How to Clean Sofa Pillows without a Professional Cleaner

If you’re like me, it won’t be long before you spill something on your sofa pillows while watching TV. When it inevitably happens, there’s no need to panic. That ugly stain can come right off your pillows without having to call professional cleaners or throwing away your expensive cushions.

Tips for removing dirt, dust, mold and stains from sofa pillows:

1.)    Remove the pillow case if there is one and spray it with a cleaning solution. You may also use a sponge and detergent. This will attack the stain. The case can then be washed in your machine under delicate or gentle settings with cold water temperature. To dry the case, hang it on a clothesline or put it in the dryer on gentle if it is safe for machine-dry use. Make sure the case doesn’t shrink, which will make it impossible to put back on over the pillow. 

2.)    If there is no cover to remove, or the pillow itself is stained, begin by using a cleaning spray or sponge with detergent. 

3.)    Wash the pillows by placing them in a tub or sink filled with warm water and more detergent. 

4.)    Once the pillow is soaked, drain it out then put it in clean water for about 10 minutes. 

5.)    After 10 minutes, drain the pillow again then let it dry outside, ideally in the sun. 

All that’s really needed to clean a sofa pillow is a spray cleaner, sponge, detergent and a tub or sink. A washing machine or dryer will work if you are just cleaning the pillowcase. Remember to never use bleach on your pillows as the bleach will damage the fabrics. It’s ideal to clean just the pillowcase if possible because the stuffing inside the pillow will clump together if it is washed, making it tough to keep the pillow in its original shape. 

If you follow these tips and still can’t get your pillow clean, feel free to visit Spector Furniture in Ansonia, CT to ask us for help or to look at our selection of pillows and other accents for your sofa. Customers from Fairfield, Stratford, Milford, Orange, Waterbury and Shelton flock to our furniture store for our family-owned service and huge selection of living room furniture, bedroom furniture, bedding, dining room sets and office furniture. 

Visit our showroom to see our beautiful furniture and find out why our furniture store has been a Connecticut favorite since 1890!

Furniture & Fabric Cleaning : Suede Sofas and Shoes

Spotless Suede Made Simple

Suede is used in a variety of ways – for furniture, for shoes, bags, and clothing.  In fact, it was originally used for women’s gloves because of its soft, comfortably texture.  There are a number of methods one might take to eliminate stains from their favorite suede items. While the material is certainly temperamental in a number of senses, there are ways you can address unwanted spots and blotches with simple household items.

First, gather a plastic spoon, some mild detergent (without soap) and some soft white cloths. Separate forms of suede react differently to various commercial cleaners, so test a hidden area of fabric before cleaning any visible portions of cloth.

Also, some cleaning tips may not work for all kinds of materials.  Always try a method on a hidden piece of fabric in order to test if there will be an adverse reaction, like further staining or damaging your piece of furniture.  If you’re really unsure, you should call a professional cleaner.

1. First, try to scrape away bits of the stain with your plastic spoon.

2. Mix up a small amount of mild detergent in a bucket with some water.

3. Mix the water around to produce some suds.

4. Here’s the important part. Use one of the white cloths to apply some of the suds to the affected area. Suds ONLY. Applying too much water to suede may damage the surface.

5. Continue to blot the area and lift the stain away. You should begin to see the stain transferring over to your towel.

6. When the suds have worked their magic, and the stain has been eliminated, blot the suede with a dry cloth.

7. At this point, you may choose to pick up a suede brush and groom your surface back to its original state.

Hopefully, this trick works for you.  If not, or you are curious about how to clean or care for a different piece of furniture, let us know in the comments.  We’ll try to answer any questions you have about the care and maintenance of your furniture pieces.  Why?  Not only do we sell furniture, but Spector Furniture wants it to stand the test of time as well!