Weird Couch Stains; What They Are And What You Can Do About Them
We all have that one weird stain on the couch whose origin is really anyone’s guess and which we cannot seem to get rid of. You try everything from covering it with throw pillows to flipping it over. But no matter how well you cover it up or try to ignore it you are never really free.
So what exactly are these stains? Where do they come from? And most importantly, how can you get them off your otherwise beautiful couch? Well, you came to the right place for all these answers. In the sections below, you will learn all you need to about the origin of couch stains and how best to handle the mess.
What is that weird spot?
- Pizza from that party a while back
Food is easily the leading cause of stains on upholstery. Processed foods with dyes are the main culprit and these can be particularly hard to get rid of. So your Cheetos movie runs may not be doing a lot of good for your couch.
Organic foods could also cause you the same problem. In this case, ingredients with strong natural pigments like turmeric, beet and even tomato. In a nutshell (food pun intended), don’t eat on your precious stain-magnet of a couch.
- Wine? Coffee? Kambucha? Pick your poison
Drinks are even worse than food when it comes to staining upholstery fabric. The liquids seep deeper and further into the fabric making them significantly harder to remove. They also make the carpet damp which attracts things like dust that further stain the fabric.
- Sweat; yep
This might be a bit gross to think about but sweat contributes a great deal to upholstery staining. It is particularly the case with furniture like recliner seats and study couches where you may spend a lot of time in close contact with the fabric. As you sweat the liquid seeps into the fabric and may lead to discolouration.
- Little accidents from your furry little buddy
Your little pup or kitty might be the greatest source of joy in your life. However, they are real-life nightmares when it comes to upholstery. From poo and pee stains to dander, pets contribute a great deal to the source of stains on upholstery. Fortunately, their stains are some of the easiest to get rid of especially if you work with professional upholstery cleaning crews. Unless, of course, you have been feeding your best buddy food dye.
- That time your kid turned your cushions into autograph paper
If you are a parent, then you are familiar with that stage where kids see walls and all sorts of fabric as canvases for their artistic genius. These ink stains are not fun to handle at all and may not even come off completely with professional cleaning if you wait too long. So as soon as you notice what your precious little one did make sure to get the couch deep cleaned to avoid having a permanent new couch resident.
- Good old-fashioned fading
Sometimes stains on couches are as a result of fading patches. This could be due to continued pressure, exposure to the sun and so much more. These are the worst to deal with as their nature is that of discolouration and not seeping of foreign pigment. However, there is a lot you can do to avoid this including getting the couch regularly professionally cleaned and maintained.
DOs and DON’Ts of dealing with upholstery stains
- Clean up as much as you can as fast as you can
You would be surprised how much you could achieve by simply sopping up that wine puddle with kitchen paper towels. This helps to reduce the amount of pigmented liquids seeping into the fabric of the upholstery. As a result, you either end up completely avoiding the staining or at the very least reducing its intensity before you get professional upholstery cleaning done.
- Don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach
Bleach makes the situation a whole lot worse than it needs to be. Yes; it will remove the stain from your fabric. But it will do so much more than that. The bleach isn’t designed to selectively get rid of some dyes and leave out others. So as it gets rid of your coffee stain it will also get rid of the fabric dye leaving you with an unsightly light spot.
- You can try a mild home remedy for specific stains
While bleach is never a good idea, there are a few options that actually work with some stains. These include options like white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. None of them will fully get rid of old stubborn stains. However, they could help you deal with fresh ones before they get out of hand.
- Don’t leave the fabric damp
This will only attract other potentially staining agents like dust and pollen. As a result, you end up having a larger and more stubborn stain. Instead, try and have the wet stain spot dry as soon as you possibly can.
- Don’t try to scrub the stain away
As a homeowner, your first instinct when you see a mess is to clean thoroughly. This might work in some instances but in others, it actually makes the situation a whole lot worse. Therefore, it is best to play it safe and just go with the dab dry method to deal with the mess before you call in the big guns.
- Give the couch a quick vacuum
This helps get rid of things like dust that could get attracted to the stain spot and make things worse. Make sure to cover the entire couch as you do this. It is also important to ensure that you have a clean suction piece before getting contact with the stained spot.
Always get it professionally cleaned
The last and definitely most important way to handle weird stains on your couch is by getting professional help. These crews know exactly what your upholstery needs and will have your couch looking pristine in no time. So the next time you spill your pasta sauce or your dog goes potty on the cushions make sure to have a trusted crew on the phone as soon as you can.
Weird Couch Stains; What They Are And What You Can Do About Them
