Fabric sofas look great and can be especially cozy. They can also be a major nightmare when it comes to cleaning. But spills are bound to happen from time to time and, unless you want to adorn your couch with those beautiful plastic covers, you’re going to need to know how to clean a fabric sofa.

Reclaim your couch’s lounge-worthy status with the help of some handy how-tos.
 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1
    Step 1
    Review your manufacturer's instructions.

    Always, always check the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions before attempting to remove stains from your sofa or freshen up your couch. Failing to do so could void warranties or flat-out ruin your couch.

    If you can’t find the manufacturer’s instructions, don’t fret. There should be a tag on your sofa cushions that clues you in on important facts, such as whether the material is water-soluble. Keep in mind that one side of the tag may address the cleaning of the sofa cover, while the other will provide information for washing the cushions themselves. Make sure you’re looking at the correct tag before you clean. Typically, you’ll find one of four letters on the cleaning tag of your sofa. Here’s what each means:

    • W — You can clean this material using water.
    • S — No water. You’ll need to purchase a special solvent-based cleaner.
    • WS — You can use water or a solvent-based cleaner on this sofa.
    • X — Vacuum only.
  2. 2
    Step 2
    Vacuum

    Vacuum your couch so you’re not rubbing in dirt or debris while cleaning.

  3. 3
    Step 3
    Mix cleaning solution

    In the bucket, mix about 2 cups of distilled water with 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.

  4. 4
    Step 4
    Blot stained areas

    Dampen a microfiber cloth with your cleaning solution.

    Gently blot any stained areas with the cloth. Don’t rub or scrub. This can damage the fibers.

  5. 5
    Step 5
    Rinse

    Moisten a fresh microfiber cloth with distilled water (no dishwashing liquid or vinegar this time), and blot the affected area to remove any remaining soap.

  6. 6
    Step 6
    Dry

    With a dry microfiber cloth, blot the area one more time. Point a fan on the area to make sure it dries completely.

  7. 7
    Step 7
    Remove Smells

    Like with so many other materials and features around the house, baking soda can help eliminate odors in your couch as well. This miracle substance immediately gets to work capturing odors and loosening stains after it is applied to your couch's fabric. Apply baking soda to your cushions, arms, backrest, and even crevices. You may want to give more attention to stains. Let the baking soda sit for 20 minutes if you are eliminating minor odors. Feel free to leave it for a full hour if you have some serious stench to deal with. Now break out the vacuum and hose everything up. Lastly, it's important to remember that baking soda is not a substitute for actually steam cleaning or blot cleaning your sofa. Those methods are the better way to effectively eliminate stains and dirt hanging onto the fabric fibers. 


    Now you know how to clean a fabric sofa so that you can get right back to snuggling and streaming your favorite shows.