There are fewer moments of design heartbreak that hurt more than when you actually put in the effort to clean your furnishings, but you're left with visible regrets in the shape of droopy water marks. And especially where linen sofas are concerned, this is a common problem.
In fact, it's something editor Hugh Metcalf is dealing with right now, and asked me for some advice. "I recently bought a linen-covered armchair," Hugh explains, "but it's clearly not any sort of 'performance linen'. Now, any time a trace of moisture goes near it, I find myself left with another water stain on the material."
It's simply not enough to just know how to clean a sofa, but also to understand the intricacies of each material. So, I asked a cleaning expert for tips on how to avoid water marks when deep cleaning or spot-fixing a linen sofa or chair.
And believe it or not, it hinges on the way you dry your upholstery. But first, here's a closer look at how to clean linen furnishings and what you'll need.
What You'll Need
The things you need to clean your couch fabric will vary depending on the material and its sensitivity. With breathable fabrics like linen, Iryna Balaban, cleaning specialist at Elite Maids, tells me this is what you'll need.
TOOLS:
• Vacuum with an upholstery attachment, like this Lift Away NV602UK Upright Vacuum Cleaner from Shark.
• White microfiber cloths, like these AIDEA Microfibre Cleaning Cloths from Amazon.
• pH-neutral, linen-safe upholstery cleaner — I like this Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner Spray from Furniture Clinic.
• Soft bristle brush, like this Soft Bristle Brush from Fabricoat.
• Distilled water — I recommend using these Small Water Spray Bottles from VEXPLO.
How to Clean a Linen Sofa
"First, I thoroughly vacuum the upholstery to remove loose dust, crumbs, etc. This removes the possibility of rubbing dirt into dampened fabric and makes staining worse," says Iryna.
"When removing stains from upholstery, I test the cleaning solution on a hidden area before applying it to the stained area to be certain that it does not discolor or alter the texture of the fabric."
As opposed to spritzing the fabric with cleaning solution, Iryna recommends lightly moistening a microfiber cloth with the cleaning solution to gently blot the stained area from the outer edge of the stain toward the inner edge to prevent it from traveling further.
"Once I have cleaned the stained area, I take another lightly dampened clean microfiber cloth and remove any remaining residue," she adds. "Then I blot the area with a dry towel and let it sit in a well-ventilated space."
How to Avoid Water Marks
"When water marks occur, they generally result from uneven evaporation of moisture or from only a small portion of the fabric becoming wet. These are common sofa cleaning mistakes that can easily be avoided," Iryna explains.
"Therefore, instead of soaking just one small section of fabric, I would clean as much of the fabric as possible with as little moisture as possible. In addition to using less water, I use distilled water over tap water. That's because tap water contains minerals that often create visual residue when dried on natural fibers."
Finally, she recommends drying the fabric evenly by increasing airflow with fans or open windows. "I'd also avoid direct heat, which can cause rapid evaporation, resulting in obvious water marks."
In the meantime, I also recommend looking out for design mistakes that make your living room harder to clean. And for more interior care advice, sign up for the Livingetc newsletter.
