With a combination of household items, it is possible to create cleaners to maintain upholstery, restore shine, and even remove tough stains. We teach you how to prepare them.
The furniture, the walls, the floor and the glasses are stained. This is an unavoidable fact in the daily use of all sectors of the home. General cleanings allow you to keep the elements in good condition, but there are stains that require special treatment. Especially when it comes to textiles. Making a homemade upholstery cleaner is possible with materials that are often present in the cleaning drawer or in the medicine cabinet.
While there are commercial options, the chemical formulas of elaboration may contain undesirable elements for the different fabrics or dangerous for human contact. In addition, it is important to know what the fiber of each upholstery is: not all of them are prepared for the same sanitization methods.
Discover the easiest ways to make a homemade upholstery cleaner and remove food, ink or pet stains.
Know the fabrics to make an adapted homemade upholstery cleaner
The best way to clean upholstery is knowing which products are suitable to apply on your surface and which ones should be avoided. This information is explicit on the fabric itself. There is usually a letter mark on the underside of the cushions or upholstered piece.
In cases where it is not found, you have to search the internet according to the upholstery model. On the other hand, a test can be carried out in an inconspicuous area to assess how it reacts to water or other solvents.
Choose a cushion hem and spray with the product. Let dry and, if there are no marks, continue with the process.
The indications on the upholstery are marked with one or two letters:
- W. This letter means it can be sanitized with water-based cleaners. These are the simplest fibers to work with, on which all formulas are suitable.
- S. Cleaning should be done with dry solvents. That is, they are not formulated with a water base. The fibers do not react well to this liquid.
- WS o SO. In these cases it is possible to apply both water-based products and dry cleaning solvents.
- X. A rare mark, but decisive. It suggests that the product is not washable, so no formula should be applied and it is advisable to leave cleaning to a professional.
How to make a homemade upholstery cleaner?
Homemade cleaners allow you to create solutions adapted to each type of fiber or to the difficulty of the stain. In addition, they avoid the use of industrial products, in which the determination of their components and the manufacturing method can be complex.
According to a study by the Spanish Association of Toxicology, they can be dangerous if they are confused with drinkable liquids. Therefore, it is always advisable to label each container to avoid poisoning.
Materials needed to make a homemade upholstery cleaner
There are many ways to make upholstery cleaners at home. The treatment of leather is not the same as that of microfiber.
Likewise, stains generated by pets are not cleaned in the same way as those produced by ink or food. For all cases, it is convenient to have the following materials:
- Brush.
- Vacuum cleaner.
- Dry towels.
- Olive oil.
- Castile soap.
- Carbonated water.
- Flake soap.
- Isopropyl alcohol.
- Warm or hot water.
- Sodium bicarbonate.
- Dish detergent.
- Sprayer or sprayer.
- Distilled white vinegar.
- Lemon essential oil.
- Microfiber cloth to moisten.
Making a General Home Upholstery Cleaner
An effective formula for any textile and any stain is the one based on soap foam. If you don’t have time to evaluate a specific solution, mix five tablespoons of flake soap with a pint of hot water. Allow to cool and then beat until a lot of foam is generated.
Take a brush and apply the foam on the upholstery. It is important that the bubbles and foam are taken, without the liquid. Rub on the stain and then remove the excess with a damp cloth.
microfiber upholstery
For microfiber or synthetic leather specimens a foaming solution that uses less liquid is also recommended. The first step is to sanitize the area, vacuuming to remove as much dust and dirt as possible. This extends to any upholstered surface.
Place half a liter of warm water in a container and this time mix with five large tablespoons of dish detergent. Whipping will cause the same frothy effect, so repeat the action of bubbling with a brush and rubbing over the upholstery.
Clean the brush with clean water and refill it with foam as many times as necessary. Finally, remove the excess with a damp microfiber cloth and let it dry.
Formula for leather upholstery
In this case, different products must be used, since it is a specific material. In general, leather upholstery reacts well with distilled white vinegar.
Therefore, six large tablespoons should be mixed with half a cup of olive oil. It is advisable to make the formula in a spray container.
In this way, after mixing well, the formula is sprayed on the leather in specific sectors. Apply the product and then wipe with a dry microfiber cloth. Repeat the action throughout the upholstery.
Making a homemade upholstery cleaner for cars
A lot of time is spent in the car. Some people even transport pets or eat in it.
This can cause stains similar to home upholstery. However, there is a specific blend to treat grime on carpets and headliners, seats, and throughout the vehicle.
It should be noted that it is not valid for leather upholstery. For them, the solution elaborated in the previous point is recommended. In this case, you have to mix five tablespoons of vinegar, two of dish detergent and half a cup of carbonated water.
Optionally, add drops of essential oil with the favorite fragrance to improve the internal smell of the car. Mix and spray with spray on all upholstery.
Leave to act for five minutes and then spray with water. Finish with a vacuum session that absorbs the remains of dirt and moisture.
Fabric and synthetic leather upholstery cleaner
Many pieces of furniture come with textiles made of faux leather, linen, cotton, vinyl, or a mixture of fibers. For these cases, it is convenient to apply half a cup of distilled white vinegar, liquid Castile soap and warm water.
Clean beforehand with a vacuum cleaner and, after mixing the mixture in the sprayer, spray the upholstery from top to bottom. Finish with a slightly damp microfiber cloth and allow to dry.
solution with propanol
The upholstery that comes with the letter “S” in its cleaning code have a special treatment. For them, use two cups of isopropyl alcohol or propanol poured into a sprayer.
Always apply to upholstery with the precaution of not having a fire or nearby ventilation, since in this case you are working with a flammable element.
Spray a little on each sector of the upholstery and rub gently with a soft bristle brush. Clean it with water, but remove as much as possible so as not to wet the surface so much. Allow to dry for a few minutes and then vacuum.
Making a Homemade Upholstery Cleaner for Tough Stains
There are some stains that are very harmful to upholstery. For example, pet urine.
If an event of these characteristics occurred, it is important to remove it as soon as possible, to prevent it from penetrating the fabric. The first thing is to dry as much as possible, either with dry cloths or with a vacuum cleaner, without pressing or expanding the stain.
Then, dilute two tablespoons of vinegar in half a cup of water and moisten the area. After a few seconds, dry it again.
Baking soda can also be placed, as it neutralizes the acid. For ink stains, it is recommended to spray a mixture of propanol and white vinegar, and then rub with a sponge.
If you have upholstery with the letter “X” or there are stains that are very difficult to remove, it is recommended to go to a professional in the field.
You might be interested…