Stained fabric sofa: clean the 10 everyday stains

How to properly clean a stained fabric sofa? Armed with a battery of products dedicated to the maintenance of your sofa, you are determined to take action to remove those pesky stains inherited from a good evening with friends. You could also take advantage of this moment to remove the wonderful memory left by this delicious raspberry bavarian on your beautiful cream-colored fabric.

However, be careful of rushing! Whether it is a convertible or fixed sofa, the use of certain products could leave serious after-effects on your non-removable fabric sofa. Wine stain, red fruit stain, coffee stain, blood stain, animal droppings, cigarette burns, etc. Each stain has its remedy to overcome these everyday accidents.

Stained sofa: 10 everyday stains and their solutions

1. Stained sofa: 5 mistakes to never make!

• Do not consult the manufacturer's recommendations regarding fabric care;
• Wet the sofa with plenty of water : the fabrics under your covering could bleed;
• Test a product directly on the stain : first try on an inconspicuous corner;
• Do not cover the legs of your sofa : using certain products could damage them;
• Leave the area of ​​the stain : after removing the stain, completely clean the seat of your sofa.

How do I clean my sofa in summer?

2. Sofa and wine stains: the good old remedies

The bane of our tissues, the tannins contained in wine penetrate deeply and can leave indelible traces over time. So you might as well not delay in tackling these nasty stains.

A. Techniques for removing a recent wine stain

Soapy water and sparkling water

• Start by absorbing the liquid using a clean cloth;
• In a bowl, dilute a few drops of black soap in water then add sparkling water;
• Lightly soak a new sponge with the mixture then rub the sofa fabric.

Land of Sommières

• Impregnate the stain with Sommières earth in a thick layer after having sponged the wine stain as much as possible;
• If you don't have soil, opt for talc, to a lesser extent for flour and cornstarch;
• Leave it on overnight, vacuum the area then brush the surface.

B. Tip to say goodbye to old wine stains

Mixture of water and 70° alcohol

• Before handling 70° alcohol, put on household gloves and ventilate the room;
• Prepare the mixture with 50% water and 50% 70% alcohol;
• Soak a new sponge in this mixture, wring out then rub the stain;
• Rinse with clean water without wetting the fabric too much before drying the surface;
• You can use a hair dryer at minimum power without getting too close to the fabric so as not to damage it.

To maintain and preserve a fabric sofa, it is important to take a few precautions. Discover our tips for maintaining a fabric sofa .

3. Fruit stain on sofa: red fruit stains

Cherry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry and other brightly colored berries don't really go well with the fabrics of our sofas, especially if they are light.

Lemon juice

• Pour the juice of a lemon onto a clean cloth and rub the stain gently;
• Rinse then dry the area.

Soapy water for synthetic fabrics

• Mix a few drops of black soap in a basin filled with water;
• Apply to the stain with a well-wrung sponge;
• Rinse with clean water and dry gently.

Water, alcohol and acetic acid for natural fiber fabrics

• In a container, prepare a mixture consisting of 50% water, 50% 70% alcohol and 25% acetic acid;
• Apply the mixture to the stain by rubbing then rinse.

These tips also work on other fruit and vegetable stains.

4. Marker stains on fabrics: operation to remove pretty children’s drawings

Our dear toddlers, and sometimes their elders, sometimes have difficulty curbing their creative spirit. Latest victim of their talent: the sofa.

Two steps are necessary to remove felt and marker stains:

• Gently dab the stain with soapy water;
• Secondly, soak a clean cloth with 90° alcohol and dab again.

Read more about fabric sofas

5. Remove a coffee or tea stain: glycerin is your best ally

The classic stain! To continue to enjoy these moments of relaxation on your sofa, it is better to make a detour to your druggist to buy glycerin.

Slightly warmed, glycerin will work wonders on this type of stain. Apply an ointment to the area then rinse with lukewarm water.

Older stains should not be able to succumb to a mixture of water and Marseille soap or to water with a few drops of white vinegar. Always rinse after application.

Good to know : depending on the covering of your sofa, the maintenance methods are not the same, here are our tips for maintaining a leather sofa .

6. Remove a sauce, oil or salad dressing stain: opt for baking soda

Who has never heard themselves curse after accidentally dropping a mouthful of sauce on the sofa? This little moment of inattention is fortunately easily recoverable.

• Sprinkle the stain with baking soda before lightly brushing the stain;
• Then rinse with warm water before drying.

7. Nail polish stains on fabrics: don’t use your nail polish remover!

Ladies, you're going to have to protect your sofa before you start your manicure session. Be careful, however, not to draw the nail polish remover within your reach. You could make the stain worse.

• Go to your druggist to get some amyl acetate or acetone;
• Ventilate the room well before applying the product and don't forget to put on household gloves;
• Carefully peel off the varnish, taking care not to spread the product over a larger area.

8. Soda crystals to erase blood stains

Take great care before handling anything: keep children and pets away.

• Put on a pair of gloves then prepare a mixture of soda crystals and water;
• Apply the preparation to the stain;
• Don't miss the rinsing step: it is essential;
• However, be careful not to get your sofa too wet.

9. Skip the ammonia to clean cat urine off your couch

Ammonia and bleach should be avoided when cleaning your pets' urine from sofas. Dangerous to use, harmful to the environment, these two products can be easily replaced. Bleach should be avoided all the more as it attracts cats, who would quickly be tempted to act out again.

To make this foul-smelling stain disappear, opt for a preparation based on baking soda, a few drops of essential oil of your choice as well as white vinegar.

• Always keep a bottle of sparkling water to first rinse the urine stain;
• At the same time, blot the area with absorbent paper;
• Sprinkle a thick layer of bicarbonate over the entire stain then brush gently to penetrate the product;
• In a basin, make the following mixture: 4 parts water for 2 parts white vinegar with around twenty drops of essential oil;
• Soak a clean cloth with the preparation and rub;
• Repeat as many times as necessary;
• Dry the area.

10. Cleaning a cigarette burn: glycerin might just save your couch

A bit far from your ashtray, the live ash of your cigarette has just finished falling onto your sofa. How to remove these burn spots?

If the burn has just been made:

• Heat some water;
• Dissolve a tablespoon of glycerin in your bowl of hot water until you obtain a homogeneous mixture;
• Rub your sofa with the preparation;
• Rinse with lukewarm water.

For older burn stains, you can opt for borax, available in flake form. Known for its detergent properties, it is not without danger. You should use it as a last resort.

• Use household gloves;
• Concoct a preparation consisting of a tablespoon of borax and half a liter of lukewarm water;
• Apply this mixture to the stain and brush the fabric without rubbing;
• Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.

Also discover our tips for getting rid of tobacco odors indoors .

After tackling each type of stain, you will need to completely clean the seat to avoid stains. Many solutions exist to overcome the tasks of everyday life. However, systematically favor “grandmother's” remedies if they exist rather than highly toxic products.