Did your sofa get stained? We reveal the secrets of cleaning stains from soft furniture upholstery

If you've bought a brand new sofa, sooner or later stains will appear on it: coffee, tea, juice marks, or regular ballpoint pen ink. And if you don't act quickly to fix it, the dirt will stay on the upholstery for a long time (if not forever).

Let's figure out how to remove various types of stains quickly and effectively.

First Aid for Furniture

The most important thing is to immediately start solving the problem so you don't miss valuable time.

• Fatty stains from lipstick, pizza, and wine should be generously sprinkled with salt or starch and left for several minutes before carefully vacuuming. If the stain has already dried, a salt solution should be sprayed onto it using a spray bottle.
• Chocolate, wax, and glue impressions are only removed in their hardened form. They must be scraped off with a paperclip or craft knife, and then the residue should be sprinkled with salt or starch and vacuumed.
• Spilled tea, coffee, or juice should be blotted with a paper towel; otherwise, the stain will spread.

Design by Vlad Steblin

How to Remove a Stain: Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Apply the stain remover to an inconspicuous area of the upholstery and wait 10 minutes before rinsing. If the fabric doesn't change color, the product is ready for use.
2. Apply the stain remover to the stained area using spot movements from the edges toward the center, without smearing or rubbing. On furry upholstery, clean in the direction of the pile.
3. After the product has worked its effect, rinse it spot-wise using clean water from a spray bottle. Then blot the stain with a cloth, dry sponge, or paper towel.
4. The area where the stain was should be treated with a weak vinegar solution (2–3 drops per liter of water). This will neutralize the stain remover and stop its chemical reaction.
5. Finally, rinse the area again with water and blot dry.

To avoid streaks, dry the stained area using a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner.

Design by Rodion Davydov

How to Choose a Stain Remover

For velvet, atlas, suedecloth and other types of upholstery, you should buy a special product designed for that specific texture. If the sofa or armchair is covered with natural or artificial leather, prolonged exposure to a hairdryer and household chemicals are strictly prohibited.

For furniture made from jute, cotton, fleece or velour, a simple stain remover will do. Baking soda, vinegar, alcohol and dishwashing soap should only be used in emergencies.

The safest stain removers are oxygen-based, as they contain sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate. When mixed with water, such a solution releases oxygen to remove stains without damaging the upholstery.

Design by Olga Semasheva

What to Use: Liquid Product or Pencil?

Liquid stain remover will help clean a sofa or armchair with removable covers. Apply it to the affected area, wait several minutes, then wash in a machine with detergent.

A pencil works locally like a spray but more precisely than when sprayed from a bottle.

Design by US Interiors

Tackling Set-In Stains

If the stain is old and deeply embedded in the fabric, follow the steps above but repeat them multiple times.

However, blood, urine and nail polish stains are almost impossible to remove on your own — professional cleaners will handle them. They always have access to high-temperature extractor vacuums and professional cleaning products.

Design on cover: Buro Vnutri