Upholstery stain removal – Your sofa or recliner is the one place you always run to for solace, especially at the end of a long day spent on your feet. Nothing on earth feels as good as throwing yourself on that soft plush upholstery knowing that it will hold you steady and not buckle under the weight of your troubles.
Old stains
This is why furniture upholstery with old stains, can be quite a downer. Unless you love using a throw blanket or covers on all your furniture we suggest you learn how to reclaim your furniture and conquer these unruly stains.
The Code
The old stains on your furniture’s upholstery should be cleaned depending on the code the manufacturer has labeled it with and the type of stain you are dealing with. The care label or tag can be found underneath the furniture or below a cushion. Other manufacturers also give pamphlets that you really should store in a safe place for moments such as these. If you are not sure what your code is, then spot test cleaning agents starting with the most conservative cleaning agent and proceed on cautiously.
Below are the care codes you should expect to find on your upholstery;
- S – you should use a solvent based cleaning agent to maintain the recliner’s fabric
- W – that you can use a water based cleaner
- SW – use either water or a solvent based solution to clean the recliner up
- X – vacuum only
When working on old stains, ensure that you pay particular attention to these codes. Do not use water on upholstery labeled as S and vice versa.
How to Remove Old Stains from your Furniture Upholstery
- First vacuum the furniture to remove any easy to clean debris. This will ensure that no extra dirt is worked into the stain once you start applying chemicals and working the stain.
- Most food stains can be cleaned with a simple sponge or clean cloth, some water and a tablespoon of clear dish-washing liquid, clear water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner.
If you are not sure if the stain was a curry or that incredible cream sauce from two months back, do not use hot or warm water to treat it. In the case of the cream, it will make the stain harder to deal with.
- For old oil and grease stains on your upholstery, the first step is to try to absorb them from the fabric as much as possible. You can do this by using baking soda or cornstarch. Place any of these items onto the stain, and let them soak out the grease for about 15 minutes.
