Whether you’re catching up over coffee, skipping through Netflix shows, or relaxing with family, sofas provide the perfect resting spot.
However, as careful as you might be, there’s no avoiding the stains, spillages, and grime that build up with everyday use (or the bad smells and discoloration which come with it).
CREDIT: Creative Cat Studio
But don’t fill your shopping trolley with expensive fabric cleaning products just yet. To freshen up your upholstery, all it takes is a few natural ingredients – many of which we can bet are already in your kitchen cupboard.
Take a look at the best ways how to clean a fabric sofa naturally, below.
Baking Soda – the versatile cleaner
CREDIT: FotoHelin
Baking soda is a crystalline salt that can be found in most kitchens. It is a very versatile and safe natural cleaner because baking soda forms an effervescent reaction when it comes in contact with acidic solutions.
So, without further ado, here is a list of 3 DIY tips to clean your fabric sofa, naturally:
1) Neutralize odors
Baking soda does not musk or remove odor. As most bad smells are acidic, baking soda deodorizes by neutralizing the acid that causes bad odor.
How to do it:
- Firstly, remove any crumbs from your sofa’s surface and folds.
- Then, sprinkle the entire sofa with baking soda and leave to sit for at least 20 minutes.
- Once the time is up, vacuum the sofa using a brush attachment.
- You may repeat a few times to achieve the result you desire. If you still smell odour emitted from the sofa, contact a professional sofa cleaner for assistance.
2) Spot Cleaning
Baking soda is a safe natural stain cleaner on most fabric. As most stains are caused by acidic molecules, alkaline baking soda paste may help break down stains caused by coffee, blood, grease, sweat and other stains that are acidic in nature.
How to do it:
- Mix ¼ cup of baking soda and 1/8 cup of water together in a bowl and stir them together to form baking soda paste.
- After blotting the spillage using a clean damp cloth, apply the paste onto the spot by using a piece of clean cloth.
- Leave it to sit for a few hours or overnight to dry then vacuum it off.
Baking soda paste is an effective homemade stain solution for stubborn stains like coffee and wine.
If stains cannot be removed after the above steps, quickly contact a professional sofa cleaner to treat the stains before the stains integrate into the fabric fibers.
3) Absorb Moisture
Fabric sofas can trap moisture within the upholstery caused by body perspiration and atmospheric humidity. Because baking soda is hygroscopic in nature, it can absorb moisture from its surroundings. Baking soda can help prevent mold, dust mites and other microorganisms from thriving in the sofa.
How to do it:
- Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda on your couch and let it absorb for a maximum 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, vacuum up the baking soda.
Contact De Hygienique for a Professional Clean
Now that you know how to clean your fabric sofa naturally with the tips above, don’t forget to have your furniture professionally cleaned every one to two years to keep it looking its best and lasting longer.
*Do take note, while baking soda is a safe cleaning agent, we do not guarantee these tips work all the time. We have observed non-chemical based cleaning products like baking soda are more effective on fabric sofa with mild or minimal soiling / odour problems. Always contact a trusted sofa cleaning specialist when in doubt.
De Hygienique offers sofa cleaning service, using state-of-the-art dry cleaning technologies from Europe that have proven to produce remarkable results. To learn more about our services, visit our website or call +65 6749 1950 today!
