- 1). Protect the fabric with a product such as Scotchguard. This can help prevent stains from setting into the fabric of your upholstery and save you lots of time. As soon as you bring a piece of furniture home, if it hasn't been treated at the store, coat it thoroughly in a protective product (do this outside if possible) and let dry before bringing into your house for use.
- 2). Keep stain remedies on hand. Spills are bound to occur, but if you are prepared you can deal with them quickly and keep them from becoming permanent. Have an all-purpose stain treatment on hand, such as Spot Shot or All. Keep baking soda on hand to treat acidic stains. Keep white vinegar to use on stains caused by coffee, tea, fruit, or grass. And have a good laundry pre-treatment product on hand for use on other stains.
- 3). Treat stains as soon as possible with the appropriate treatment.
- 4). Soak up any excess moisture with dry paper towels or a dry kitchen towel. Pick any crumbs off of the surface of the stain carefully, so as not to add more to the stained area.
- 5). Treat the fabric with the appropriate stain remover. Generally, you will apply the stain remover, let it sit for a few minutes, and then gently blot (do not rub) the area with a damp cloth. Check the instructions for each specific treatment for any possible differentiation from this general method.
- 6). Use a steam cleaner for good, all-over cleaning. You can usually steam clean once or twice a year and keep your upholstery looking like new for a long time. If you do not own a steam cleaner, check your local grocery or rental store and rent one. The cost is usually under $50, sometimes much less, and the process itself will only take about an hour for a large chair or loveseat. Remove all the cushions from your furniture and lay them out on a tarp or dropcloth. Set up the steam cleaner as per the instructions, and use it on the upholstered fabric of the furniture. Then steam clean the cushions on both sides, paying special attention to the corners and front edges that receive a lot of wear.
- 7). Let all the cushions dry completely before replacing them on the furniture.
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