How to Clean Stains Out of Upholstery
When you spill or drop something on your upholstered furniture it can easily cause a stain.
When that happens you may wonder how to clean stains out of upholstery quickly and effectively.
Here are the top five cleaning tips to keep in mind to make sure you can keep your upholstery looking nice and stain free for years to come.
Tip 1: Figure out what caused the stain, when possible.
Knowing what caused the stain is the best way to make sure you take the correct steps to remove it.
Here are the most common types of stains, and how to remove them from most upholstery fabric.
Although the ideal stain removal treatment is listed above for each major group of stains, upholstery fabrics are not all created equal.
The code on the tag will say for sure what treatments are safe for your upholstery.
The code "W" means use water based cleaning products, the code "S" means use water free products, like dry cleaning solvent, "WS" means use either type of product, and "X" means to only call a professional and not attempt stain removal on your own.
Tip 3: Treat the stain as quickly as possible.
The sooner you begin treating the stain the more likely it will be to come out all the way, and also the easier it will be to clean the upholstery because the stain will not have as much time to set.
Tip 4: Wet the upholstery only enough to remove the stain.
You obviously need to wet the upholstery fabric to clean the stain, but resist the urge to just pour water or any other cleaning solution onto the fabric.
Too much water will soak through to the cushions or wood underneath and could warp or ruin the furniture.
Tip 5: Thoroughly dry the upholstery after removing the stain.
To prevent mold or mildew from forming you need to thoroughly dry the upholstery after cleaning it.
You can do this by placing a fan near the upholstery to aid in air circulation, or place a towel or other absorbent item on the upholstery with a heavy weight over it to help wick out moisture from the treatment of the stain.
Remember that just because it feels dry on the outside does not mean the inside is dry yet, so make sure you let the upholstery dry for at least 24-48 hours after cleaning the stain.
When that happens you may wonder how to clean stains out of upholstery quickly and effectively.
Here are the top five cleaning tips to keep in mind to make sure you can keep your upholstery looking nice and stain free for years to come.
Tip 1: Figure out what caused the stain, when possible.
Knowing what caused the stain is the best way to make sure you take the correct steps to remove it.
Here are the most common types of stains, and how to remove them from most upholstery fabric.
- Tannin stains - these come from plant materials, and are best removed with a solution of 2 cups cool water, one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, and one tablespoon of white vinegar.
- Protein stains - these come from animal and human sources, are best treated with a solution of 2 cups cold water and one tablespoon dishwashing liquid.
- Greasy stains - these are best treated by soaking up excess grease and oil with baking soda, and then after removing the baking soda through vacuuming, blot the stain with dry cleaning solvent.
- Ink stains - these are best treated by removing with a solvent, such as rubbing alcohol.
Although the ideal stain removal treatment is listed above for each major group of stains, upholstery fabrics are not all created equal.
The code on the tag will say for sure what treatments are safe for your upholstery.
The code "W" means use water based cleaning products, the code "S" means use water free products, like dry cleaning solvent, "WS" means use either type of product, and "X" means to only call a professional and not attempt stain removal on your own.
Tip 3: Treat the stain as quickly as possible.
The sooner you begin treating the stain the more likely it will be to come out all the way, and also the easier it will be to clean the upholstery because the stain will not have as much time to set.
Tip 4: Wet the upholstery only enough to remove the stain.
You obviously need to wet the upholstery fabric to clean the stain, but resist the urge to just pour water or any other cleaning solution onto the fabric.
Too much water will soak through to the cushions or wood underneath and could warp or ruin the furniture.
Tip 5: Thoroughly dry the upholstery after removing the stain.
To prevent mold or mildew from forming you need to thoroughly dry the upholstery after cleaning it.
You can do this by placing a fan near the upholstery to aid in air circulation, or place a towel or other absorbent item on the upholstery with a heavy weight over it to help wick out moisture from the treatment of the stain.
Remember that just because it feels dry on the outside does not mean the inside is dry yet, so make sure you let the upholstery dry for at least 24-48 hours after cleaning the stain.
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