Last updated on July 1st, 2021
A recliner can introduce hours of comfort to your daily life, however, when subject to intense use it will start to collect dirt and grime. For example, you may accidentally spill food or drink, or someone may have transferred dirt from their hands or feet to the fabric.
If you have pets that enjoy relaxing on your recliner with you, their fur will start to build up over time. Moreover, your recliner may also begin to release an unpleasant odor following heavy use.
Fabric furniture requires regular maintenance to prolong its longevity and appearance. If you have a fabric recliner that needs a freshen-up, we have compiled a guide below that informs you on the best methods to follow to clean this piece of furniture. These methods will leave your recliner looking as good as new in no time.
How To Clean A Fabric Recliner
First, you must check the care instructions for your recliner to ensure that you opt for the best method that isn’t going to damage it or cause it to deteriorate in quality.
Step 1
Vacuuming your sofa is recommended as this will remove any loose dirt, dust, and fur particles. You can do this using a soft brush attachment that comes with your vacuum cleaner or a small handheld vacuum.
Work your way from the top of the chair down towards the base. Make sure that you thoroughly check the crevices in your sofa for any bigger particles that may cause the pipes of your vacuum to get clogged.
Step 2
You can either make a home remedy that is suitable for the fabric of your recliner or a specific fabric cleaning product. Should you decide to opt for the latter, the task of cleaning your recliner will be relatively easy.
Simply spray an even layer of the cleaner onto your recliner and allow it a sufficient amount of time to work its way into the fabric. Then using a stiff bristle brush without being too tough, scrub the product in.
Finally, you will require a damp cloth to wipe away any remaining product. As you have used water to clean the fabric you will need to allow an adequate amount of time to pass before sitting on it.
Of course, you can let it air dry but you may find this a little time-consuming. Alternatively, you can use a towel and press it onto the fabric to soak up the water.
Step 3
The next step involves using a homemade solution rather than a specific cleaning product. There are certain sofas that should only be cleaned using water. As such, using a solvent-based product is likely to damage it.
For this option, you will require some type of liquid soap or mild laundry detergent. Fill a bucket with warm water, then once it’s full mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the soap or detergent.
Next, take a cloth and submerge it in the bucket of water. Wring it out to remove any excess water. Then use this cloth to wipe over the problematic areas of your recliner.
If there are some stains that are quite stubborn and are still there after you have scrubbed them with the cloth, you may want to use a soft-bristled brush instead. Using the brush you can apply a little more pressure to the fabric and doing so will likely remove these marks and stains.
Dip the cloth back into the bucket to rinse it out and get rid of the dirty water. Once you have done so, you will then need to use it again to get rid of any soapy residue that remains. Take a towel and press it onto the fabric. The towel will absorb any remaining water.
Finally, you will need to let the fabric air dry before you go to sit on it again.
Spot Cleaning Your Fabric Recliner
You can effectively clean your fabric recliner using vinegar. White vinegar in particular is great at removing stains.
First, you will need to combine water and vinegar in equal parts to create a solution. Apply this to the stain on your recliner and leave it for around 15 minutes.
Then use a microfiber cloth to remove any excess and blot it dry. As you are probably aware, vinegar has a rather pungent smell. To get rid of this smell you can apply water mixed with a mild detergent.
You may also want to spot test the vinegar on a small section of your recliner that isn’t very visible before using it on a larger area to make sure that it doesn’t damage it.
Additional tips for cleaning your fabric recliner
The cleaning tag on your recliner will typically contain one of the four following letters. If there is a W on the tag the fabric should only be cleaned using water.
If there is an S on the tag, you should not use water but instead, you should use a solvent-based cleaner that is suitable for this type of fabric. A tag that has WS written on it can be cleaned using a solvent cleaning product or water depending on what you have available.
Finally, if the letter on the tag is an X this means that it should not be cleaned with any type of cleaning product or water. Instead, it should only be vacuumed.
As mentioned previously, your recliner is likely to accumulate odors over time. There are steps that you can take to remove these smells and freshen up your recliner.
If you have baking soda available, you can sprinkle it over the surface of the fabric and give it around 15 to 20 minutes to work its way into the different layers.
You will then need to vacuum your recliner using the brush attachment to get rid of the remaining powder. It is likely that you will notice a vast improvement in the smell of your recliner because, unlike air fresheners, baking soda will absorb the smell rather than masking it temporarily.
