Do you have a white couch? If you do, you probably already know how difficult it can be to clean them properly without damaging them.
They get stained easily, but how do you get the stains out? If you want to find out everything you need to know about how to clean both a fabric and leather white couch – keep reading!
How To Clean A White Couch
Cleaning a white couch can be a testing and trying experience. If you’re new to it, it can be super stressful, too. So much can go wrong, and if you use the wrong product, your couch could be ruined forever.
Does that mean that that wine stain from last night has to remain there? Or the sauce stains from last week’s lunch party? No! As long as you’re careful and use all the right tools and products, cleaning your white couch, fabric or leather, should be a lot easier than you think.
Check out the options below so that you can find out how to properly clean your white couch without damaging it.
Cleaning A Leather White Couch
Leather and faux leather are a lot easier to deal with than fabric couches. For the most part, you should be able to use a clean microfiber cloth or leather cleaners to get the job done. However, there might be stains that are a little more challenging to deal with.
If you have a pesky stain that doesn’t want to budge so easily, try making a solution of your own by mixing ¼ cup of vinegar with ½ cup of olive oil. Add the solution to a spray bottle, spritz it onto the stained area (do not saturate it), and let it sit for around five minutes. After that point, simply wipe the area with a clean microfiber cloth.
Always avoid using bleaches or ammonia-based cleaners for leather, as they will damage the material. If you aren’t sure what substances are in your cleaning products, read the list of ingredients to find out more. It’s worth taking the time to find out these things before you destroy hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of furniture.
- Using Ice to Clean a Couch – You can also use ice in a Ziploc bag to get rid of certain spills. If you have recently messed chewing gum or candle wax onto the sofa, don’t worry! By placing ice in a bag and going over the area with it, the mess should easily be able to be pulled from the couch surface. You can use either your fingers or a utensil to pry the spills away. Do this carefully so that you don’t damage the couch!
- Cream and Tartar Lemon Juice – if you have a stubborn stain to deal with, simply mix equal parts of cream and tartar lemon juice and apply the paste onto the stained area. Leave the paste to sit on the couch for around half an hour, then use a wet sponge to carefully wipe the paste off. These substances will mildly bleach the white sofa without damaging it!
Tips For Keeping Leather Clean And Stain-Free
- Wipe it down frequently
- Use a leather cleaner to keep leather looking healthy
- Close curtains on very sunny days (the sun is known to discolor white leather)
- If you are able to, flip and alter pillows to reduce discoloration
Cleaning A Fabric White Couch
What were you thinking when you bought your lovely white fabric sofa? It doesn’t matter – now it’s dirty. If you need to clean white fabric, the real key is to frequently do maintenance cleaning.
Use a vacuum attachment to get as much dirt out of the sofa as possible every week or every second week. Every couple of months, you should do a deep clean with a spot clean or similar vacuum. That way, the use of water and detergents will get your white sofa looking brand new.
If you are dealing with a single stain, however, it might feel like a waste to get out the machinery to deal with it. Bleach might be your go-to method, and while that works well for many sofas, it can also do some real damage.
Before going ham on the bleach, double check if your sofa’s material will be able to handle the chemicals. It would be a shame to destroy your beautiful couch.
Any kind of liquid spill should be dealt with as soon as possible. The longer it sits there, the more likely it is to stain the furniture. If you have spilled a drink onto your white sofa, quickly get a clean cloth or paper towel and blot the liquid away. If you decide to scrub it, the stain will only spread – which is exactly what we don’t want.
For most white fabric sofa cleaning, you will be able to use warm water with a little vinegar and dishwashing liquid. However, if you have a couch that is able to be steam cleaned, that will always be your best option!
Tips For Keeping Fabric Clean
- Use a slip cover if you know that it might get dirty (e.g. if you are throwing a party)
- Clean the sofa regularly by vacuuming it
- Pick the right fabric type depending on whether you have pets or not
Final Thoughts
And there it is!
Cleaning your white couch (or sofa, lounge, car seat & office chair for that matter) doesn’t have to be a horribly daunting task for you to dread. Use the right products and tools, and stay on top of it, and it won’t be a big deal again.
Make sure to take precautions when you are able to, too! If you know that you’re going to be throwing a party, make sure you use a slipcover to protect your precious couch. It doesn’t have to stay there, but it will save you from a world of trouble if there’s a spill!
Frequent cleaning is your friend, so always take time out of your week to stay on top of the dirt in your house. Vacuum your fabrics and wipe down the leather, and the next time you have to deep clean, it’ll be easier than ever before.