Couches come in a variety of materials, from cotton upholstery to leather. Many of these materials are difficult to clean with normal household cleansers, which often leave spots or marks behind. Professional cleaners often charge fees for couch cleaning that may not be budget friendly. Thankfully, with the use of dry cleaning solutions and other cleansers, you can clean your couch without the help of a professional cleaning company. Locate the fabric tag on your couch to determine what material it is made of. Most couch manufacturers use letter codes to indicate how to clean the furniture. A "W" means that you can clean your couch with a water-based detergent. An "S" indicates that it needs to be dry cleaned or cleaned with a water-free detergent. "WS" means that it can be cleaned with a water-based cleaner or dry cleaned. "X" indicates that it should be cleaned only by vacuuming or hiring a professional to dry clean it. "O" indicates that it is organic material made from natural fibers and should be washed in cold water Purchase the correct type of cleaner for your couch, such as leather cleaner and conditioner, upholstery dry cleaner solution, or water-based upholstery detergent.

Brush off any caked-on dirt from your couch with a bristle brush. Take note of the areas on the couch that are the dirtiest, such as the headrest or armrests, as they might require more attention. Remove surface debris, such as dust, pet hair, dirt and food crumbs, from the couch with a vacuum and an upholstery brush attachment. Take off the cushions and thoroughly vacuum the seat and remove crumbs or dirt from the corners of the couch. Have a helper assist you with turning the couch over. Vacuum the bottom of the couch to remove any dirt. "W" or "WS" Upholstery Add 3 ounces of carpet/upholstery detergent and water to the clean solution tank of the steam vacuum. Spot test by dipping a cloth into the solution and rubbing it on the couch in a small, out-of-the-way area that is not easily seen. Check the spot after 10 minutes and press paper towel onto it to check for the dye of the fabric coming off onto the paper towel, which is called color bleeding. If the colors do not bleed or the fabric itself does not change color, it is safe to clean it with the steam vacuum.

Attach the stair/upholstery nozzle, hose and solution tube to the recovery tank of the steam vacuum according to the steam vacuum's instructions. easiest way to clean a camper awningTurn on the steam vacuum. best vacuum cleaner affordablePush the nozzle against the upholstery fabric and pull the solution trigger. miele vacuum cleaner best pricesHold the trigger and slowly move the nozzle over the fabric toward you. air duct cleaning cablesOverlap the passes you make with the nozzle over the fabric, as this will prevent streaking in the couch fabric. best cleaner for waxed hardwood floors

Run the nozzle over the fabric without pressing the trigger to remove the wet detergent solution from the fabric. best price for shark vacuum cleanerHold the nozzle 1/2 inch above the upholstery at a corner of the couch. Pull the solution trigger to apply it and vacuum it up with the nozzle. Clean extremely dirty areas by criss-crossing the nozzle strokes over the fabric in a basket-weaving pattern. Make no more than two passes per area of the fabric to prevent color fading. Open the windows near your couch and place a small box fan in a window and turn it on to ventilate the area. Spot test the dry cleaning solvent to ensure that it won't bleach or discolor the fabric by spraying it on a small out of the way area on the couch that isn't readily noticeable. Spread the dry cleaning solvent out in an even layer on the couch with a wet sponge. Wait one hour for the cleaner to dry and vacuum it up.

If the color does not change, it is safe to use on the rest of the couch. Apply the dry cleaning solvent to a white cloth and blot or touch the solvent to the upholstery on the couch with the cloth. Continue blotting to remove dirt and stains. Wet a clean cloth and press it onto the fabric to remove the dry cleaning solvent. Add 1/4 teaspoon of leather cleaner to 1 quart distilled water and mix well to form suds. Wet a cleaning cloth with the soapy water and wring it out. Wipe down the leather couch in small sections with the wet cleaning cloth. Dip another cleaning cloth into the distilled water--not the leather cleaner and distilled water solution--and wipe down the area you just cleaned to remove the soap. Continue to wash the leather couch in small sections with the soapy cleaning cloth and the cleaning cloth to ensure that you remove the soap from the leather as you work. Dry the wet areas with a clean, dry cloth. Place a dime-size dab of leather protector and conditioner on a cleaning cloth and rub it onto a small section of the leather couch.

