DIY Homemade Upholstery Cleaning Solution

Sometimes we make life way more complicated than it has to be. In addition to our own contributions to needlessly complicating our lives, is the ever growing billion dollar cleaning product industry that bombards us with a continuum of “new & improved” cleaning solutions, cleverly advertised in all media, and the markets filled with all those choices. While choice is a good thing, some of us can become a little (or very) overwhelmed. Fear not, because in this case, you can bypass the whole home cleaning products isle altogether! I am going to share with you one simple, safe, and inexpensive way to clean your upholstery. It is a homemade solution that has been used by my family for generations.

First, allow me to give you some tips on keeping your upholstery clean. Dirt and dust accumulate on upholstery just as it does on rugs. Vacuuming the upholstery and upholstered furniture with brush attachments is an excellent way to remove dust, dirt, hair, dead skin cells, and dust mites. You should aim to do this once a week.

Another way to remove some of the dust and hair from your upholstery/upholstered furniture when you do not have the time to vacuum is to “brush” your furniture with a bristled brush. I have found that using a hair brush works well for this task. I bought one from a dollar store and keep it with my cleaning aids. It is easy to clean and maintain and does exactly what I need it to do. Use medium pressured strokes. Clean the brush after each cleaning session.

Quick wipings with an old clean wash cloth can help remove dirt and hair. Lightly wet the cloth. Ring it before using the cloth on the upholstery/upholstered furniture. Wipe the area down, paying extra attention to arm rests and head covers, as these areas will tend to be the most soiled. Allow to air dry by using a fan in the room and/or by opening a window.

The Only Cleaning Solution You Will Ever Need to Clean Upholstery

To Make This Homemade Safe Solution You Will Need:

2 1/4 cups of hot water (from the tap)

�¼ cup of liquid dish detergent

1 mixing container

1 large mixing spoon or hand mixer

2 cleaning cloths (old clean wash cloths are fine)

1 towel (Designate an old clean towel as your “furniture cleaning towel”. Wash and reuse it for next time.)

1 soft bristled brush

1 medium sized bucket/container filled with warm water (keep this water separate from the mixture)

Directions:

1. Mix the 2 1/4 cups of hot tap water and �¼ cup of dish detergent in a mixing container. Using a large spoon or hand mixer, whip the mixture. You will know it is ready when you see a few dry suds.

2. Apply the mixture to the upholstery/upholstered furniture by dipping a cloth into the sudsy mixture and rubbing it onto the furniture.

3. Lightly scrub problem areas with a soft bristled brush after the mixture has been applied.

4. Wipe away any dirty suds with a clean damp cloth. Ring out the cloth and dip it into the bowl of clean water and continue cleaning the furniture.

5. Repeat if need be and make sure that you continue to rinse and ring out the soiled cloth before continuing the process.

6. Give the entire area one last wipe down with a clean wet cloth.

7. Using a dry clean towel, blot and wipe upholstery/upholstered furniture dry.

8. Open a window and/or turn on a fan to speed up the drying process.

I want to give you a quick tip for maintaining your upholstered furniture. For upholstered chairs, I use soft baby blankets that I purchased from the dollar store. I place them on top of the furniture, covering the seating area. My cats love sleeping on them and I change them every two days to keep the area clean. To maintain sofas and loveseats, try using blankets. I found ones that give the room extra color at A.C. Moore and The Christmas Tree Store. They were reasonably priced and I wash them once a week. They really help keep the furniture looking clean. I always remove them before guests arrive. This, along with the tips I mentioned — and my family’s homemade cleaning solution, has helped me maintain the same furniture for over ten years!