Relaxing on your couch and enjoying a soft drink, ice cream or other tasty treats is a great way to unwind. However, your chill-out session can become a source of stress and anxiety when that slushy spills all over the couch. Stains can ruin the appearance of your upholstery. Using incorrect or ineffective cleaning methods can push stains even deeper into the fabric and cause more damage. If you’re searching for tips on ‘how to get stains out of the couch,’ you’re in good company. Below, we share our top tips to get rid of stains from upholstery at home.
How to Protect Your Upholstery
Ensuring that stains don’t get onto your upholstery in the first place is of course the best option. There are several steps you can take to do this.
- Apply an upholstery protector – fabric protectors are designed to create a barrier that protects the fabric from staining. They also make cleaning up much easier.
- Set rules on upholstery usage – stains often occur as a result of accidents. You can be proactive and avoid situations where accidents may occur by setting rules. These rules could include not eating or drinking while sitting on certain furniture for example.
- Create a maintenance routine – regular maintenance will not only help to keep your furnishings looking fresh but also prevent staining. This may include weekly vacuuming.
Tips for Dealing with Upholstery Stains
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Removing colorful stains
Many people searching for information on how to remove old stains from upholstery are dealing with colorful stains from food and drinks. Below are some tips to get rid of these noticeable marks.
- If the stain is still fresh, blot the stain with a soft cloth to absorb as much liquid as possible.
- Apply a cleaning solution to the stain. For colorful food stains, use a mixture of one teaspoon of laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid dissolved in two cups of cold water. You can add a tablespoon of white vinegar if dealing with a stubborn stain. Allow the mixture to sit for about 30 minutes.
- Use a soft cloth to blot the liquid.
- Repeat the above steps if necessary until the stain fades.
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Removing Oily/Greasy Stains
These stains are often a result of greasy foods such as tacos and pizza. Dealing with these stains is different from most other stains as oil and grease are hydrophobic. You can’t therefore use water.
- Get rid of excess grease by scraping the dried grease using a hard tool such as a plastic utensil. Be careful not to spread the grease.
- Cover the stain with an absorbent powder such as talcum powder, baking powder or cornstarch to absorb the grease. Leave the powder on the stain for at least 15 minutes.
- Vacuum up the powder along with the grease.
- Apply a cleaner by dabbing the stain with a cloth soaked in the cleaner. A good home-made cleaner may include a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part ammonia, grease cutting dish soap, dry cleaning solution or a mixture of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water. Blot the stain until it lifts and fades.
- Repeat the steps above until the stain fades.
Call Professional Cleaners
If you’ve searched for ‘how to get old stains out of the couch’ and are still struggling with stains despite trying the methods above, it may be time to call professional cleaners. At Mighty Green Carpet and Tile, we specialize in getting rid of stubborn stains from furnishings. Our professional technicians have years of experience in dealing with different types and levels of staining. We will restore your furnishings and help you save time and money.
