How To Steam Clean a Couch: A Professional’s ‘Secret’ Guide to Reviving Your Old Couch

A clean couch is essential for creating a cozy and inviting home yetver time, dirt, and grime build-up can dull the appearance of even the best-looking upholstery. You might have one of these dirty or old couches and wondering how to steam clean your sofa or couch. . Well this is the guide for you! Before we begin, let’s be clear. Steam cleaning isn’t using steam to clean! It is hot-water extraction. There are many words and jargon in carpet cleaning so be sure you understand what steam cleaning actually means! Here, we provide a step-by-step guide to help you maintain your fabric and microfiber couches. Cleaning your sofa is similar to cleaning your upholstered bed, but with a few changes. With this information, you'll be able to keep your couch looking and feeling like new for years to come.

Is Steam Cleaning an Effective Method for Couches?

Steam cleaning is highly effective for couches due to its ability to cleanse deep into upholstery fibers, eliminating dirt, allergens, and stubborn stains. The high water pressure and strong vacuum from hot water extraction  not only cleans the surface but can also kill bacteria and dust mites,  promoting a healthier living environment. Steam cleaning is the most commonly used way to clean couches by professionals.  

Prep for Steam Cleaning your Couch

Inspect Labels

Before you dive into cleaning your furniture, make sure to give it a good inspection first. Different surfaces like microfiber and leather may call for different furniture cleaning approaches based on how dirty they are. Professional furniture cleaners will know how to approach each type of fabric, textile or leather. 

But the most crucial thing to keep an eye out for is the label on your piece of furniture. It will have a letter that tells you what type of cleaner you can use without damaging the delicate upholstery.

Here are the symbols you might see:

“W” Symbol

This means to clean with water only. Microfiber, cotton, linen, and polyester commonly have this symbol. 

“S” Symbol:

This requires a solvent-based cleaner, also known as “dry cleaning.” Viscose, rayon, bamboo silk, and other synthetic or natural silks will have this label. This label makes is very difficult to clean, especially if you are attempting viscose couch cleaning. “WS” Symbol

The fabric will tolerate either water or solvent-based cleaners. These are the most versatile of fabrics. Polyester may have this label. 

“X” Symbol

Vacuum only. You might see this on incredibly delicate fabrics.

Continue Based on your Label

Once you have identified your label, continue in this guide based on what is allowed for your couch. There are some situations where a couch may have an “S” symbol, which is hard to give a thorough cleaning, but can be cleaned like a “W” or “WS” which provides a much deeper clean. Yet these determinations are for professional couch cleaners. 

Vacuum (W, S, WS, X)

The first step is to use a vacuum to get rid of any small or large pieces of dirt, dust, and other particles that might be hanging around.  If there is too much accumulation of dirt on the couch, and isn’t cleaned deeply, it may leave water stains on your couch, so be sure to vacuum thoroughly. 

Take your time and make sure you get into every nook and cranny. If your furniture has pillows, remove them and give each side a good vacuum. And don't forget the back of the furniture. Can’t get rid of the stuck-on crumbs? No worries! Give them a gentle rub with a damp cloth, and they should come loose quickly.

Tip: Use a variety off vacuum attachments for your needs. A crevice tool is great for getting into tight spots and the brush is good for loosening dirt. 

Purchase A Couch Steam Cleaner Machine

Instead of hiring a professional furniture steam cleaner who has industrial equipment, you will need to purchase a consumer-grade upholstery cleaner machine to perform this cleaning. Select a cleaner specifically designed for upholstery or fabric. 

You can also buy a steam cleaner that can also clean carpet. Could be a good choice if you also have carpeting in your home.  Otherwise, choose instead, a compact and portable steam cleaner for the couch equipped with an upholstery attachment and hose. This will enable you to clean every corner of your couch, including those hard-to-reach areas under the cushions easily. 

Prepare the Machine

The initial step involves adding water and a cleaner to the machine. The process may vary slightly depending on the model you have so be sure to check the instructions that accompany it. Typically, you will remove a container from the steam cleaner and fill it with a mixture of warm water and upholstery cleaner. 

