If you are a pet owner, you are well known about the pros and cons of having a pet. You have to deal with the joys and challenges faced with your furry partner. Everything inside your home becomes chaotic including your sofas. After having a lot of fun with them, they leave behind a trail of dirt, fur, and odours. That is why it is essential to know how to effectively clean your sofa from time to time to maintain a clean and pet-friendly living space. So, to keep your sofa looking and smelling fresh with your furry companion, here a sofa cleaning guide for pet owners is provided.
Check All Options: A Sofa Cleaning Guide For Pet Owners
Cleaning and maintaining your sofa and other things with your pets at home is a very difficult task. That is why a step-by-step guide is given here:
1. Regular Cleaning
Consistency is the key as a pet owner to keep your sofa clean. You have to maintain and clean your sofa with this routine regularly:
- Daily vacuuming: Buy a good-quality vacuum cleaner and clean your sofa and other upholstery to remove dirt and fur daily. If you do this daily, the fur and other dirt cannot penetrate deep into the fibres.
- Train your pet: If you want to significantly reduce the amount of dirt and fur from your sofa, teach your pets not to climb and sit on the couch.
- Use a Lint Roller: You can use a Lint Roller that is specially made to remove the pet hair from the surface of the sofa and you will get a quick touch-up.
2. Immediate Spot Cleaning
It is your responsibility to act quickly on the stains and odours when your pet has an accident on the sofa. What to do when it occurs?
- Do not rub it, blot it: Blot the area with a paper towel or a clean cloth, do not try to rub it, in case of a spill or an accident. Rubbing helps in the deeper penetration of stains into the carpet fibres.
- Use a pet-safe cleaner: While using a pet-safe upholstery cleaner always follow the manufacturer’s instructions first. This will help better in the cleaning of the affected area.
3. Deep Cleaning
Sometimes regular cleaning is not enough. For the removal of deeply embedded fur, odours, and dirt, you may find a strict need for deep cleaning. The process of deep cleaning is explained here:
- Remove cushions and covers: In case, if cushion covers are machine washable, toss them in the washing machine after removing them from the cushions.
- Thoroughly vacuum: Vacuum every nook and cranny of your sofa even between crevices and under cushions.
- Steam cleaning: It is a very essential step as it effectively removes deep-seated dirt and eliminates odours. You can either rent or buy a steam cleaner. For best results, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Stain treatment: You can either use a mixture of warm water and mild detergent or a specialised upholstery cleaner for the removal of stubborn stains. Also, you can blot and rinse the area with clean water without rubbing.
- Dry thoroughly: Drying is essential as the presence of moisture leads to mould and mildew growth. Proper ventilation should be provided or dry in the open air.
4. Surface Cleaning And Odour Control
Pets can leave behind various types of odours that are unpleasant so you can remove them by the following procedures:
- Fabric fresheners: You can use light-scented pet-friendly fabric fresheners that give your sofa a pleasant smell. Strong fragrances may irritate your pets. Use it after a superficial cleaning.
- Baking soda: Sprinkle baking soda in the areas from where the smell comes out for the neutralisation of odours. Leave it for at least 15 minutes and then vacuum it.
5. Prevention
You can save your sofa from your pets by taking some preventive approaches. These are as follows:
- Provide alternatives: You can offer your pets some alternatives to use other than your sofa and train them to use it like blankets and pet beds.
- Nail maintenance: To prevent your sofa from scratches, properly cut the nails of your pets.
- Cover your sofa: Always use washable sofa covers that can be easily cleaned and removed when necessary. This protects your sofa.
6. Professional Cleaning
Beyond all, you can take this seriously as no other can give assured results than a professional. You should hire professional upholstery cleaners once or twice a year for thorough cleaning. Professionals can deep clean your sofa effectively with the help of their expertise.
Sofa Fabric Selection For A Pet Owner
The fabric has a very crucial role in deciding the effort and process of sofa cleaning, especially for pet owners. You should give a significant emphasis on selecting the fabric while choosing your sofa as some fabrics are more pet-friendly as compared to others.
Many delicate fabrics like silk and velvet are not good if you have pets inside your home as they get easily stained and damaged. Leather and microfibre are the best fabrics for sofas having pets at home as they can easily resist pet stains and can be cleaned easily.
Conclusion
Sofa is your delicate investment but with loving pets around you, it seems impossible to maintain it clean and healthy. But you can try our given a sofa cleaning guide for pet owners which helps you in a long way to properly clean and maintain your sofa without affecting the comfort and hygiene of your home. To ensure your sofa is in great condition despite your furry friends, its regular maintenance, deep cleaning periodically, and quick spot cleaning is necessary.
You should be careful while selecting the fabric of the sofa. Spots can be immediately removed and the odour control procedures should be followed as per the given steps. Various preventive measures must be followed strictly, but if you are not satisfied with all these, then always prefer to hire professionals, who give you an assurity for best results. By following this guide, you can enjoy a pet-friendly and clean living space for both you and your pets.