Removing stains from a sofa can be challenging.

Milk, juice, coffee, tea, or even red wine on your sofa… each of these leave highly visible stains on your couch.

Not to mention, they also leave a lot of work on your end, depending on what material your couch is made of!

But there’s one type of stain that many people underestimate. Worse, it’s just as (if not more) common than the ones mentioned above.

That’s right, we’re talking about how to get rid of water stains on your fabric couch.

 

Why getting water stains out of your sofa is important

Depending on what type of material your upholstery is made of, water can leave visible stains.

Sometimes this is because certain materials don’t react well to water and discolour.

More often however, stains can be caused by the minerals or dirt in the water itself.

Removing water stains on a fabric couch the instant you spill something should be a top priority. Not only is it unsightly, but leaving them wet and unclean can trigger also allergies and even invite mould.

Do you have 15 minutes to spare? Are you up to the challenge of removing water stains from your couch? If so, let’s started on the “how”!

 

First thing’s first, read the cleaning instructions

Before you break out the detergents or start scrubbing, look for the cleaning instructions indicated on the tag.

In most fabric sofas, the tag is either on the underside of the sofa or underneath the cushioning. Even if your sofa tag doesn’t list cleaning instructions, it will list the material – using that, you’ll be able to find instructions on the web.

Some upholstery fabrics only require mild solutions, with easy-to-follow cleaning instructions. For other fabrics, you might even be able to remove water stains from your couch using more water!

Knowing the dos and don’ts will give you an idea what you can use to best to get water stains out of your couch. Most importantly, it’ll tell you how to do so safely, without accidentally damaging the fabric.

 

Start by vacuuming the spot

So you know what works best to remove water stains from your sofa. Even better, you have everything you need already lying around the house!

Before you get started however, we recommend vacuuming the stained area.

Doing so can loosen any stained particles which might be clinging onto your fabric. For example, if the spilled water came from a vase, that might mean dirt.

Depending on your fabric, these particles may have a strong foothold. Starting with a quick vacuum can make the job of removing water stains significantly easier.

Just remember to check whether your vacuum is rated to suck up liquid… especially if the spill is fresh!

 

Choose a solution that will remove water stains from your couch without damaging it

Even if you’re confident your sofa can take it, we recommend starting with a milder solution – no need to complicate things more than necessary. After all, water stains aren’t exactly heavy!

Start mild dish liquid soap mixed with water to gently remove the stain from the fabric. Dab a little bit onto your sofa and gently scrub with microfiber.

Alternatively, you could use  watered-down vinegar. Just make sure the mixture isn’t too heavy on vinegar to avoid leaving a sour smell behind. Once it’s sprayed on, use a dry sponge or cloth to gently scrub the stained spot until you see an improvement.

After you’re done, place a dry cloth or paper towel to absorb the water. If your sofa can handle the heat, you can even blow dry it to prevent mould or mildew growth.

Make things steamy with steam cleaning

If you have a steam cleaner in your home and your sofa can handle it, we recommend making this the first step.

Fabric steamer and steam irons are easily the most effective way of removing water stains from your sofa.

Steam loosens dirt and particles in soft fibers. More importantly, the heat generated by steam cleaners (over 120 degrees in some systems) kills hidden bacteria and mould almost instantly.

 

If all else fails, get a professional to help remove water stains from your couch

Is your upholstery too delicate for these methods? Don’t have the time for some DIY cleaning? Is the stain refusing to budge, despite how hard you’re trying to remove the water stains from your sofa?

If things aren’t working out, get in contact a professional upholstery cleaner in Melbourne that is tough on stains and dirt – get in touch with Master Clean Carpet Care.

MasterClean Carpet Care are your carpet cleaning specialists. We excel in cleaning all sorts of upholstery: cotton, wool, synthetics, suede the list goes on.

Using an impressive arsenal of specialist cleaning products and techniques, we can remove water stains from your sofa delicately and safely.

We use neutralising agents that are tough on spots, but soft on fabric and non-toxic. Our team also uses Hot Water Extraction, a more effective, gentler and quicker-drying alternative to steam cleaning.

These are just some of the techniques we use to make your sofa look brand-new again.

Contact us today at 1300 556 748 or get in touch with us online for a clean, spot-free sofa!