The sofa is one of the central pieces of any home. We spend a lot of time there with our family and friends, whether it’s watching a favorite movie or TV show, grabbing a snack while we chat, or simply taking a long-awaited nap to recharge our batteries and continue our everyday life.
Constant use and the passage of time are its worst enemies, since it is an object that can accumulate a lot of dirt, stains and dust if we do not carry out proper maintenance and cleaning. This could result in rapid deterioration of the fabric, which could force us to buy a new one sooner than expected.
However, there are effective home hacks that can help us slow down the process of wear and tear on our sofa. Some are already well known, but we will tell you about others that you may not yet know. So get to work to extend the life of this important item.
Use the vacuum cleaner
Even though our eyesight is sometimes not able to perceive dust particles, we can assure you that your sofa is full of them. To keep it clean and free from any type of associated allergens, one of the main tips to apply is to use the vacuum cleaner regularly.
It is important to use a brush type attachment, but make sure it has soft bristles to avoid damaging the fabric. This will help you remove dust and food debris before it sets in hard.
Use of products yes, but with caution
There are countless cleaning products on the market today that promise to remove any type of stain or dirt. However, these can be very aggressive depending on the fabric with which our sofa is covered.
To avoid damaging it, we recommend that you do a small test. To do this, select a small padded area, if possible hidden, and observe the reaction of the product with the fabric, to see if any type of discoloration or burning occurs.
In addition, if your sofa has specific and stubborn stains, such as those from chocolate, wine or any type of sauce, you must use specific maintenance products. We already know that removing them can be quite a challenge, even when you think it’s impossible, but with patience and using the right formulas, you’ll get rid of these uncomfortable stains quickly.
Make your own cleaner
At other times, these stains may be much easier to remove. If you don’t want to get a commercial product, you can also get to work and make your own homemade solution with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. We offer you several alternatives here.
- Water, detergent, alcohol and lemon: mix half a glass of lukewarm water and another half of alcohol. Then add a tablespoon of mild detergent and the juice of half a lemon.
- Water, baking soda and vinegar: to make this mixture you will need a liter of lukewarm water, a tablespoon of baking soda and a glass of vinegar.
- Hydrogen peroxide: For this recipe, you need to mix equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide.
- Lemon and salt: squeeze the juice of three lemons and mix them with a small handful of salt. This formula is ideal for fighting grease stains.
Other tips to consider
It’s important to never overdo it when applying liquid to the siding, as this can damage the foam inside and encourage mold growth. In this sense, remember that it is essential to let the sofa dry well, either outside and with a fan pointed directly at the damp area.
Also keep in mind that excessive rubbing will not help remove the stain, but will lead to irreversible wear and damage to the fabric fibers. Instead, use gentle circular motions when cleaning, and we recommend doing so with a soft-bristled cloth or brush.
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