Yes, you can (and should) clean your couch — here’s how experts say to do it
Your couch comes in contact with a lot of people and objects throughout the day, which means it’s especially important to clean it on a regular basis.
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All of the products below have at least a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more onAmazon. Some of them are also direct recommendations from our experts.
This small, portable upholstery cleaner is both a bestseller and a favorite of NBC Select updates editor Mili Godio, who uses it to clean up after her dog Bella. It’s a combination of a vacuum and carpet cleaner, so it quickly gets rid of set-in stains, mainly on upholstered surfaces like furniture, curtains and car seats. It comes with a cleaning solution that leaves a pleasant scent and it comes with a crevice tool to clean in between cushions and chairs.
In our guide on how to clean a mattress, Kadi Dulude, the owner of home cleaning company Wizard of Homes, recommends products from Resolve, especially for getting rid of harsh stains. This particular one, which has a 4.6-star average rating from 13,515 reviews on Amazon, is ideal for spot treating immediately after a spill happens — and you can use it on both a carpet and upholstered surfaces, which includes sofas. It also helps wick odors, so it’s also great for pet owners.
I also included this steam cleaner in our mattress cleaning roundup because it’s extremely thorough and has a 4.5-star average rating from 22,889 reviews on Amazon. You can use it to clean hardwood floors and tile, using the extension wands and included microfiber cloths, but it’s also suitable for cleaning upholstered surfaces. It comes with a triangular brush attachment that you cover with the cloth before hovering it over your sofa to clean and deodorize it. It also holds more than 6 cups of water, so you won’t be refiling it too often.
If you have a leather sofa, it’s important to use a specialized cleaner for it, since it’s prone to warping, mold growth and fading, according to experts we spoke to in our guide on how to care for leather. Use a leather conditioner like this one, which cleans and moisturizes it without damaging it by using too much water. Aside from a sofa though, you can use this product, which has a 4.1-star average rating from 61,526 reviews on Amazon, on leather shoes and accessories, according to the brand.
This item combines a cleaning spray and a gentle upholstery cleaning brush. The end has a removable cap with bristles for removing the debris from carpets and upholstery, and the cleaning solution that dispenses from it gets rid of odors and stains. This spray is particularly good for keeping in your car for quick cleaning jobs, according to the brand, especially since it’s handheld. It also has a 4.3-star average rating from 3,436 reviews on Amazon.
Another good option for keeping in the car, this handheld spray is ideal for cleaning food and drink stains on upholstered surfaces and furniture. It is also good for spot treating stains from grass, mud and ink from pens and markers, including ones on clothing according to the brand. It has a 4-star average rating from 140 reviews on Amazon and comes with three bottles.
While many couches are built in similar ways, they’re usually upholstered with some sort of synthetic or natural fabric, such as cotton. Alternatively, many couches come upholstered with either genuine or faux leather. The type of fabric the couch is covered in greatly influences how to clean it without damaging it.
Always read the care instructions that come with your couch before using anything beyond water and mild detergent. Plus, consider testing a small inconspicuous area of your couch and waiting until the next day, before using a product on the entire couch, says Rodriguez.
You can use a fabric or upholstery cleaning spray and a soft cleaning cloth to clean and deodorize a fabric couch. You can also use mild dish soap mixed with water — add it to a spray bottle or dampen a microfiber cloth with the mixture (be sure to wring out as much excess water as possible before using it to clean your couch). For a more thorough cleaning, use an upholstery cleaning appliance or steam cleaner.
Set aside some time every few months to do an overall clean, but sudden accidental stains are best dealt with and spot-treated immediately to prevent them from becoming embedded. “You should condition and clean the entire couch every few months and remove stains as you see them come up,” says Dulude.
Both Rodriguez and Dulude said that you should definitely never use harsh chemicals, such as bleach, bleach diluted with water or bleach-based cleaning products to clean a couch, as they can discolor the upholstery.
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select. I regularly write stories on cleaning advice appliances with input from cleaning professionals. I used my own knowledge and experience as well as the guidance from our experts to recommend highly rated products for cleaning couches for this story.
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