Pre-Treat The Stains (W, WS)

If your favorite couch is stained with urine or pet stains, be sure to pre-treat them with an enzyme stain remover designed for urine. Urine is tough to get out sometimes so you may need to refer to our guide on urine stain and smell removal.. However, for oil-based stains or other non-organic spills, you may need special chemicals (POG solvent-based cleaners) to remove these stains.  A good all around cleaner if you are on a budget is OxyClean. Pre-treatment is necessary before proceeding with the steam cleaning process.

• Begin by giving them a quick spray with  the appropriate spot upholstery cleaner.
• Allow  the cleaner to sit for about 5 minutes, depending on the cleaner you use, to effectively break up the stain
• During this time, if you have a soft brush, you can brush the area to work the stain remover into the fabric. These brushes are great if you have a hand drill. Then, take a soft cloth and gently blot the area. This step will help in pulling out the stain and drying up the cleaner.

Pre-Condition The Fabric (W, WS)

When we sit on the sofa, the weight of our bodies and our small movements embed the dirt into the fabric, making it difficult to clean.  There are special products called soil emulsifiers – specialized products designed to effectively help loosen all the deep-seated dirt, dust, and grit within the upholstery that's been ground deep into the fabric. Treating your couch with an emulsifier significantly enhances the effectiveness of the steam cleaner. In addition, some of these products actually coat the fibers of the textile as you clean which prevent faster re-soiling. You add these products into the clean water tank of the steam cleaner. You can buy them at Home Depot.

• Simply spray the emulsifier on all the upholstery and pillows, allowing it to sit for a few minutes. Simply use the upholstery tool attachment to spray from your steam cleaning machine. 
• Brush the fabric thoroughly, ensuring the cleanser is worked in, and there’s no need to rinse it off - it will be removed during the steam cleaning process.

Steam Clean Your Couch (W, WS)

Now that the couch is pretreated, it is time to actually steam clean your couch. Using an upholstery steam cleaner is fairly simple. Just hold down the spray nozzle as you make a pass. Do a 50-50 pass, meaning each new pass covers 50% of the strip you just previously cleaned. This way it will be cleaned thoroughly with no gaps.  

Start with the Frame

Remove the cushions first to get them out of the way. Work systematically over the couch frame. Do the bottom, the sides, the front and the back. Work from top to bottom generally on vertical surfaces so that the dirty water doesn’t run over clean areas. Take your time on each pass. The slower the pass, the deeper the clean. 

Clean the Cushions

Now that you have cleaned the frame, work on the cushions. Do all sides of the cushions. Be sure to leave no gaps in your passes.

Take Longer on Stains

If you encounter a stain that doesn’t come out easily, take longer on that stain. Go over it several times. If necessary, take your stain remover out and brush, spray it some more, brush some more, then use your upholstery steam cleaner machine on it some more. Repeat until the stain is gone. Some stains may not disappear because they are permanent. Some may not disappear because you are using the wrong stain remover chemical. In these instances, hiring a professional ensures that all the stains will be addressed properly. 

Allow it to Air Dry

After thorough steam cleaning, it's important to let your furniture dry completely. Put the pillows in triangle forms on the couch frame. This will give the cushions surface area to dry. How long it will take to dry depends on the fabric type, thickness, and how much water you put down with the steam cleaner. -You can speed up the process by turning on a fan, opening a window,  or turning on the AC to cold or dry setting. 

But What About “S” Symbol Couches?

“S” symbol couches are very difficult to clean. They require professional tools, chemicals and compounds. The best you can do with an “S” couch is to take preventative measures to not get it dirty, remove the cushions and take them to a dry cleaner, and/or hire a professional cleaner. 

The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Couch Steam Cleaner

Professional cleaning from a reputable couch steam cleaner will ensure that the process we described is done correctly from beginning to end. Many people invest at least $1000 in their couches and ruin them by using the wrong stain remover, wrong machine, wrong emulsifiers, or wrong brushing techniques is often not worth the risk. If you are simply wondering how to clean your old couch, then it could make more sense to do it on your own. 

If your couch is an “S” code, you may very well ruin your couch if you don’t approach it properly. Professional upholstery cleaners also have tips and tricks that they have acquired through experience to address many issues and stains that a homeowner may not know how to tackle. Lastly, you might consider the investment in a carpet cleaner and time may equate to the cost of one cleaning. If you clean your couch one a year or once every other year, it may just make sense to hire a professional. 

If you would like a professional and looking for couch cleaning nearby NYC, give us a call for a free quote!