Furniture is a key ingredient for creating a beautiful and inviting home, and with proper care, you can ensure that beauty endures for many years. One of the best ways to care for your furniture is with regular cleaning. But how do you make the cleaning process easy and avoid damaging the furniture in the process?
One way is to do a professional cleaning. Unfortunately, the expense of regular, professional cleaning can be a hit to your bank account, but the good news is there are ways of cleaning it yourself that are safe and save you significant money -- while still prolonging your furniture's life.
In this guide, we review how you can clean your furniture yourself. This guide covers every piece of furniture in your home, from wood furniture to upholstered furniture of all types. Woodhaven Furniture has you covered.
How to Clean Furniture
The recommended methods of cleaning furniture depend on the furniture material. Here are guidelines for different material types. We start with the more solid elements of your furniture, like the exposed frames, and follow it up with the upholstery material, such as leather and fabrics.
How to Clean Indoor Furniture Upholstery
Indoor furniture is more sensitive than outdoor furniture, so you will need to approach this work differently. A good example of how to clean indoor furniture is to use the example of one of the largest and most heavily used furniture items in your home: your couch. You can use the same methods to clean any upholstered furniture in your home.
How to Clean a Couch
The first recommended step is to understand your furniture's cleaning codes. This homework may not be as exciting as tackling an ugly stain with soap and water, but it's important. For example, not all materials interact well with water.
Here is a quick rundown of how to understand the codes.
How to Identify Cleaning Codes
Like clothing, furniture will often come with cleaning codes indicated on a tag. Typically, the tag is on the frame on a couch just under the seat cushions. It may also be on a cushion.
Here are some standard codes you will find and what they mean:
- W – You can use water or water-based cleaners.
- S – Dry clean only (solvent-based cleaners.) Do not use water.
- WS – Water or solvent-based cleaners are OK.
- X – Vacuum or brush clean only. Do not use water or solvent-based cleaners.
If your couch requires dry cleaning/solvent-based cleaners, enlist the help cleaning professional instead of attempting to clean it yourself. If your furniture doesn't need them, here are some ways you can clean your sofa yourself.
How to Clean Wood Furniture
Whether you have all-wood furniture or upholstered furniture with exposed wood arms and legs, the cleaning procedures are the same.
- Dust or wipe off the wood with a dry towel to remove surface dirt.
- Use a gentle cleaner, such as a mix of water and dish soap. In many cases, dampening a cloth with water is all you need.
- Dry the wood with a second dry cloth.
- Adding a lemon oil polish will replenish the wood oils to prevent long-term cracking and add color and shine to the wood.
If you have water stains like those that come from drinks, you will need to hire a professional refinisher for the best results. Still, you can improve on what's there now.
- Rub non-gel toothpaste on the area with a cloth.
- Dry with a separate dry cloth.
- If you need a more potent formula, add baking soda to the toothpaste.
How to Clean Glass Furniture
Glass is one of the easiest surfaces to clean. You have the option of chemical cleaners or plain old water on a cloth or paper towel. Using a cloth is recommended because it prevents fine dust from the paper towels from collecting up on the glass. Some companies make microfiber cloths specifically for glass cleaning. Use chemical cleaners like Windex to prevent streaking.
How to Clean Metal Furniture
Whether your metal furniture is steel or aluminum, you can clean it easily with a dry rag or do a deeper clean with a wet rag and warm, soapy water. When cleaning the steel, try to limit water usage. Steel can discolor and rust when exposed to water. Whenever using water, be sure to dry off the metal thoroughly.
If rust develops – and it will at some point - you can use a rust cleaner to remove it. Spraying or painting on sealant or adding a wax will help protect steel from moisture in the air, preventing rust buildup. Adding pads underneath the metal feet will also prevent any future rust from showing on any carpets or flooring.
How to Clean Wicker Furniture
Just a soft cloth and water will work for most cleaning. For stubborn dirt, use a vacuum or a bristle brush. Note that wicker, and its cousin rattan, swell more than wood furniture, so it's best to wipe away moisture before letting the wood dry on its own. Additionally, scrubbing too hard with a brush can damage the material, increasing the chances of the wood trapping moisture while you clean.
How to Clean Outdoor Furniture
If you have metal or wood furniture, you can use the same instructions listed above for those materials. For wrought iron:
- Dust the frame since dust collects easily.
- Use a nylon scrubbing brush dipped in a mix of water and dish soap and clean the frame. Be sure to get into all those tiny crevices!
- Use a hose to wash off the frame, and then dry it with a soft towel.
