How to Restore the Look of Your Sofa: A Detailed Guide

Chances are, you won’t find a living room that looks like another. That’s only natural, given that people usually have different tastes.

However, there’s usually one common factor in each seating area: The sofa takes centre stage. That’s why it’s always frustrating when it gets stained and smelly.

We can’t have that, can we? It’s time for a cleanup. How should you approach it?

That’s what this post is for. We’ll show you how to restore the look of your sofa yourself, bringing back its original glamour, without the need to book an upholstery cleaning service. 

Understand Your Sofa

All sofas aren’t born equal. Each one comes in a different material, fabric, design, etc. So, there isn’t one way to restore a sofa to its original look.

The first step you want to take is to identify your sofa’s fabric. Is it leather, cotton, velvet, or polyester? You’ll usually find that information on the bill or the tag.

If you can’t, you can always search for your model online and read the product description.

• X: You should only clean your sofa through vacuuming and light brushing.
• S: You can only use water-free, non-diluted solvents like dry-cleaning fluids.
• W: Focus on water-based detergents, like water and soap or fabric sofa cleaners.
• WS: You can use either dry solvents or water-based detergents, whether it’s gentle detergents or upholstery shampoos.  

Start Cleaning Your Upholstery Fabric

Now, you’ve done all the necessary prework and are ready to go over every inch of your couch to eliminate all the stains you come across.

1. Dusting

You don’t want to start deep cleaning right away. Remember, sofas collect dust, crumbs, germs, and grime all the time.

Dropping the detergent in the beginning is a nice way to get muddy stains. So, start by dusting your sofa and removing all the crumbs/dust with a stiff brush.

2. Picking the Lint

You’d be surprised how many people skip this step. Lint refers to the tiny threads of clothes your furniture collects over the years. You can’t just leave them there. They take away from the appeal of your sofa.

You’re probably thinking: “That’s easy. I can’t just remove them with my vacuum cleaner.” Well, sometimes, they’re too small for vacuums to catch. You’ll have to find another way.

We can’t recommend a lint roller enough. As the name suggests, it’s a roller that you can use to catch the hair and tiny thread particles on your couch. It’s simple but effective.

3. Removing the Odours

Most people think cleaning furniture only means eliminating the stains, but that’s not all there’s to it. An unclean sofa will also emit unpleasant scents.

Unless you think your guests will enjoy smelling pizza when they sit on your couch, we recommend removing that smell.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to do that. You can go with the classic baking soda method. All you have to do is sprinkle baking soda on your fabric and scrub it with a brush.

Let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then vacuum it. Not only will it remove stains, but it’ll also eliminate all unwanted odours.

4. Cleaning the Covers

We recommend starting your cleaning process with the covers of your sofa’s cushions, as they’re usually easy to clean. If they’re removable, zip them off and throw them in the washing machine.

Use hot water and dry them off in the sun. Avoid using the dryer because it might cause the fabric to shrink. If your covers aren’t removable, you can clean them along with the sofa.

5. Cleaning the Sofa

Let’s get to the deep cleaning part, and we’ll start with the detergent. Add 1 tbsp white vinegar and 1 tsp baking soda to 1 cup of warm water.

Blend all the components together, then dab a piece of cloth in it and swipe the sofa. If it’s not that dirty, you can just dap the cloth in the stained spots.

Restore Your Leather

Leather is a tricky material to clean. One small mistake can ruin your sofa forever. That means you want to do proper research and be careful every step of the way.

So, how do you restore a leather sofa to its original glamour? Simple! You start with the same first step as a fabric sofa. Dust all the crumbs and dirt to avoid making muddy stains.

Cleaning the Sofa

At this stage, you have two options: The easy one is to wipe the couch with a dry cloth. It won’t restore its look 100%, but it’ll be close.

The second option is to dab your cloth in a vinegar-water solution, wipe your couch, then dry it with a clean piece of cloth. It’s pretty much the same amount of work but for better results.

Here’s a not-so-fun fact: You don’t need to drop food on your leather sofa to leave a stain. A couple of drops of water are enough to leave a mark.

You can’t clean that the same way you clean food stains, but the fix is still pretty simple. All you have to do is blend the stain with the rest of the couch until it fades away.

Grab a white piece of soft cloth, damp it in water, and start blending from the center of the stain outwards. Of course, you want to be gentle and switch to the dry side of the cloth as you move outwards.

Waxing the Sofa

You think you’re an expert in restoring leather now? Wrong! There’s still one more trick you need to learn.

If you’ve ever used leather before, you know it can dry out and start to crack over time, losing its luxurious look.

Don’t worry. You can fix that by applying shoe polish or mink oil on your sofa. These can replenish the leather’s natural oils, restoring its natural shine.

Make sure to choose a color that resembles your sofa’s, apply a tiny bit of polish to your cloth, rub gently, and use a soap spray to remove visible marks.

Final Thoughts 

Now you know how to restore the look of your sofa. It’s not rocket science. It’s all about understanding your materials, the necessary cleaners to use, and the right techniques to apply them.