A good sofa cleaner can make your couch look as good as new. And as you can imagine, choosing the right type of cleaner for your couch is as important as knowing how to use it.
In this handy guide, we’ll help you to pick the right sofa cleaner for your home so you can extend the life of your furniture.
How to Get the Best Results From Your Sofa Cleaner
The most important aspect of cleaning a sofa is to be sure that the fabric can tolerate the cleaning product you choose. So, make sure to check the label for care instructions before you begin. As a general rule, most products are safe to use on synthetic fabrics, but natural fabrics may need special care.
Generally, you should:
- First, read any instructions or tips that come with the sofa cleaner
- Vacuum the sofa before cleaning
- Use the special tools that come with the machine for a thorough clean
- Clean your upholstery regularly
Types of Sofa Cleaners
There’s a cleaning solution for every situation. In addition to sofa cleaners that are portable and cleaners that make light work of pet hair, you can choose between:
- Upholstery-cleaning machines
- Spray-on sofa cleaners that remove stains and odors
- Leather upholstery cleaning fluid
Upholstery Cleaning Machines
A good place to start with an overall machine is the Hoover Cleanslate Plus Carpet & Upholstery Spot Cleaner with Pet Kit. It’s good for “life-size spots and stains” as Hoover describes them. Its suction function is powerful enough to permanently remove stubborn stains from mud and red wine.
This machine also comes with useful tools, including:
- A WidePath Tool with a 7-in width to help clean large areas
- A TightSpot Tool that you use for smaller spaces that are hard to reach
- A Hose Rinse Tool to flush any residual dirt from the machine
If you’d like to go for something a little more portable, another sofa cleaner option is the Bissell Little Green Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner. Don’t be misled by its name: it packs a powerful punch to clean sofas, not just carpets.
This compact machine offers powerful suction plus scrubbing to get rid of stubborn stains. Its combination of a 5-ft hose and a Spraying Crevice Tool makes it easy for you to clean areas that would otherwise be hard to reach.
This portable cleaner also comes with other useful tools, including:
- A Pet Stain tool
- A Tough Stain tool
- A trial-size Pet Pro OXY Urine Eliminator
Spray-On Sofa Upholstery Cleaner Options
Enzyme-based spray cleaners discourage pets from returning to previous accident areas as they remove deep-seated stains and residue.
To get the best out of enzyme-based cleaners, use the product to get rid of as much of the stain as possible and then cover the cleaned area with a damp cloth for 12-72 hours. This gives the enzymes the time they need to “eat away” at all the dirt particles.
If this is the type of sofa cleaner you need at home, consider the Bissell Professional Pet Stain and Odor Removing Formula, which is both an upholstery and carpet cleaner. It’s made for organic stains such as accidents involving pets and small children. Plus, it’s also good for greasy spills from food or motor oil.
You can also use this machine to get rid of cooking smells and odors caused by:
- Pets
- Mildew
- Mold
- Smoke
Say you’ve got pets at home and need a simple but strong spray cleaner for your furniture. Look no further than Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator. This option is a professional-strength enzyme-based cleaner for upholstery and carpets featuring a pleasant fragrance.
This sofa cleaner is chlorine-free and color safe. Like other spray cleaning products, you can use it on all surfaces inhabited by pets, such as kennels and pet bedding. Luckily, it’s equally useful for cleaning up children’s accidents and spills.
Choose a Special Sofa Cleaner for Leather Upholstery
If you have a leather couch, keeping it moisturized and conditioned is key. This is why you should go for a specialized leather cleaner like Weiman Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Spray. This spray cleans and conditions your leather sofa with natural oils and sunscreen to keep it looking like new and to help preventing cracking.
You can also use this spray sofa cleaner to treat stains on your leather couch from dirt, soil, and other materials.
Clean More Than Your Couch
Consider what else a sofa cleaner can do for you as many double up as carpet cleaners, too. This is especially useful if you have:
- Pets that spend time indoors
- Children (and their friends)
- Lots of traffic through your home
Don’t forget to consider your car seats, too. The right cleaner can help to keep your car fresh if you do the school run and ferry kids and dogs to the beach and favorite hiking spots. And speaking of dogs, you can also use couch cleaners on your pet beds to keep them smelling great.
The right sofa cleaner is a versatile tool that can help you keep your home fresh and clean no matter what you throw at it.
