If you just spent a good amount of money on new furniture for your living room, it will break your heart to see the first stain that occurs on your upholstered sofas or chairs.
But don’t worry; you can actually get some of those stains out, without a lot of problems. The main thing is to choose the right way to clean the piece of furniture, so that you don’t make the stain appear worse. If someone has dumped part of a drink on your chair, consider first the fabric, before you try to clean it. If you are dealing with a larger stain, you may want to try your cleaning first on a small area that you can’t see well, to make sure it does not cause damage or discoloration.
Greasy stains like butter can be cleaned with a dry type of cleaning solvent, available at any grocery store. Place a bit on a clean cloth and blot the stain. Be sure you don’t rub the stain, since that could make it worse. Then mix mild detergent with warm water and blot that stain again. Use a towel to soak up everything you have used, and the spot should be gone when the fabric dries. This is a lot cheaper than buying new living room sets after your muddy dog joins you on the sofa.
Cheese and crackers are often served as snacks, but when nacho type cheese gets spilled, it’s no picnic. But you can get it out. Just mix one teaspoon-full of mild detergent in a cup of lukewarm water, and blot the stain with a clean towel. Blot it once more with a mixture of a half-cup warm water and a tablespoon of ammonia. Then blot up the stain and cleansers using clean water only, and let it dry.
If you have loved your American Drew furniture since you purchased it, an ink stain may make you cringe. Pens get left in pockets, and, well, stuff happens. Ink stains can be very stubborn. Just remember not to rub at it, or it could spread. First spray some hairspray on a clean towel and dab the stain, then blot it with a dry towel. Blot the stain again with a towel treated with rubbing alcohol. Next, apply acetone or nail polish remover on the stain, and use spirits of turpentine in a blotting manner, as well. This should take care of your ink stain.
Coffee stains are probably more common than many other types of stains on living room sets. To clean them, mix a teaspoon of mild detergent with one cup warm water, and blot the stain from the perimeter to the center. Then apply a mixture of 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup white vinegar, and absorb the excess with a clean towel. Let the area dry.
Cleaning upholstery is more important since dust tends to settle on fabric surfaces more than on hard surfaces. Fine furnishings like American Drew furniture will benefit from a regular cleaning schedule, which will make it easier to tackle those pesky stains, when they happen.