How to Clean Couch Cushions

Couch cushions are exposed to dirt, grease and many such debris. If there are pets and children in the house, then there are going to be ugly marks of food, drinks, etc. on them. Like any other household item, they should be cleaned after regular intervals of time. If they are not cleaned regularly, then they look dingy and start stinking.

However, there are many people who avoid it simply because they do not know how to clean couch cushions. They feel that cleaning can cause damage to the cushion. Though the fact remains, there are many safe methods that can be used for cleaning couch cushions.

You have to use an upholstery cleaning product on the stained spot of the cushion. Mix some water with the upholstery cleaner as per the instructions provided by the manufacturer and create a frothy foam. Take this foam on a clean sponge and scrub the cushion with small circular motions till the stain is removed completely.

If it is an old stubborn stain, then let the cleaner sit on the area for a few minutes. After the stain is gone, wet a clean rag with a little plain water to make it damp and rub it gently over the spot to clean up residues of the cleaner.

Hand washing is considered as a safe option. Add some laundry detergent to a tub of plain water to prepare a soapy solution. If your cushion has bad odor, then you can add some white vinegar into this water in order to remove the smell. Soak the cushion in this solution for some time. Then rinse it off thoroughly with plain water.

While rinsing, squeeze it several times to eliminate all detergent residues from it. Once the suds are out, dry the cushion by placing it under the sun. For fast drying, you can place it over a dry towel and change the towel from time to time. Do not start using the cushion before it dries up completely.

The technique is the same as that of cleaning stains from cushions that we have already discussed previously. However, microfiber cushions that are nonwashable cannot be exposed to water. For them, you have to use a dry cleaning method. To begin with, use a vacuum cleaner with soft brush attachment to remove loose dust, crumbs and fibers from the cushion.

In this case you would need a mild detergent powder. Sprinkle a little of this on the surface of the cushion. Then take a dry soft bristled scrub brush and rub it over the cushion. While doing so, remember that you have to move the brush both in the direction of the nap as well as against it. This will help in loosening up of dirt and debris stuck on it.

Before you start cleaning the cushions, make sure you remove the cushion covers from them. You should wash the cover separately as per the instructions given on its label. Cushion covers which are made of delicate fabrics like silk require dry cleaning. Other fabrics like cotton can be washed in a washing machine.