Updated at: 27-07-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

After a long day at work, your favorite worn-in recliner is the perfect place to relax and catch up on your favorite television shows. However, those cozy hours you spend in the best seat in the house often end up with crumbs, spills, sweat, and other gunk on the upholstery that can make it smelly and stained. Cleaning your living room furniture on a regular basis helps to keep it looking and smelling new.

Know the Upholstery Type

Depending on the type of fabric used, there are four different ways to clean upholstered furniture. Types of people who fall into this category:

  • W: This type of upholstery may be cleaned with water-based technologies, such as steam cleaners.
  • Solvent-based cleaning products can only be used on recliners that have a S cleaning code.
  • In terms of versatility, water-based cleaners and solvents can be used on the fabric of WS upholstery.
  • X: This type of upholstery must be dry cleaned by a professional and should not be cleaned at home with household materials.

Recliners have a tag with a cleaning code on it. Underneath most recliners, unless the cushions can be removed. The tag is typically found beneath the cushions on furniture with removable cushions. Make sure you know what kind of fabric your chair is made of so you can use the correct cleansers.

Vacuum the Recliner

In order to avoid your upholstered chair becoming covered in crumbs, pet hair, and other dry debris, use your vacuum cleaner. Even dry-clean-only recliners can be safely vacuumed.

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Use the crevice attachment to get into the creases of the recliner and clean it out completely. Attachment works well for cushions’ surface area. Start at the back of the recliner and work your way down to the bottom, vacuuming all of the upholstery.

Spot Clean as Needed

To avoid a lasting stain on your chair, quickly clean any stains that you see on it. The sort of fabric you’re dealing with dictates the type of cleaner you need. Choose a solvent-based upholstery cleaner and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to clean a stain on your recliner marked with a S. The upholstery can be damaged or stained if water is used to clean it.

A small amount of dish soap can be added to warm water and used to clean your chair. Wring off any extra water with a microfiber towel dipped in soapy water. Then, apply a small amount of water to the place, but don’t saturate the fabric. The fabric can be ruined and the recliner will be stained by vigorous scrubbing. When the stain is removed, wipe the area with a dry cloth to remove any remaining moisture.

Shampoo Your Recliner

Water-based cleansers can also be used to clean upholstered furniture. Shampoo the cloth from top to bottom with a carpet and upholstery cleaner. The upholstery attachment can be used to suck up the water and cleaning solution that is sprayed onto the fabric. The cloth will be cleaner and fresher after using this method to remove spills and stains.

How to Remove Dirt from Upholstery

Make sure to use the upholstery attachment when vacuuming the piece. Short, left-to-right strokes are the best way to work your way down from the top. Corduroy, chenille, and suede all have a nap, so working in the same direction is critical. The crevice attachment, which may be used to clean under buttons and tufting as well as along seams and folds, is recommended. As a last resort, use a can of compressed air to remove dirt and dust from the nooks and crannies.

For fabrics with a W or WS code…

  1. Dishwasher detergent can be mixed with lukewarm water to clean dishes.
  2. Brush the soap solution evenly and lightly over the entire piece using a soft bristles brush. Avoid soaking any places, as much moisture can stain some textiles.
  3. After that, use a moist cloth to wipe down the entire piece.
  4. Before sitting on the piece, allow it to air dry entirely. To avoid shrinking or puckering materials, don’t use a hair dryer to speed up the process. Instead, use fans to help circulate the air in the room. After cleaning one side of any cushions, allow them to dry completely overnight before moving on to the other.

For fabrics with an S code…

These fabrics can be damaged if they are cleaned with water-based solutions like a dry cleaning solvent. online or in home dry cleaning kits like DRYEL that can be purchased at grocery shops, big-box discount stores, and via internet merchants such as Amazon.com, you can locate upholstery-safe dry cleaning solvent (view on Amazon).

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Make certain that the space where you are working is well ventilated. Using a clean towel, apply a little amount of dry cleaning solvent to a section of upholstery and gently brush it over. A clean, soft-bristled brush can be used to apply solvent to highly dirty surfaces. Before you sit down on it again, let it dry completely.

How to Clean Stains on Upholstery

In order to avoid stains, it’s best to clean up spills as quickly as possible. Use a clean, white cloth to blot rather than massage any liquids that may have spilled.

