How to clean a sofa: tips to make your life easier

The sofa is always everyone’s favourite place. And when we say everyone, we mean everyone: grown-ups, children, grandparents — and pets, of course! It’s a place to nap, jump, play and snack.

That’s why your sofa tends to get dirty quickly. Not to mention the dreaded stains! But there are some very simple ways to make your sofa look as good as new. That’s why, here at IKEA, we want to show you how to clean a fabric or leather sofa without too much hassle.

How to clean a leather and fabric sofa quickly 

There’s a huge range of sofas out there but remember that some have removable covers that can be conveniently washed in the washing machine. That’s the easiest, fastest and most painless way to clean a sofa.

But if you don’t have that kind of sofa, don’t worry, we’ll explain how to clean your upholstery.

Clean your fabric sofa in three steps

The whole family loves to chill out on your fabric sofa — and we bet your dog does too. Hair, drool and mud, right? You may not be aware of it, but this dirt is constantly building up on your sofa or armchair. Even if your pup looks like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. We forgive him!

Roll up your sleeves and clean your fabric sofa: 

1. Dust off the vacuum cleaner and vacuum your sofa, making sure that you cover every last inch.
   
   
2. Use a textile cleaner that removes all kinds of stains from sofa upholstery and cushions: wine, chocolate and tomato sauce are no match for these products. Remember: before you use it, test the fabric cleaner on a small area to see if it works and to check that it doesn’t change the colour of your fabric sofa.
   
   
3. Rub with a brush and leave it to dry.

That’s it, there’s nothing else you need to know about how to clean a fabric sofa. It’s as easy as that. If you want to give your sofa a makeover as well as cleaning it, choose one of our fabric sofa covers. You won’t recognise your old sofa — and neither will the dog! 

Remember, if you have more than one sofa cover, you can swap them over from time to time, not just when the seasons change but also while you’re cleaning them. This will make both covers last longer and keep your sofa looking new.

Your family will be delighted to get back to sitting on that nice clean fabric sofa — and start staining it all over again.

Clean a leather sofa in three steps

If you have a leather sofa, you should know that the upholstery will need a little tender loving care. Thankfully, cleaning a leather sofa is pretty easy.

To clean your leather sofa and leave it looking as good as new, follow these simple steps:

1. Remove dust from your leather sofa with a cloth.
   
   
2. Apply a leathercare set, which also contains a leather cream. It’s the most effective product — we swear!
   
   
3. Remove any remaining soap with a damp cloth, then apply the cream to moisturise the leather. This will prevent it from drying out and keep it looking new for longer. 
   
   

Now you know how to clean a fabric or leather sofa in just three steps, surely you’ll agree that cleaning a sofa is easier than you thought.