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Banish those telltale stains on the sofa DO your sofas bear telltale marks of the recent New Year bash you held in the form of odious gravy stains? Or have your neighbours’ prankster kids left cold drink spills on your costly upholstery? These are only some of the kind of stains your sofas may be subjected to. And not all spots need the professional treatment of dry cleaners.
If you act swiftly and appropriately, most food stains can easily be removed from your sofas and other upholstery. This Sunday morning get all your cleaning lotions and potions ready and declare war on all those stains that mar the beauty of your upholstery. Mostly the fabric used for sofas is capable of being subjected to common cleaning methods. However, in case your upholstery is of velvet, leather or some other special fabric, it is best to get professional help for stain removal. Here’s a guide to
the common items that can stain your sofas and the method in which
they can be tackled: |
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Cold drinks and juices: Sponge off with salt water or milk. Alternately, you can sponge with vinegar. Beer or alcohol: Clean with white vinegar. Alcohol spots can be sponged dry with warm water. Chocolate: if you’ve been serving goodies like creamy chocolate pastries and the guests have inadvertently fed a little bit of these to your sofas too, don’t despair. Clean the marks with borax solution. Else you can try cleaning them with hot water. Coffee: Loosen stains with glycerine solution. Sponge off with chlorine bleach or borax solution. Never over-wet the fabric. Ink or ballpoint pen: Act promptly. Blot the stain with blotting paper or sponge with milk. Then use lemon juice to clean it. You can also use methylated spirit to get rid of the marks left by a ballpoint pen. If the colour of the fabric is affected, sponge with white vinegar. Chewing gum: Chill the deposit with an ice cube to harden it. Scrape off and clean the area with warm water. Candle wax: Scrape off deposit. Place blotting paper on the affected area and press with warm iron until wax is absorbed. Remove colour traces with methylated spirit. Grease: Use salt or cornflour to absorb the stains left any oily substance. Brush off once grease is absorbed. Blood: Rub lightly with a paste of cornflour and cold water. Leave to dry. Brush off well. Play safe. Some do’s and don’ts have to be observed to maintain the quality of your sofa fabric when it has to be freed of stains. The use of a wrong cleaning agent can damage your upholstery forever. The cleaning operation must never be overdone. *Always use a clean cloth to wipe off marks. *Always test the cleaning agent on an invisible part of the fabric. *Strictly follow manufacturer’s instructions. *Never use methylated spirit on rayon or acrylic upholstery. *Never over-wet the sofa fabric in your enthusiasm to have it absolutely clean. — Compiled by Chetna
Banerjee |
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