How to Deal with Old Stains on Your Furniture

Maintaining your couches, sofas, chairs, and recliners can be frustrating, especially when you don’t notice or don’t tackle a stain right away. When it dries up, it’s almost impossible to remove it. However, not everything is lost since there are useful tricks to remove those stains, even if they’re old. 

Most dependable residential cleaning services in Waterford will be able to help you with this, but you can also apply these tips and make your long stained sofa as good as new. Keep reading to find out how. 

How do you get old stains out of upholstery?

Whether it’s an old piece of furniture that was stored away, or a stain you failed to see or clean immediately, the following tricks will help you restore your furniture. 

Prepare

To loosen the parts that have dried onto the fabric, use a brush or a clean towel and brush the affected area. Next, sprinkle some baking soda over the stain, but feel free to cover the rest of the couch, sofa, etc. It will freshen up and disinfect it. Let the soda sit between 20 minutes and one hour, and then vacuum it with a brush attachment. 

Further on, to loosen up the stain and make it more susceptible to the following treatment, apply some steam. If you’re treating a small stain, you can use the steam function of your iron. However, if you have a bigger area to treat, it will be easier to use the steamer. 

Clean

A simple solution should work just fine on most stains. Pour some water into a medium size bowl and add a bit of dish soap. Grab a clean white cloth, dampen it with the solution and dab the stain. Next, use a clean cloth dampened with clean water to blot away the soapy solution. Dry with a dry towel or cloth. Repeat until the stain is gone.

In case this simple solution doesn’t work, you can try with a bit stronger solution. This time, you’ll need a spray bottle where you will put 1 cup of warm water, 1 teaspoon of dish soap, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Then, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda, but be ready to screw the top really quickly since soda reacts with vinegar. 

Next, spray this solution onto a white cloth making it damp, and gently rub the stain. Again, use a clean cloth and clean water to blot away the solution, and a dry towel to dry the spot. As a precaution, first test the solution on an inconspicuous area since vinegar could dissolve the color. Also, make sure you keep this vinegar solution away from any untreated wood. 

What is the best way to clean a fabric sofa? 

To prepare your sofa for a good clean‐up, you can sprinkle it with baking soda, applying the same steps described in stain removal preparation. This is also great for removing any odors. Next, check the manufacturer’s label for instructions. If your sofa can be cleaned with water, the steamer is a great option. However, if it cannot be cleaned with water, you’ll need to purchase an appropriate commercial cleaner. 

Where can I find a reliable residential cleaning service in Waterford?

If you’re wondering how to properly clean all your kids’ toys, or what’s the best way to make dust bunnies go away, reach out to Orchid Maids. We are always ready to make your home sparkle, and our professional staff go out of their way to meet the needs of every single client. Take your family for an amusing afternoon at the Fort Trumbull State Park, and let us tackle the chores. Give us a call today!