How To Clean My Entire Dirty Couch?

Question

I am moving into my first house in a week and my parents have given my husband and I a couch. It is about 5 years old and although it has never really been used it has spent the last year outside in a screened room. Dirt has blown in and the couch is filthy. The cushions unzip easily. Should I put them in my washer and with what? What should I clean the reast of the couch with and how?

The couch has long vertical pale blue, yellow, and beige stripes. It's also a pull out couch.

Answer 1

Check for cleaning instructions on the tags before doing anything. If you know what the fiber content of the material is then figure out if it is washable or not.

I toss my slipcovers in the wash and set on cold/cold and I use woolite. But I toss them in the dryer on tumble too. I let the cycle run completely through, to get all the soap out of it (soap residue will attract dirt like glue and you will have a very nasty feeling couch) then set the cycle back to rinse and add softener.

I would clean the rest of the sofa with a steam cleaner and some Bissell. Bissell has been around forever and it's still, in my opinion, the best thing going.

Be sure to vacum your sofa while the slipcovers are still on, to get most of the dust and dirt out of the covers or you may create a mud bath in your washer. You may also want to put the slipcovers through the wash cycle twice all the way through, the first time with woolite and the second without anything but the softener in the rinse cycle, just to be sure you get all the soap out.

Good luck with your new home!!!

PS...You didn't say if it was a patterned print or solid. If it is a patterned print then use Colorcatchers, they are in the laundry aisle of every grocery store and they prevent colors from bleeding or running.

Default, if you aren's sure and don't want to take a chance then just vacum the covers well and send them to a dry cleaner.

Answer 2

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RE:
How To Clean My Entire Dirty Couch?
I am moving into my first house in a week and my parents have given my husband and I a couch. It is about 5 years old and although it has never really been used it has spent the last year outside in a screened room. Dirt has blown in and the couch is filthy. The cushions unzip easily. Should I put...

Answer 3

The simplest and safest way to clean that type of couch is to remove all the cushion covers and take them to the dry-cleaners.

Then vacuum the couch.

If you're in a warm enough climate, leave the cover-less sofa outside in the sun for several hours before you move. The UV will kill off any bacteria growing in the couch and the whole thing will smell much fresher when you put it back indoors. This could easily be done on moving day =)

Don't go overboard trying to shampoo your whole couch, just spot check for stains on the upholstery that can't be removed. Treat those and the sun will do the rest!

Answer 4

If you have access to or can rent a rug cleaner that has an apolsrty piece that will work. I think you can also get the pillows and cushions dry cleaned. If it comes out clean but still has a drity look buy a couch cover.

Answer 5

I really wouldn't throw them in the wash. That may be a little harsh. Step one, vaccuum. After that, it'd be best if you could get a carpet shampooer that has an apolstry attatchment. After that, spray some febreeze and you should be good.

Answer 6

Start by vacuuming the couch - probably more than once. You can then rent a steam cleaner and do that - again, more than once.

Answer 7

I would shampoo the entire couch. I wouldn't put the cushion covers in the wash, because they might shrink.

Answer 8

Vacuum and either rent a do-it-yourself steam cleaner or hire a professional like Stanley Steemer to do it. Make sure you have no bugs!!!

Answer 9

my husband and me got a couch from his aunt it was covered in dirt we rented a rug cleaner it worked very good you can wash the removeble cushions in the washer I did it to the little pillows and arm covers and they turned out great