diy upholstery cleaner

DIY Upholstery Cleaner: How to Keep Your Couch Clean and Scent-Free

diy upholstery cleaner

It costs on average about $80 to clean your couch, but with these DIY upholstery cleaner ideas, you can save your money.

So what does it take to make a dog-furred, kid loved couch look like new? Here’s how to clean a couch and other upholstery.

Vacuum First

Deep cleaning your couch should be a part of your regular deep cleaning schedule. Use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to clean off as much debris as possible. Make sure to vacuum the cracks and under the cushions if possible.

If you need to, supplement the vacuuming with a lint roller to get tricky fur out.

Wash What You Can

Anytime you clean upholstery, you’ll make your job easier by washing what you can. Always check the tags to ensure you can safely wash the material. Most often, you’ll find these four tags.

  • WS – for steam or dry cleaning with a mild detergent
  • S – for dry clean detergent only
  • X – no water, only vacuum
  • W – water safe, go ahead and throw it in the wash

By following the label, you’ll preserve the life of your upholstery.

When you put your fabric in the washer, make sure you’re using a safe detergent.

But what if you don’t have a mild detergent or dry clean detergent? Here’s how to make a DIY couch cleaner that works.

Make a DIY Cleaner

If you’re worried about covid-19 or other germs living in your fabric, make sure you’re using a good disinfectant on top of your cleaner.

DIY upholstery cleaners consist of four elements. These are vinegar, water, Castille soap, and essential oils (optional).

The materials used in your furniture will dictate the ratio you need.

For fabric use 1/4 cup vinegar and 3/4 cup water and add a tablespoon of soap.

For synthetic fabric use a ratio of 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup of water and 1/2 tablespoon of soap.

For leather or faux leather, you’ll have to use a different mixture. Mix 1/2 cup of olive oil with 1/4 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle. Remember water and oil don’t mix, so don’t add water to your leather cleaner.

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for a pleasant scent. Lemon or another citrus is a nice touch for that freshly cleaned smell.

Once you have your DIY upholstery cleaner, target stains and scrub them out with a soft cloth. Be careful not to oversaturate your upholstery because the moisture will encourage mildew growth.

Once all the stains are out, you can spritz the entire furniture piece with to give it that clean smell.

The Finishing Touches

Once your fabric is clean, wipe down any metal or wood parts to get rid of dust. You can opt to polish these features to give them an extra shine.

Once your furniture is dry, replace cushions and add throw pillows or blankets to stage your couch for optimal comfort.

These DIY Upholstery Cleaner Tips Make It Easy to Have a Clean Couch

Putting together a DIY upholstery cleaner doesn’t have to be tricky, but it can save you big bucks when you want to clean up your couch. Ideally, you should deep clean your couch once or twice a year, but every season if you have kids and dogs.

Curious about how to clean your home even faster? Follow these tips.

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