How to Deep Clean a Couch so Buyers Won’t Grouch

We absolutely love spending time on our couches! We can watch a whole series in one weekend and think nothing of it. We cuddle our pets and even share our chips with them. Unfortunately, as much as we love our good old couch, it can be a huge distraction if you’re selling your home. There’s something about a grungy couch that makes people wonder what other areas of your home are as unkempt as the sofa.

Well, we have a few deep cleaning tips that’ll help revitalize your couch so it looks new.

1. Thoroughly vacuum

Before you can even begin the deep cleaning process, you should vacuum the entire couch one or two times. Pay close attention to the corners and inside the crevices so that you get every bit of dry debris because they’ll be a pain to get rid of after you’ve applied the wet solution!

2. Make a mild cleaning solution

Create a mild solution using 10% vinegar or soap and 90% water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray the mixture onto a small patch of fabric in a spot that’s easy to hide. If the solution doesn’t damage the fabric, lightly spray the mixture on the couch and wipe it with a soft brush or a cloth to loosen any solid debris that you couldn’t get with the vacuum.

3. Dry the couch

After the problem areas have been cleaned up, you’ll need to dry the couch using a ceiling fan or a box fan. Ideally, a 6-foot couch will take about 2 hours to dry completely, providing you didn’t spray the couch with too much cleaning solution.

How to get rid of tough stains

If your couch has stains on it, you can use the stain remover that you typically use for the laundry. Spray the stain and gently scrub it with a damp cloth. It should come clean within a few minutes.

Here’s how you can remove the tougher stains:

Pet stains

Pet urine is a tough stain because the acid in the urine will oxidize and could change the color of your fabric. This is why it’s really important to clean up this stain right away, as it  could be a permanent stain. You’ll want to use an acidic rinse and enzyme that’ll attack the bacteria that causes stains and odors. After doing this, you can then use the cleaning solution mentioned above.

Coffee and/or blood

For coffee or blood stains, hydrogen peroxide is going to be a life saver. You’ll want to use a gentle cleaner on the stain and then treat the area with the hydrogen peroxide. Just be careful about how much you use because it could leave water stains if you use too much.

Mold and/or mildew

Mold and mildew is caused by excess moisture. If you see mildew growing, you can clean it using a mild cleaning solution. However, if you notice black mold or there’s a black stain after cleaning up the mildew, you’ll need to hire a professional to clean it. They’ll have the tools and cleaning solutions that’ll give you the best results.

Tips for deep cleaning the couch can be used on other furniture

Couches aren’t the only pieces of furniture that can get grody. You can use similar cleaning techniques outlined in this article on other upholstered pieces of furniture. Before cleaning anything, you’ll want to do a little bit of reconnaissance and see what kind of fabric is used. Some furniture pieces require dry-cleaning solvents and that can be a little trickier and require professional help.