How To Make Homemade Upholstery Cleaner?

Does your upholstery look worn out and stained and require good cleaning? Upholstery fabrics can attract and accumulate dust particles, smoke, pollutants, house mites, and bacteria that get deeply embedded in the material over time. This is dangerous because these allergens and toxic materials can get released into the air when you sit on your upholstery and cause respiratory problems and infections.  Thus, it is important to clean your upholstery regularly to remove stains and allergens and keep your sofas, chairs and furniture fabrics looking fresh and new. For a deeper cleaning of your upholstery, like at the end of your tenancy, hiring vacate cleaning Melbourne professionals to scrub all the tough stains out is best. But for more regular daily cleaning, you should use the below steps to make your homemade upholstery cleaner using natural ingredients.  How To Make Homemade Upholstery Cleaner 

Check The Tag To See What Cleaning Solutions Will Work

The first thing that vacate cleaning services in Melbourne recommend doing when making your own upholstery cleaner is to check the fabric tag that is generally located under the cushion or in the corner. This tag has four codes that will tell you what kind of cleaning solution will work on your fabric so you can pick the right ingredients for your homemade cleaner. These are the four codes you need to look for:

• W- Make a water-based homemade cleaning solution
• S- Make a dry homemade cleaning solution
• WS- Make a water or dry-based homemade cleaning solution
• X- Let professionals handle this kind of fabric material

Tip: Here are some useful solutions to prepare an all-purpose DIY cleaner for your whole home.

Vacuum Your Upholstery Thoroughly To Remove Dirt

Once you identify the fabric tag, you can start making your homemade cleaning solution. But first, it is important to vacuum the surfaces of your upholstery thoroughly to remove loose dirt and debris as well as any allergens and household dust mites. Start by taking off all cushions and use the brush attachment of the vacuum to remove dust from underneath the cushions, the sides and arms, and the top and then vacuum the cushions and place them back.

Make Your Homemade Water-Based Upholstery Cleaner

Once you have removed the loose dust and dirt, you can start making water-based upholstery cleaners if your fabrics have the tag W or WS. Vacate cleaners in Melbourne recommend using the following natural solutions for this cleaner:

• ½ cup of rubbing alcohol- To remove tough pen and ink stains
• ½ cup of white vinegar- The acetic acid weakens dirt and removes foul odours
• 1 cup of water

Once you have mixed all these ingredients in a spray bottle, you should test this on the side of a cushion to ensure it does not fade or discolour your upholstery material. If it works well, spray this solution all over your upholstery but do not oversaturate the surfaces as it could attract mould and dampness. Leave the solution for ten minutes, use a soft-bristled brush to scrub the solution in circular motions, and then dry the area with a clean cloth.

Use Baking Soda For Dry Homemade Cleaning Solutions

If your fabric tag has an S or WS code, you should use dry cleaning solutions and pastes. To make this solution, you will need to use the following:

• ½ cup of baking soda
• ½ cup of cornstarch

Mix these ingredients in a bowl until it turns into a thick paste, and then apply this with a brush on your upholstery in soft, circular motions. Leave this paste on for half an hour so the abrasive baking soda can soak up any acidic stains like grease and soil, and the cornstarch can absorb any oils and moisture from your upholstery. Once the paste has dried, use the soft brush attachment on your vacuum to remove the paste. Tip: You can also use baking soda to remove stains from your bathtub.

Spray Hydrogen Peroxide To Brighten Up Your Upholstery

Once you have used the above solutions to clean your upholstery, you can brighten up your fabrics using hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural alternative to bleach and helps brighten and whiten fabrics without releasing toxic fumes. However, testing this solution on the side of your cushion is still a good idea to see whether it will damage the material. To make this brightening solution, vacate cleaners in Melbourne suggest adding 1 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide and ½ tablespoon of dish soap in a spray bottle. Spray the area with this solution and then use a soft brush to rub this into the upholstery with circular motions. Remove the solution with a vacuum and repeat if needed. Tip:  You can also use Hydrogen peroxide to remove stains from other areas of your home using the following tips.

Conclusion

Thus, you need first to see and identify what fabric your upholstery is made of by looking at the tag, and then accordingly, you can make a water-based or dry homemade cleaning solution. But it is important to always test these cleaners on a small part of your upholstery before cleaning to ensure it does not damage the fabric.