It is often the most used furniture at home that gets the least attention and a proper cleaning. You would assume that where we spend most of our time, that is where it would be the dirtiest in the house and you might be right. However, it does not always seem to be like that on the surface. Think of the places at your house where you stay the most – on your sofa binge watching a Netflix series, in your bed sleeping, reading, lounging or any sitting area for relaxing. These are all the spots where we would normally sit for hours and yet the furniture never seems to be extremely dirty. That is only on the outside though, what we don’t see is all the dirt that gathers inside it, all the little bacteria that spreads and food crumbs that fall between the cushions. 

It is really important to give your furniture some deep cleaning from time to time because it is really time consuming but highly needed. There are so many things from skin oil to wine stains that can transfer nasties onto your sofa so even if you don’t necessarily see or smell them yet, we guarantee that it is there. That is why here at We Buy Any House, we have come up with some steps and guidance on how to successfully complete the task without requiring additional and professional help. 

Steam The Furniture

Whether you are trying to fight a specific stain or simply deep cleaning for the sake of it, you would want to help yourself first. By heating up the fabric either through ironing or steaming, you will make it easier to clean later. It will also kill bacteria that stands on the surface. 

Wash What You Can

Your sofa may have removable cushion covers that can be easily washed. Take everything that you can into the washing machine and make sure you get a good fabric conditioner so that your pillows will be softer than a cloud afterwards.

Vacuum The Furniture

The second stage is what most people would do and stop there but it is only the beginning of the process if you want to really deep clean your furniture. If the upholstery allows it, take anything that can down so that you can reach places where crumbs may have fallen. For instance, if your sofa has removable cushions, take them out and vacuum them separately. Use the different attachments of your vacuum to better reach tough places. For a mattress there isn’t anything that you can disassemble but make sure your vacuum is on the right suction strength so that it does not damage it, but it still does the work effectively. What’s more, it’s worth doing a little test somewhere not really visible first. It is shocking how many people haven’t done this until the viral TikTok videos showing how much dust mites and harmful bacteria is stored there. 

Sanitize Your Furniture

If you want to do the deep cleaning right, you will have to sanitize your furniture and make it smell good again. This step is not necessary but it will definitely add that extra touch and smell of cleanliness. For this purpose, you could use a fabric sanitizer appropriate for your type of furniture. Alternatively, there is a small hack for better smelling bed which includes only three ingredients – baking soda, essential oil and vinegar. Add half a cup of baking soda, water and a few drops of your favourite essential oil and then sprinkle the mixture onto your already vacuumed mattress. Whilst that sits for a few minutes make sure your bed sheets are being washed with vinegar instead of fabric softener because that will give you a softer effect. Then, vacuum the mattress again and put your washed sheets back on. Once done, you will enjoy the fruits of your work and you will be able to rewind in a much more pleasant atmosphere and fresher smelling furniture for longer. 

We understand that it may not be the most enjoyable chore to do at home, but it is one that will bring you the most pleasure knowing that deep down on your sofa there are no dust mites or bacteria. There are numerous products on the market these days that will make it much easier for you to deep clean your whole apartment not just your furniture. With a few useful hacks and the right tools, you could clean more frequently and have the spotless home you have always wished for. 

This article was written by a quick house sale company We Buy Any House. If you are wondering “how can I sell my home?”, head to the We Buy Any House website for more information relating to all property related enquiries.