Add the leather protector and conditioner to the rest of the leather couch in the same manner. This will keep the leather supple and soft to the touch. Things You Will Need Bristle brush Vacuum with upholstery brush attachment Helper Steam vacuum with stair/upholstery nozzle Carpet/upholstery detergent for steam vacuum 4 cleaning cloths Paper towel Small box fan Dry cleaning solvent Leather cleaner Distilled water Warning References Stain Removal 101: Dry Cleaning Solvent Uses For Stain RemovalHoover: Hoover SteamVacDan's Upholstery: AftercareCrate and Barrel: Upholstery: Care and Glossary Photo Credits Adrián González de la Peña/Demand Media Suggest a Correction /smart-living/How-Clean-Natural-Fabric-Couch-33772791 on this server. Your technical support key is: 2e89-e860-1756-6707 If you are unable to fix the problem yourself, please contact and be sure to provide the technical support key shown above.Let's say that you have one of those couches that can be taken apart.

The cushions are not attached and the covers zip off. If you feel like it is time to wash those covers, simply take them off the foam or batting cushion and wash them in your washing machine with regular detergent. The type of cycle and water temperature you will use will depend on the material your couch is made of. Machine washing and spot treatment should take care of minor stains and general dinginess. Perhaps you have a couch that doesn't have removable cushions. If the upholstery is a little dirty or spotted you can get a rag and some carpet or upholstery cleaner and scrub the dirt out. If the couch has stains that are too big for just a rag and some scrubbing, you can rent an upholstery cleaning vacuum. Most vacuums are able to shampoo the upholstery without getting it too wet. Moving on to the more difficult situations, let's suppose that you have a soggy, smelly problem on your couch cushion. Food, drinks, and urine can seep beyond the cover and into the actual cushion.

If your cushion is removable and small enough you can remove and machine-wash the cover and then machine-wash the actual cushion. Only try this if you can skip or disable the agitation step in your machine washing cycle. You will want the cushion to just soak in soapy water, then rinse, then spin. The agitator in a washing machine can shred a foam or batting cushion. If you are dealing with urine, add up to a cup of vinegar to the wash to remove the smell. You can also use store-bought products specially designed to remove pet and kid urine. If your cushion is removable but too large to fit in the washer, you can try washing it in a bathtub or outside. To do this wet the cushion all the way through. Work in the soap (clothing detergent or deodorizing product of your choice) and let the cushion soak in the soapy water for a while. The dirtier it is, the longer you will want it to soak. Once again, if you are trying to remove the smell of urine, use a cup of vinegar in the water or the prescribed amount of odor lifting products.

If you are working in a bathtub, use the shower nozzle to rinse out the cushion. If you are working outside, try using the hose. You will want to soak the cushion and then squeeze it out by punching it down or standing on it. Repeat the soaking and squeezing process until the water runs clear of suds. If you have a big, smelly stain that is penetrating the cover and cushion and you can't remove your couch cushion you will have to get a little creative in your cleaning. Because the cause of the smell is deep in the cushion you will have to find some way of getting to it. If you can, you may want to make an inconspicuous cut in the cushion that is large enough to remove the foam. From there you can clean the cushion then put it back in and sew up the cut. If you're worried about the problem being repeated (example, you have children or pets) you may want to sew in a zipper so you can remove the cushion in the future. Once you have washed and rinsed your couch cushion you will have to dry it completely before putting it back in the couch.

A common drying method is wringing out as much water as possible and then setting the cushion out in the sun to air dry. Another option is to wring out the water until the cushion is damp and then set it in front of a heater or use a hair dryer to finish the job. Be careful to not create a fire hazard while doing this. Don't leave focused, continuous heat on the cushion for to long, especially if it is foam. If the cushion is being stubborn and refusing to dry you can try a more active method. Get a large batch of clean, dry towels. Place one under the cushion and another on top. Squish the cushion by lying or standing on it. Replace the towels when they get too wet to absorb more water. Repeat the process until the cushion is damp enough to dry with a heater or in the air. Your final step is to prepare for the future. If you want to waterproof the foam or batting in your cushions, put it in a plastic bag fitted to its size, then put the cover over it. A plastic bag also comes in useful if you are trying to fit foam back in its cover.