How to Clean Foam & Batting Cushion

A couch or chair cushion is not something that can be tossed in the washing machine; cleaning foam and batting cushion is not that simple. However, at some point, it does need to be cleaned. You don't have to hire a professional cleaner to do the job for you; you can clean foam and batting cushions yourself if you follow the proper technique.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket of hot water
• Soft cloth
• Upholstery cleaner

Instructions

1. Fill up your bucket with hot water. The hotter the water, the better it will be at breaking up any tough stains on the cushion surface. Take the bucket of water and your soft cloth to the soiled foam and batting cushion. Wet the cloth and then wring it out. It is important to wring the cloth out well.

2. Dab at the soiled spot using the damp cloth. Allow the fabric to become slightly wet but not soaked. You do not want a lot of water absorbing into the foam and batting cushion. Gently rub the soiled area with the cloth, rinsing and wringing out the soft cloth as the soil is removed. Dump the soiled water. Clean the cloth thoroughly.

3. Fill the bucket again with fresh hot water. Apply upholstery cleaner to your wrung out cloth. Use the cloth to gently scrub away the rest of the soil. Rinse and wring out your cloth, repeating until the stain is completely gone. Upholstery cleaner only needs to be applied once. Do not apply the cleaner directly to the cushion to avoid spotting.

4. Use a soft dry cloth to dab at the spot once it is clean. Do this to absorb as much of the water in the foam and batting cushion as you can. Apply pressure to absorb water that may be trapped below the surface layer of fabric.

5. Put the couch or the chair that's been cleaned off limits for 24 hours or until the spot is totally dry. The spot will soil more easily and much more quickly when it is wet because things stick to wet spots. It's a good idea to clean furniture at night so that cushions are mostly dry by the time they'll be used the next day.