The One Sofa Cleaning Trick You Need To Try

This isn't the first baking soda hack you'll read here, and it won't be the last. The wonder that is baking soda strikes again – this time, to clean your sofa, armchair, or favorite pillowed upholstery. This is the one home sofa hack you need to try because baking soda is excellent for padded furniture thanks to its natural deodorizing properties, according to The Family Handyman. Simply dust baking soda on the furniture, wait at least 20 minutes, and vacuum. Bad smells should leave with the powder. Note that this vacuum method only works when the baking soda is dry. If it gets wet, it could clog your vacuum.

Baking soda is also favored because it has a low chance of damaging your furniture. Molly Maid suggests mixing your own cleaner using 1 teaspoon each of baking soda and dish soap, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 1 cup of warm water in a spray bottle. Treat stained areas or the whole couch as a follow-up after vacuuming. Variations of these techniques can also be used on specialty fabrics like microfiber or leather.

Check the manufacturer's tag if you don't know what types of cleaners are okay to use on your sofa. Molly Maid explains four types of symbols found on these tags, along with their designated meanings. "W" states water can be used, "S" means to use solvent-based cleaners, "WS" is open to any of the previous options, and "X" means vacuum only. If your manufacturer's tag has "S" or "WS", here are some suggestions you can try.

Tips Bulletin suggests making a light paste out of warm water and baking soda for cleaning microfiber. Gently brush this paste on stains in the affected area, let dry, and then vacuum the powder. You can use a spray bottle for leather to mix 1/4 cup of baking soda with 2 cups of warm water and a tiny bit of dish soap. Skip the vinegar this time and use a gentle microfiber cloth. Try not to get the leather too wet as you clean; simply spray and wipe dry.

While these baking soda cleaning tricks are great for spot treating, they won't provide a deep clean. Baking soda will deodorize and lift light stains, but if your sofa needs a thorough cleaning, you'll need a high-heat steam cleaner, or you'll have to hire a professional (via LifeHacker).