For manufactured frame materials like synthetic rattan, life is pretty easy. Just rinse the furniture off with water and let them air dry.
If you have seat cushions, the good news is you are already dealing with a durable material that is easier to clean than indoor fabrics and foams. Depending on the material, you can hand wash them, spray them down, or machine-wash them. Simply follow the cleaning instructions indicated on the tags on the cushions.
Here is a general guide to hand washing cushions:
- Start by vacuuming the cushions to make cleaning easier.
- Use water blended with a mild detergent or laundry detergent and wash it with a brush, sponge, or cloth.
- If you have any stubborn bird droppings, combine baking soda and water at a ratio of 3:1, and let it set on the stain for 30 minutes before wiping it off. Then repeat the soapy wash as before.
- Wring out the cushions to remove access water, and then let the cushions air dry.
How to Clean a Leather Couch
Leather cleaning recommendations vary due to the wide range of leather types. It's crucial to know your type of leather and its level of protection before attempting any cleaning. For example, if your furniture has aniline-dyed leather, water droplets can make dark, permanent stains.
Be sure to follow the exact cleaning requirements for your type of leather. If you don't have any instructions and can't obtain any from the manufacturer, here are some basic steps for how to clean leather furniture:
Surface cleaning:
- Vacuum and wipe down the furniture with a dry cloth.
- Let the sofa dry naturally
- Conditioning: Not all leather can receive conditioners, so be cautious here. You may want to attempt this work on a less-exposed area first.
- Condition your leather every 6 to 12 months to keep it looking clean and new and feeling soft.
How to Clean a Suede Couch
Suede is a type of leather, and like other leather types, cleaning instructions are extremely precise. The good news is that we wrote previously on this subject in detail. Read the full guide here.
How to Clean Faux Leather
Although the word leather is in the name, faux leather is not natural leather. This allows for less stringent cleaning requirements.
To clean faux leather:
- Remove any spills carefully with a dry cloth or paper towel by dabbing and pickup up loose debris so that it doesn't spread further.
- Just warm water and a cloth will work for most cleaning, but for stubborn stains, using a blend of water and dish soap is the next step.
- If the dish soap doesn't work, try white vinegar diluted in water or use rubbing alcohol. Avoid harsh cleaning products (especially bleach) and scratchy, hard sponges or brushes.
- Follow up your cleaning by removing the soap or cleaning products with a wet cloth.
- Let the faux leather air dry
How to Clean a Fabric Couch
Here are some basic instructions for cleaning your couch, including instructions for some common material types.
Surface Cleaning
- Brush the material with a soft cloth or a firm brush, depending on the upholstery material you use. In most cases, you are better off with a soft cloth; otherwise, the brush may snag on fabric threads.
- Use a lint roller to grab loose pet hairs.
- Vacuum the couch. This work removes dirt and food from the sofa that would make any other stains worse. For instance, if you spill a drink on your sofa that interacts with food crumbles, the stain becomes more pronounced and difficult to clean.
- Repeat the vacuuming often - ideally once a week. Regular prevention goes a long way to reducing the number of times you need to do a deeper cleaning. Plus, it will look fabulous.
Deeper Cleaning
For deeper cleaning, job number one is to follow the cleaning instructions for your couch. Read the tags and any brochure included with the sofa.
If the manufacturer approves the use cleaning solution:
- Scrub the stain with the correct cleaning solution. It is generally most effective to clean an entire area rather than spot clean; otherwise, you will see differences in tones between the cleaned spot and surrounding fabric.
- Let the fabric air dry.
If you don't have any cleaning codes or instructions, you can try baking soda, detergents, all-purpose cleaners, or specialized cleaning solutions. As with leather, be sure to test a less noticeable area of the furniture first to ensure there are no adverse side effects.
Baking soda: This option is your best friend for cleaning up wet spills. Sprinkle the couch and let the soda sit for 20 to 60 minutes. Then vacuum up the soda using a brush attachment.
All-purpose cleaners and detergents
You can buy cleaners or detergents or make your own cleaning solution. If using cleaners or detergents, avoid those with lighteners so that the material color isn't affected.
If using a cleaner, follow the instructions that come with the product. For a detergent, dilute it by adding 2 cups of water per 1 teaspoon of detergent.
If making your solution, one common recipe is 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 1 cup of warm water in a spray bottle, followed 1 teaspoon of baking soda. After you add the baking soda, seal the bottle to prevent the foam reaction from the soda and vinegar from overflowing out of the bottle.
Once your solution is ready, spray it on a white cloth, wipe down the upholstery material or pad, and scrub any areas with strong stains. Then let the furniture dry for a few hours.
