Picture the scene: A rare moment of calm has descended on the house. You sink into your fabric sofa with a good book – only to be greeted by a tell-tale puff of dust.
More than ever, sofas are hard-working heroes – catching everything from biscuit crumbs to the odd splash of wine, plus exuberant children and shed-happy pets.
The good news? Cleaning a fabric sofa doesn’t require an overhaul – just a little know-how and a gentle hand.
In this guide, Linwood – a British, family-run fabric house – shares expert, easy-to-follow tips to keep your upholstery looking beautiful for years to come.
How to guide: cleaning a fabric sofa
Key to keeping a fabric sofa naturally looking pristine is general maintenance, and for this you need very little, just this simple equipment…
Clean cloth A microfibre cloth is ideal: soft, highly absorbent, and lint-free, meaning it won’t shed fibres onto spills. Tip: Always check it’s truly clean. A cloth with traces of bleach or cleaning chemicals can do more harm than the original spill.
An upholstery brush A fabric-safe lint or furniture brush is perfect for removing pet hair and surface dust. For dried debris like mud or encrusted food: choose a natural-bristle or stiff (but non-snag) brush, and work gently, never vigorously. When testing a new brush: always trial it on an inconspicuous area first, such as beneath seat cushions.
A vacuum cleaner with crevice and upholstery attachments It is astonishing what manages to work its way between the cushions of a fabric sofa – crumbs, loose change, and children’s toys, to name a few – and for picking up dirt particles and general dust, a vacuum cleaner is your secret weapon. Nifty hand-held devices are a practical choice, although not essential, as most vacuum cleaners now offer crevice and upholstery attachments.
Step-by-Step: General Fabric Sofa Care
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Remove loose cushions first (if your sofa design allows – many linen and woven styles do).
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Vacuum the perimeter and base using the crevice nozzle, then the cushions using an upholstery brush attachment.
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Lightly brush high-traffic areas to dislodge dust and refresh fibres.
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Plump or reverse cushions weekly to redistribute filling and ensure even wear and longevity. Scatter cushions can (and should) join in too.
Stain or Spill? Here’s the Smart Way to Respond
Spills happen – but panic-cleaning shouldn’t.
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Act quickly: Gently blot (never scrub) with a clean cloth to absorb excess liquid.
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Dabbing beats scrubbing: Scrubbing spreads stains and can disturb the fibres or flatten the pile.
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Dry-clean-only fabrics? Best to call in professionals: specialist upholstery cleaners will always read the care label before treating, reducing the risk of marks or colour imbalance.
For Stain-Resistant Linwood Fabrics (Velvets & Weaves)
Many Linwood fabrics – including Omega, Omega Prints and Kami – feature a stain-resist finish, perfect for light, everyday mischief but not engineered for heavy stain removal at home.
If a spill occurs:
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Blot immediately using a microfibre cloth or paper towel.
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Leave it resting on the spot briefly to absorb more liquid.
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If the mark remains visible – pause and assess. At this stage, professional help is the safest route.
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Feeling brave and want to try? Linwood can send you a sample to test a gentle, damp-cloth blot before you commit.
Think of stain resistance as a safety net – not an invitation to chicken-wing-scrub red wine out of velvet (tempting though it may be).
Machine-Washable Sofa Covers: What to Know
For households with mucky paws and sticky fingers, machine-washable covers are brilliant – but need careful handling:
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Wash at 30°C unless the care label advises otherwise.
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Avoid bleaching agents, optical brighteners, conditioners, and fabric softeners.
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Never overload the drum – split into multiple loads.
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Expect up to 5% shrinkage on natural fabrics.
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Reshape covers while still damp.
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Steam iron on the reverse side only.
Linwood’s Verde is a shining example of machine-wash practicality, with minimal shrinkage and eco-minded credentials.
Reviving Velvet? Yes, You Can
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Vacuum with a fabric-safe upholstery brush attachment every two weeks
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Lightly brush to refresh the pile and dispel flattening
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Reverse loose cushions regularly for even wear
How Often Should You Clean a Fabric Sofa?
The answer to this depends very much on how much use – or abuse – your sofa gets, but as a rule of thumb:
Make a habit of regularly vacuuming your entire sofa, say, once a fortnight. However, plump up loose cushions and scatter cushions on a weekly basis.
Ideally, deep clean your sofa every 12 months, depending on usage. High-traffic areas or households with pets and children may require more frequent cleaning. Regular maintenance, such as vacuuming and spot cleaning, can help prolong the intervals between deep cleans.
If you have other pieces in the same fabric have these cleaned at the same time to avoid colour variations and the same goes if your sofa has removable covers: it is important that all the covers are cleaned in one go to ensure a consistent colour balance.
Bear in mind that many fabrics do not take kindly to strong sunlight or direct heat.
Show your fabric sofa a little love and attention and you will reap the rewards: it will look good for years to come, offering that inviting seat you want to sink into at the end of the day. Now, where’s that good book…
FAQs
What is the best way to clean a fabric sofa? Carefully, you don’t want to make the stain worse. For this reason, we don’t recommend spot cleaning even with warm water, you don't want to leave water marks on the fabric.
Is sofa fabric hard to clean? It always pays to be extra safe, so please check the sofa fabric for any guidance. Gently blot light stains with a soft, dry cloth – it takes a little time but is worth the effort.
How do you clean dirty upholstery fabric? For harsher stains please don't reach for cleaning solutions such as solvent based cleaners or even baking powder, we would always recommend sofa fabrics are dry cleaned by a specialist.
How can I clean my couch without a machine? The simplest method is vacuuming with a brush attachment. Try and turn your sofa cushions on a regular basis too, it really helps to prolong the life of covers.