinegar are both alkali and acidic. These two antagonistic substances cause different chemical reactions when interacting with contaminants. Some things are affected by acid, and others by alkali.
2. When mixing soda and vinegar, carbon dioxide is released, which aggressively attacks dirt, literally knocking it out of the fabric fibers. Carbon dioxide also effectively removes odors embedded in the material.

Mixing 2 ingredients allows you to both clean the sofa and neutralize foreign odors.

Cleaning procedure: in a container with a spray bottle, mix 300-400 ml of water, 100 ml of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent. Then add 1 teaspoon of soda there and quickly close. After this, immediately spray the product onto the stains or onto the entire upholstery. Wait 5-10 minutes and walk over the fabric with a stiff brush. After this, wipe the upholstery with a damp cloth and then dry it.

You can sprinkle the powder on the stains or lubricate the stains with gruel. After 1–2 hours, remove the mixture from the upholstery.

In order to return the fabric to its former brightness and color, it is also necessary to add 10 ml of ammonia to the solution. This product also perfectly eliminates bacteria, fights mold and mildew.

For leather upholstery, diluted ammonia is suitable.

Soapy water

Soapy water can remove light dirt and simple stains. The solution will also cope with fresh greasy stains. But it will not be able to remove old dirt, drink stains and greasy stains.

Moisten a rag with soapy water and wipe off the stains.

To clean the sofa, grate soap and dissolve it in water. The product is poured into a container with a spray bottle and sprayed on the sofa. Then remove dirt with a brush. You can also apply the liquid to a sponge and wipe the upholstery with it.

After 5 minutes, wipe the furniture with a clean damp cloth.

Dishwashing liquid

With this product you can quickly wet clean upholstered furniture and remove small stains. To do this, dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid in 1 liter of water and foam the water. Then use a sponge to scoop up foam and wipe the upholstery with it. After this, you need to wipe the upholstery with a damp towel and dry the sofa.

The product does not discolor furniture upholstery.

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.

Salt

Using salt, you can effectively remove grease stains, drinks and greasy stains. It is enough to sprinkle fresh stains with salt, which will absorb the substances. Old stains must be removed using salt paste. Dilute salt with water to a paste and apply it to the stain. After 5 minutes, remove the product and wipe with a wet towel.

Cleansing foam

Foam cleaning works well for velor upholstery. Such foam can be prepared from various means:

• Egg white
• Shaving foams
• Detergent

Beat the foam, add salt and apply it to the upholstery. Leave for 5 minutes and then remove. After this, you need to wipe the fabric with a damp towel.

If the contamination is old, use soap foam.

Hydrogen peroxide cleansing

Using this substance, you can effectively remove dark stains from light or white surfaces. Hydrogen peroxide is mixed with water in a 1:1 ratio and applied to the furniture using a spray bottle. Leave to act for 2 hours, then wipe the upholstery with a damp towel.

The substance is mixed with water at a ratio of 1:1. The solution should act on contaminated areas for 2 hours.