Couches, sofas patio furniture only look attractive and part of ambiance when they are clean and shiny. Here question arises, How often to clean your couch to look always clean and up to date. Answer lies in this article. Join this journey to clean your couch for a better transformation look and interior design.
Clean furniture always attract attention of a person to itself. Cleaning A couch involves, getting rid of dirt and dust, stain removal, getting rid of funky smells, repairing wear and tear, disinfecting a couch and changing decorations and styles.
How Often To Clean Your Couch
How often to clean your couch is a question that bothers every clean freak once in a while. A couch that have foam cushions, a wood or aluminum frame and backrest, these items does not need a weekly or monthly detailed cleaning. But you have to keep a check for dust and grime and clean it from time to time. If you wait for a detail cleaning routine time to come for cleaning, you might face a problem getting rid of grease and grime stains off.
Maintain Cleaning Routine
Wipe dirt from daily wear and tear, clean stains from daily spills, pet hair and other accidental damages. Clean wipe or dust off the dirt from furniture daily, Vacuum or brush off the dust, pet hair and lint. Use baking soda sprinkle on the couch before vacuuming it to get rid of funky smells and disinfection. Remove stains immediately as soon as you spot them, this will save your couch’s life and your time and property.
Use Slipcovers
Mostly we use slipcovers on the couches to prevent accidental damage like spills and stains, protect couch from daily wear and tear and to transform in a new look with such beautiful and reliable sofa slipcovers without investing into new furniture. You have to wash slipcovers every 2-3 weeks according to their care label instructions for a better cleaning routine.
Disinfect Your Couch
Disinfect and detail cleaning like pressure washing your couch frame, washing and treating cushions should be performed every 8-9 months. A detailed cleaning is need twice a year, but if you are small family with clean control system you need once a year detailed cleaning.
Clean Your Couch Slipcovers
Slipcovers also need some extra care and cleaning to provide quality protection. To maintain slipcover’s functionality, rotate them weekly for an even wear. Clean them according to their care label instructions provided by the brand. Make sure to wash and dry them properly every second week.
Make sure to vacuum the slipcovers every day to avoid dust and dirt penetrating deep into the slipcover or sofa. Remove liquid stains immediately, avoid bringing food to the couch and near other covered furniture.
Follow Care Instructions
Slipcovers need care while drying and ironing them, to avoid fabric damage and shrinking follow proper care instructions and washing guide. Other furniture covers, like bed sheets, table covers, outdoor furniture covers, chair arm covers also need this kind of care to maintain the hygiene and fresh look of the house.
Cleaning Couch Cushions
It is very necessary to clean, vacuum and fluff out your sofa cushions on weekly basis. Mostly backrest cushions absorbs most of the dirt and grime, head rest part and corners are greasy because of wear and tear. Try to clean them properly and dry them in an open air place. How often to clean your couch cushions for outdoor furniture deeply is also a mystery, clean your outdoor furniture deeply once every season change.
This will save you a lot of time and effort. But as we talk about outdoor furniture cushions, because of open environment they get a lot more dirty than indoor furniture cushions. Wash them, clean them once every 2 -3 months to avoid damage. Fluff them properly for a better experience and dry them for at least 2 hot sunny days to avoid Mold or mildew growth in them. Which is aside effect of moist and damp dirty environment.
Does Sitting On A Dirty Couch Cause Rashes?
A dirty couch can cause health risks mostly for infants and sensitive skinned people. A highlight for these type of couches is, what seems dirty for you? What are the measurements that you count dirty? Well, dust and debris can be risky for dust allergic people. If it is set for too long in there, it can cause health issues to any one.
But specially rash based dirt is mostly seen in used couches, that are used for too long but never gone through a deep clean or disinfection process. It should be disinfected at proper length of times and deep cleaned well through out the cushions and seats.
Solution
Sitting on a used couch that is infected with sweat, germs, viral infections, Mold spores, Fungus and black Mold can cause rashes, lung issues and more health issues. Obviously, we can not see an infection sitting there on a couch, so safety measurement is to follow a cleaning routine every 3rd month. If you buy a used couch, make sure to disinfect it well before use.
Vacuum Between Seats and Gaps
Reclining Sofa
To avoid dirt, dust, grime and smell penetrating deep into the couch and become a host for pests and Mold, try vacuuming the inner parts of couch every week. Vacuum the in between of seat gaps and inner corners of sectional couches to clean sofas. As for the reclining sofas, loose their reclining areas to the full, attach thin vacuum hose with vacuum and clean those areas in every 2 week in detail. If their back rest is re attachable, open the back rest area and arm rest area clean it separately and than re attach them.
