DIY Couch Cleaner

Clean stains so you can enjoy a pristine couch.

Even if you are quite neat, fastidious and careful, it is inevitable that something will eventually stain your couch. Keep couch cleaning solutions nearby so you can remove the stains as soon as they occur. Catching stains quickly is one of the most important things you can do to completely remove the stain, because the longer it sets into the couch the harder it will be to remove. Save money by making your own upholstery cleaning solutions.

Things You'll Need

• Laundry detergent
• Egg beater
• Cloth
• Ammonia
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton swab

Instructions

Laundry Detergent

1. Pour 1 cup water into a shallow bowl.

2. Add 1/4 cup laundry detergent to the water.

3. Whip the solution with an electric egg beater until a generous amount of suds forms.

4. Apply the suds to the couch to clean it. This method allows you to apply soap without applying too much water or soaking the couch cushions.

5. Rinse the area by pressing a water-dampened cloth into the couch. Let the couch dry completely.

Ammonia

1. Mix 1 cup water with 1 tbsp. ammonia.

2. Blot the ammonia solution on oil, grease and food stains on a couch. Work from the edges of the stain toward the center.

3. Rinse the area by blotting it with a water-dampened cloth. Let the area dry completely.

Rubbing Alcohol

1. Soak a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol.

2. Rub the cotton swab over ink, paint or nail polish stains until it is gone. Use as much rubbing alcohol as needed but change cotton swabs once it becomes covered in the staining material. This will prevent you from spreading the stain.

3. Rinse the area by blotting it with a water-dampened cloth.

References

• Mrs. Clean: How to Clean Upholstery
• Mrs. Clean: Removing Upholstery Stains