How to Clean Upholstery

Whether you spilled a drink on your car seat upholstery, or noticed an odd stain on your favorite chair, cleaning upholstery is easy if you follow these steps. Use this method to spot clean a stain or to clean a larger area, such as a chair cushion.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vacuum
• Upholstery cleaner
• Soft bristled cleaning brush
• White cleaning rag

1. Brush the area lightly with a soft bristled brush to loosen any dirt or dried stain.

2. Vacuum the upholstery thoroughly to remove all dirt and debris.

3. Test the upholstery cleaner on a small, hidden spot of fabric, such as the back or bottom of a cushion. Some cleaners can bleach or damage the fabric. If the upholstery is damaged, try a different cleaner.

4. Spray the upholstery cleaner on the area to be cleaned. Follow the cleaner’s instructions to determine how much to spray.

5. Wait the amount of time indicated in the cleaner’s instructions to allow the cleaner to penetrate the fabric and loosen the dirt.

6. Blot the upholstery with a damp white cleaning rag to remove the dirt and/or stain. Rubbing can damage the upholstery and spread stains.

7. Allow the upholstery to dry and repeat steps 1-6 if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have any instructions, tags, etc. that indicate how your furniture or upholstered item should be cleaned, follow the instructions as indicated.
• Never use a cleaner on an upholstered item for the first time without testing it on a hidden area first. Bleaching or fabric damage can occur.
• Do not clean your upholstery with a colored rag. The rag color can transfer to the upholstery.