L-Shaped Sofa
Love seats and L-shape sofas need detailed cleaning. Separate their loose parts and gaps so that you can access all areas. Vacuuming them is a little hard because of their hardly accessible areas. Reach the inner parts with armrest in depth as much as you can and vacuum it properly. Remove big dirt particles with brush or broom to avoid malfunctioning of vacuum cleaner.
Use Baking Soda
To get rid of pet hair, lint and funky smell, Spread some baking soda on the inner parts, cushions and backrest of the couch, leave it for good 30 minutes and than vacuum it and Voila!! no smell. Also your couch is now protected against fungus too. Steam clean the hard stains and grimy parts to get rid of them them, also use a mild liquid detergent or a dish soap while steam cleaning furniture.
How to Clean A Couch With Different Finishing
Leather
A leather sofa is very easy to clean, you only need to wipe clean the dirt, grime and stains. But for a detailed cleaning once a year, you need to be professionally disinfect it, remove stains, wash cushions, clean sofa frame, steam clean the couch and dry it properly.
Velvet
A velvet fabric finish is had to clean, make sure to use slipcovers on the couch. Once in a year deep clean the furniture with proper steam cleaning, cushion washing and drying them according to care labels.
Silk
A silk finish sofa is easy to clean, but hard to maintain. Clean twice a year with steam clean focus. You should focus more on spot cleaning. Silk has the finish where you can not risk a spill and let it be there for a while.
Microfiber
A microfiber sofa finish is also hard to maintain. Clean it with professional care and cleaning kit to disinfect it. Drying these cushions can be a task to achieve, give drying process proper time to complete dry.
Tips to Clean A Couch
- Vacuum regularly on weekly basis, pre treat the stains before washing cushions or slipcovers.
- Spills and grime stains should be treated right at that instant. Steam clean every once in a while.
- Wash cushions and dry them properly twice a year. Use light detergents to wash the slipcovers and cushions.
- Avoid bleaching and wringing the cushions or slipcovers, as it can cause discolouration and fabric damage.
- Use some disinfectant to get rid of pests infestation, Mold growth and funky smells.
- Use 1 part vinegar 3 parts water and 5 drops of dish wash liquid for a best cleaning solution. This will not damage the fabric.
- Use 1/2 part vinegar, 1/2 part rubbing alcohol, 1 part water, 20-30 drops of tea tree oil, 20 drops of lemon essential oil for disinfecting solution.
- Use some baking soda before vacuuming furniture slipcovers, sheets and cushions to get rid of fungal growth possibilities and funky smells.
- Scrub the hard stains with a clean new sponge and clean with a soft cloth. Wipe it with rubbing alcohol wipes or liquid detergent spray to get rid of stain, it’s residue and smell.
Conclusion
Maintaining couches for their proper functionality and longevity of their life needs proper cleaning routine every month. First step is removing dirt from couches, you can use vacuum, brush or clean cloth according to fabric finish. Steam cleaning is the best way for disinfecting and cleaning couches in detail.
Clean your couch cushions and dry them every once in a while to avoid rashes, that can be developed from dirt, grime, Mold, fungus and bacteria. Disinfect them with home made solutions of baking soda, vinegar and essential oils.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s recommended to vacuum your couch at least once a week, more frequently if you have pets or if the couch is in a high-traffic area. Regular vacuuming helps remove dust, dirt, and debris that can accumulate on the surface.
Yes, it’s important to clean the sofa cushions regularly. Rotate and fluff them weekly to distribute wear evenly. Depending on the fabric type and usage, consider removing and vacuuming or spot cleaning the cushions every few months.
Deep cleaning your couch should be done at least once or twice a year, depending on usage. This deep cleaning can involve steam cleaning, shampooing, or professional upholstery cleaning to remove deeply embedded dirt, stains, and odours.
For leather couches, wipe them down with a damp cloth weekly to remove dust and dirt. Apply a leather conditioner every few months to keep the material supple and prevent cracking. Suede couches require gentle brushing with a suede brush to maintain their appearance.
Use a gentle, appropriate cleaner based on the type of stain and fabric. Blot the stain with a clean cloth, avoid rubbing to prevent spreading, and work from the outside in. Always test the cleaning solution on a hidden area first to ensure it doesn’t damage the fabric.
Yes, using couch covers or throws can protect the upholstery from spills, pet hair, and everyday wear. Additionally, encourage family members or guests to remove shoes before sitting on the couch to prevent bringing in outside dirt.
