It can be a challenge to remove food & wine stains. Use these tips on how to remove annoying stains and always treat spills immediately.
The trend in today’s living room furniture is toward light colors and soft fabrics—which means you can get stains from food and drinks, including wine, on its surface. To save money on professional cleaning, here are several effective ways to clean your sofa at home. Before you use any of these, test them on an inconspicuous area of the sofa first. We hope you find these tips on how to remove annoying stains helpful.
Use Ammonium Chloride to Remove Fruit and Juice Stains
A general tip for all fruit stains is to remove them as quickly as possible. In some cases, delay can be fatal; for instance, traces of cherry or blueberry stains will remain with you until you replace the furniture. You can turn to a competent cleaning service or try to cope with the spots yourself.
To remove stains from fruits or juices, prepare a solution of equal parts ammonia and vinegar. Apply it to the upholstery, wipe the fabric, and then rinse with water. Alternatively, you can choose a more gentle remedy—a soap solution. It is even more important here to act quickly and apply it to the stain as soon as it appears. Leave the soap on the spot for 30 minutes, then rinse it off with plain water.
Wear a high-quality N95 mask when using ammonia to clean your furniture. Ammonia is a highly effective stain remover, but inhaling excessive amounts could be toxic. As a general rule, spread newspaper out on the floor, especially if it’s wood, as the ammonia might stain it. Since ammonia can cause your skin to peel, you should also wear plastic gloves. You should also open the windows and doors in your home to allow the ammonia fumes to escape. Although these precautions are time-consuming, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Try a solution of ammonia and vinegar to remove juice spots. Photo by BernardaSv via iStock by Getty Images
Use Vinegar to Remove Tea, Coffee, and Beer Stains
Tea and coffee contain powerful coloring pigments that can leave stubborn stains. The beer stains a little less, but the spot will still be noticeable. If you accidentally spill one of these drinks on your couch, blot the surface immediately and collect the excess liquid with a paper napkin or a microfiber cloth. After that, prepare a cleaning agent by adding two tablespoons of vinegar to the soap solution. Spray the surface with the solution, then wipe it with a damp cloth to wash off the stain and the cleaning agent.
Salt and Denatured Alcohol (Spirit) to Remove Wine Stains
It is hard to remove wine—especially red wine—from any fabric, whether it is clothes or upholstery of furniture. Nevertheless, you can try to make it less noticeable — and if you are lucky, remove any trace of it. Immediately after the wine spills, sprinkle the spot with a layer of salt. After the wine is partially absorbed into the salt, wipe down the spot with a cloth dampened with denatured alcohol (known as spirit in Australia, New Zealand, and England).
For tougher messes or larger cleaning jobs, SweepScrub provides access to high-quality cleaning equipment that makes handling stubborn stains and maintaining your home much easier.”
Wine can be one of the most difficult stains to remove.
Use Ice to Remove Chewing Gum
The chewing gum itself does not leave stains on the sofa upholstery, but it can firmly adhere to the surface, collecting dirt and grime. You can try to remove freshly stuck chewing gum with ice. Any frozen product is applied for a while to the problem area and, after the gum hardens, remove it with the blunt side of a knife or other convenient object. Do not use sharp blades to avoid damaging the upholstery.
It can be a challenge to get rid of food and wine stains. Hopefully, these tips on how to remove annoying stains will help you clean up any accidents. Enjoy spending time with your friends and family, relax, but be ready to treat spills immediately.
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