Sofa Cleaning Mistakes You Need To Avoid

It’s fair to think that cleaning a sofa is a very simple and straightforward process. Yes, sure, it may seem so, but it is also a very fragile process, which, if not done right, can cause irreversible damage. This is why most home maintenance services, including sofa cleaning, are best left to professionals who know how to handle home appliances and equipment according to their unique nature.

However, if you are still tempted to clean your sofa, here are some common mistakes many make, so you can avoid them.

Scrubbing Stains

Scrubbing the sofa will not necessarily make the stain go away, it will only drive the dirt further into the fabric. Excessive scrubbing can wear off the fabric, create a weak spot, and the next time you clean, they can quickly damage or even rip off completely. Try using an upholstery spot cleaner or a steam cleaner.

Soaking Upholstery With Water

You might have noticed that even plain water splashes can leave watermarks on sofas if it gets too wet. So never soak an area of the sofa to remove a mark or stain. Even if you let it dry afterward, the chances of having a permanent mark there are very high. If you want to clean large areas of your sofa, use minimal water and consider using a steam cleaner.

Using The Wrong Cleaning Products

Sofas are made using different materials, so they have no one-size-fits-all cleaning methods or products. In general, any bleach-based cleaning product with ammonia should not be used on sofas, as they can easily damage them.

It might also cause discoloration, damage the fibers, and even cause holes or splitting. Always check the manufacturer’s guide on the appropriate method for cleaning. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer, or the best is to leave your sofa cleaning to professionals.

Using The Wrong Cleaning Tools

As much as the right method, using the right cleaning tools is equally important to maintain the quality of your sofa and protect it from damage. Always use soft microfibre cloths that don’t shed lint when blotting or spot cleaning.

While brushing off loose dirt is fine, make sure not to use hard bristles, as they can cause a lot of damage – especially on more delicate and expensive fabrics. Use soft brushes where needed, and refrain from over brushing. There are also many specialized soft brushes that you can use for cleaning sofas – try to get them if possible.

Using Too Much Heat

It is very important to ensure you have the right heat control over your sofa fabric. Fabrics like silk or blends that have silk will not handle too much heat. Steam cleaning is a good strategy for disinfecting, but remember that it can cause damage to some delicate fabrics. Again if you are not exactly sure of the heat requirements for cleaning, contact the manufacturer.

Furniture, in general, is an expensive investment; this is why cleaning them should take special attention and care. Even a small mistake can potentially affect their value and quality. So make sure to always recheck all the processes, products, tools, and techniques you plan to use in your furniture cleaning process.