How to Clean a Couch

Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Last Updated: August 2, 2021 References Approved

You know the feeling; you're looking at your beloved couch only to realize that it is covered in stains or that it's starting to get a smell! Never fear, you can take steps to make your couch beautiful and odor-free again. For stains and spills, try to get them up as quickly as possible when they happen. If your couch is washable, you can also take off your cushion covers and throw them in the washing machine to instantly spruce up your couch. For deep cleaning, try a deep-cleaning solution and a scrubbing brush or an upholstery cleaning machine.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Doing Spot Cleaning

1
Read the care instructions for your couch on a tag. Find a cushion with a tag. The tag should tell you what kind of solvent you can use on the couch. For instance, if it's machine washable, you can use water. However, if it's not, you may need to use something else, like alcohol or vinegar.^{[1]
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- If your tag has a "W" you on it, you can clean it with water. If it has an "S," use something like vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or a commercial dry cleaning agent. If it has "S-W," you can use either one.^{[2]
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  Research source} A few might have the code "X," which means vacuuming and professional cleaning only.^{[3]
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- If your couch doesn't have a tag, try cleaners in an inconspicuous place on the couch first.
2
Blot up any recent spills. Whatever kind of couch you have, it's important to get spills up right away. Use a clean cloth to dab at the spill until you've picked up as much of the spill as you can.^{[4]
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3
Vacuum the couch if there's any loose debris. Crumbs and other debris sometimes fall into your couch. If you leave them on the couch, they might get crushed into the fabric when you go to spot clean it.^{[5]
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- Use your furniture attachment on your big vacuum cleaner or a hand vacuum cleaner to clean the couch. Remove the cushions to get the crumbs underneath, as well.
- Vacuuming will also help with pet hair!
4
Use water and dish soap on any stains if your fabric can handle water. Mix a few drops of dish soap with a cup of cool water. Dip a sponge in the mixture and wring it out. Dab at the stain or spill with the sponge for a few minutes until it's completely lifted.^{[6]
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- Wash out the sponge and dab at the stain with just water.
- Don't rub the stain, as you could spread it around.
5
Break up stains with a steam cleaner if you have one. Only use a steam cleaner if the fabric can be cleaned with water. Run the steamer over the stain to help loosen it up for cleaning. You can also use the steam setting on your iron if you prefer. Just don't get the iron too close, especially if you're not sure how much heat the fabric can take.^{[7]
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6
Blot stains with vinegar or alcohol if your couch can't handle water. If your couch has a "S" on the tag, you may be able to use these cleaners instead. Dip a cloth in either vinegar or alcohol and then dab at the stain until it disappears. Let the solution dry on the fabric.^{[8]
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- Always test the product on a inconspicuous place first.
- Use a clear alcohol, like vodka or rubbing alcohol.
7
Try baby wipes for spills on microfiber couches. Microfiber is an easy fabric to clean, lucky for you! If you have a spill, blot it up with a clean baby wipe. Keep dabbing at the fabric until the spill is completely gone. Get a new baby wipe partway through if you need to.^{[9]
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- Microfiber doesn't absorb liquid so spills should be easy to blot up.
- You can also use a damp microfiber cleaning cloth.
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Repeat the process as needed. Some stains may seem like they'll never leave! You may just need to keep working at them. Keep going through the process for your type of couch until the stain disappears.^{[10]
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- Pick a commercial cleaner if stains persist. You can try a carpet or upholstery cleaner. Typically, you spray these on and let them sit, then you dab at them with clean water to wipe them up. Look for foaming carpet cleaner, for instance. You can find these cleaners at most stores in the cleaning product section.^{[11]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Performing Deep Cleaning