Disinfectants
You can rid your sofa of bacteria by using alcohol. Be sure to review your fabric materials to see if alcohol should be avoided. If it is OK, combine 2 cups of rubbing alcohol with 1 cup of water.
If you are wary of using alcohol, there are other cleaning methods that reduce bacteria while also providing a deeper clean. Here are a few examples.
How to Steam Clean a Couch
Rent a steam cleaner from most hardware stores. This device offers a thorough clean of the upholstery but uses less water, making drying faster. It also helps remove deeper bacteria to reduce odor. Be sure that the water is hot to maximize your results.
How to Shampoo a Couch
You can shampoo your sofa using a carpet cleaner or couch cleaner. Like a steam cleaner, this device is rentable from most hardware stores.
- Start by vacuuming the couch to remove large dirt
- Follow the cleaner's instructions, adding in the right amount of water and detergent.
- Though you are shampooing, this isn't the same as your hair, so don't make the sofa overly wet. It could cause mold.
- Let the cleaner's vacuum suck up as much water as possible.
- Dry the couch with a dry cloth and let it continue to air dry without the cushions attached. You can speed up the drying with a fan or hairdryer.
Using a Portable Extraction Cleaner
This device is similar to a carpet cleaner by combining the benefits of a steam cleaner and a vacuum, sucking out the water and cleaning solution you apply to the material. It even works on carpets. Its benefits over a standard carpet cleaner are the small size and increased ease of use. It doesn't take long to load up and use while giving you easy access to all the exposed areas of your couch.
How to Clean Couch Cushions
Cushions are the most soiled areas of your couch, and this is why some manufacturers make sofas with zip-off covers that can be machine-washed. After washing, let them air dry; otherwise, a dryer may cause shrinkage.
If your couch doesn't have zip-off covers, you can still do an effective clean. How? Read our full guide on cleaning couch cushions, Click here to read our full guide on cleaning couch cushions.
How to Clean Common Fabric Materials
There is a wide range of materials on the market, each with its own composition and cleaning recommendations. Here is a look at some popular materials.
How to Clean a Microfiber Couch
Generally speaking, microfiber is easy to clean and maintain, but knowing how to do it right requires a deeper understanding. Here is an article we wrote directly on this subject.
How to Clean a Velvet Couch
Velvet's thick, plush feel has made it a popular material, but not all velvets have the same cleaning instructions. Click here to read our complete guide on cleaning this luxurious fabric.
How to Clean a Polyester Couch
Polyester has been hugely successful as an upholstery material thanks to its comfort, color adherence, and durability. To learn more about cleaning this popular material, click here.
Removing Specific Types of Stains
In addition to cleaning recommendations for specific materials, you benefit from knowing the right ways to remove specific types of stains. Here are some examples of common stains:
How to Get Red Wine Out of a Couch
Red wine is one of the spills that we dread most, but it's best to know the proper way to clean red wine before you attempt any cleaning. Here's an article we wrote on the subject.
How to Remove Water Stains from a Fabric Sofa
Water does stain, but technically, it has more to do with what's in the water. Thankfully, you can clean water stains using common natural ingredients at home. Here is our guide with all the information you need to know.
How to Get Pee Smell Out of a Couch
Pee stains from children or pets are an unfortunate reality of life, but with the right cleaning, you can pretend it isn't. Here's our handy guide to cleaning your couch so you can pretend it never happened.
How to Get Dry Erase Marker Out of a Couch
Children love dry-erase markers, but as we all know, kids seldom stay within the lines. In this guide, we show you how to make those colors disappear.
How to Get Chocolate Stains Out of a Couch
Chocolate is one of those foods that seems to end up on hands and clothes no matter what, and it isn't always easy to get out. Thankfully, we made this guide to make removing chocolate easy.
How to Fix a Burn Hole in a Couch
When it comes to burn holes, you may think all is lost. In actuality, there are ways to make those unsightly marks disappear. Here's our guide on how to do it.
When It's Time for New Furniture, Woodhaven is Here
Regular cleaning will maximize the life of your furniture, but all good things come to an end. There will come a time when you are better off replacing the furniture. When that time comes, Woodhaven is ready to help.
All of our upholstered furniture features strong, durable, and easy-to-maintain fabrics and faux leathers. Plus, all fabrics are pretreated for advanced stain protection. Additionally, all frames are designed and constructed using a blend of modern technology and tried-and-true construction methods, ensuring a quality piece that stands the test of time while meeting your budget.
To review our full line of furniture, click here.