Use a spot cleaner or dry cleaning solution recommended for your type of upholstery to remove any remaining marks or to remove spills that have set into stains. A clean sponge or cloth should be soaked in water and a small amount of liquid dish soap and used to clean your clothing. After that, gently blot the stain. Then, using a clean towel or sponge dipped in clean water and wrung out, dab away any remaining liquid. Blot the place dry with a clean cloth or white paper towels after each application.

After submitting two or three applications and getting no response, it’s time to hire a professional.

How to Deal with Discoloration

Wet or slow drying natural fabrics may result in the “browning” of the cloth. To counteract, use a fast-drying upholstery shampoo with a neutral pH.

  1. Vacuum the furniture thoroughly before moving on to the next step.
  2. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions while using the cleaning product in a bucket of water. Egg beaters or an electric mixer can be used to whisk it into a foam.) The shampoo is ready to use when there is only a small amount of water remaining in the bucket.
  3. The foam can be dipped in a clean, white, absorbent towel, folded in half, and wrung dry.
  4. Vertical or horizontal overlapping strokes are fine, as long as you stick to one direction when wiping the entire piece of fabric.
  5. Apply additional foam to the towel if necessary. ‘
  6. To get the best results, allow the foam to sit for at least five but no more than 10 minutes
  7. To remove the foam, dampen a clean towel with clean water and wring it out thoroughly.
  8. If necessary, re-wet and re-wring the towel. Open the windows and use fans to move the air about the room to swiftly dry the artwork. The region should not be heated with the use of a hair dryer or any other heat source. The fabric must dry uniformly throughout.

General Tips for Upholstery Cleaning

  • Prior to using any of these methods, it’s always a good idea to test a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure that the colors won’t bleed or fade.
  • In order to prevent rusting, corroding, or other damage to the wood or metal components of your furniture.
  • Natural or synthetic woven fabrics can be treated with these methods. Learn how to clean leather by clicking here.
  • You should call a specialist if your upholstery’s fabric has an X-code. A professional cleaner should be able to offer you an estimate based on the amount and kind of fabric in your home where these services are typically provided.

Can baking soda clean upholstery?

Yes! When soap and water won’t remove a stain or spill from your upholstery, turn to baking soda for help.

In order to remove it, spray the baking soda straight into the stain, scrub for 30 seconds with your fingers or an old toothbrush, and then use a dry cloth to remove the remaining powdery residue (like a paper towel).

It is necessary to repeat this step if any traces of the spill are still evident after the first pass.

Using Baking Soda as a Barrier: If you’re going to be working on multiple stains at the same time, use baking soda liberally as a barrier before handling each one.

How do you get old stains out of upholstery?

It’s possible to clean up stains from upholstery in a variety of different ways. Baking soda is sometimes used to remove stubborn stains from upholstery that won’t wash out with soap and water.

A dry cloth-like paper towel or cloth-like paper towel can be used to remove any remaining residue after cleaning the stain with your hands or an old toothbrush.

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Cleaners with alcohol in them can strip fabric color, so think about what you’ll be using before you buy it! Cleaning recliners is covered in this guide.

What should I do about pet hair on my furniture?

How to remove pet hair from furniture is a typical problem faced by owners of upholstered furniture. It’s possible that you’ll need many different things to remove the fur from your sofa or chair, depending on the fabric.

Vacuuming up any small particles first is the best course of action, even if it seems self-evident, but it’s worth mentioning because some people don’t consider it an option before moving on to something else!

After cleaning it with an old toothbrush and/or spritzing it with water as indicated on the package, then wiping away any remaining residue, you can use dry shampoo for pets, which should be easy to remove.

Cornstarch or flour can also be used to make a coating on the surface of your furniture, which can then be brushed away and easily cleaned.

How do you remove old water stains from fabric?

A cloth dipped in diluted household ammonia is the finest approach to remove old water-based stains from carpets and upholstery. Before using any product like this, make sure to test it for colorfastness first.

There is an alternative method that could be used in the event that there is no risk of staining: vinegar mixed with white distilled vinegar.

Use an industrial cleanser like methyl mercaptan (available online) to assist dissolve any residue left behind after soaking up as much liquid from the area as possible while it’s still wet. Avoid using these chemicals on silk materials because they could cause them to melt.