1
Vacuum the couch first. Just like with a light cleaning, it's a good idea to start by vacuuming the couch. Vacuum across the cushions to get up any dust and dead skin cells. Lift the cushions to vacuum the debris and dust underneath them.^{[12]
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- Also, vacuum along any parts you can't remove from the couch. Getting up the dust will help you deep clean it in a moment.
2
Sprinkle on baking soda to deal with odors. Pull the cushions off the couch. Put baking soda in a salt shaker and sprinkle it over the whole couch, including the cushions. Leave the baking soda on for an hour or so, then vacuum it up.^{[13]
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- If the couch smells particularly bad, leave the baking soda on overnight. You can also try repeating the process a few times.
- You can also make a baking soda spray. Grab a small spray bottle, about 2 cups (470 mL) or so. Add warm water, 2-3 spoonfuls of baking soda, and a few drops of a scented oil. The exact measurements don't matter. Spritz it over the couch to help freshen the fabric.
3
Do spot treatments for any stains on the sofa. If your sofa has stains from ink, wine, blood, or any other difficult to remove substance, then you may need to use a spot cleaning treatment on the sofa first. Spray on the treatment and leave it on for the amount of time suggested on the bottle. Then, blot up the cleaner with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Avoid rubbing the stain around with a brush or cloth as this will spread it.
4
Look at the care instructions for your couch to decide how to finish cleaning. One of the cushions should have a tag, or it may be in the back. It will tell you what cleaners you can use on your couch. Some take water, while with others, you may need to use another type of cleaner, such as alcohol.^{[14]
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- "W" means you can use water on it, while "S" means you can use other cleaners like rubbing alcohol or vinegar. You can also use commercial dry cleaning agents on "S" fabrics. "S-W" means either is fine. If you see "X," that means you can't use any liquids on it.^{[15]
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- If you can't find a tag, test cleaners in a hidden area to see how they react.
5
Wipe down leather couches with distilled water and a non-detergent soap. Pick a mild soap, like Dove or Neutrogena, preferably one that is pH-balanced. Add a few drops to a bucket then pour in the distilled water. Mix it lightly to get a sudsy solution and then dip a microfiber cloth into the solution. Wring out the cloth and wipe down the couch, moving from top to bottom.^{[16]
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- Wipe the couch down with plain distilled water, then dry it off with a clean microfiber cloth. Distilled water will not leave any water stains behind like regular tap water.^{[17]
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- You can also use a leather soap or a 50:50 vinegar and water mixture.
- Condition the leather with a 50:50 mixture of vinegar and lemon or flaxseed oil. Dip a cloth in the solution and wring it out. Then, wipe down the sofa with the cloth. Wipe the sofa with a dry cloth the following day.^{[18]
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Use a vinegar mixture for a natural solution on fabrics that handle water. Mix together 0.75 cups (180 mL) of water, 0.25 cups (59 mL) of white vinegar, and 0.5 tablespoons (7.4 mL) of liquid dish soap. Shake it lightly to mix it up, then use a scrubbing brush to rub it into your fabric. Once you've done the whole couch, scrub in plain water until you don't see suds anymore.^{[19]
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- Let the couch air dry. You may even want to move it outdoors if it's a nice day.
- This process may be too rough on delicate fabrics so always test it first.
7
Try an upholstery cleaner for deep cleaning on a couch that takes water. Take the cushions off the couch to make this process easier. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for using the upholstery cleaner. Essentially, though, you put hot water and soap in the tank, then run the arm of the machine over the couch. The arm will pump out soap and water and vacuum it back up, cleaning the fabric.^{[20]
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- You can rent an upholstery cleaner from a home improvement store ($30-$50 USD) or purchase one if you prefer ($80-$150 USD). They may be labeled as "carpet cleaners."
- There are both steam and non-steam options when it comes to upholstery cleaners. If your couch is linen or polyester, make sure to choose a non-steam version, as the steam varieties may pucker the fabric.
8
Brush the fabric back into place as needed. If the fabric looks "off" once it dries, use a soft brush to move it back into place. Follow the grain of the fabric and brush the whole couch so that the pile is going the same direction. That will help it look smooth again.^{[21]
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- You can also use a lint roller on any parts of the couch that have lint or hair stuck on them.^{[22]
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Wipe down the non-fabric parts of the couch with warm water and dish soap. If your couch has wooden, metal, plastic, or other parts that are not covered in fabric, you can easily clean them with a bit of soapy water. Mix a few drops of dish soap in with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water and dip a clean cloth into it. Wring out the cloth and use it to wipe the non-fabric parts of your couch.^{[23]
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- You can let the parts air dry after wiping them down.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Washing Cushion Covers

1
Check the tags to determine if your fabric is machine washable. Find the tag on 1 cushion to read it. It should say "machine washable" or "machine wash cold." It should also tell you if it's not machine washable or dry-able.^{[24]
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- Washing your cushion covers in the laundry makes your life simpler. However, you should only do it if your tag explicitly says you can wash it.
2
Remove the cushion covers a few at a time. Pull the cushion completely off the couch. Find the zipper and unzip it. Pull the cushion out of the cover and put it back where it belongs on the couch.^{[25]
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- Do 3-4 cushions at a time, as your washer/dryer likely won't handle more. Plus, it will make it easier to keep track of which covers go on which cushions.
3
Throw the cushion covers in the washer with your favorite detergent. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the tag about how you should wash the covers. If it says cold water only, make sure to use cold water.^{[26]
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- Similarly, if your tag says to use the gentle cycle, do so. If you don't understand the symbols it uses, look for "laundry tag symbols" online to figure out what it's saying.
4
Put the covers in the dryer. Once the wash cycle is over, move the covers to the dryer. Follow the manufacturer's instructions about how you should dry them. For instance, they may want you to put it on the lowest heat setting to protect the fabric.^{[27]
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- Putting your covers in the dryer may shrink them a little bit.
5
Put the covers back on the cushions and repeat for the other covers. Stuff the cushion back in the cover. Grab the end of the cushion that's going in the far end of the cover and use your hand to pull/push the cushion into place. Once it's back in place, zip it up.^{[28]
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- Clean all the other covers the same way.

Expert Q&A

Question

For a leather couch, what letter tag does it commonly show?

Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Expert Answer

Leather couches do not typically have cleaning codes, and the type of cleaning you do will be determined by the type of leather you have
Question

What is rubbing alcohol, and where can I get this?

Community Answer

Rubbing alcohol is a disinfectant. It can be used for cleaning the house or for medical needs. You can find it at most to all drug stores or grocery stores.
Question

I stored my couch in the garage this summer, and noticed a chipmunk was in the garage and left some stains on the couch. I would like to disinfect the couch. Would rubbing alcohol do the trick?

Community Answer

It will absolutely work as a disinfectant. Be sure to scrub it a bit with soapy water first.