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Our guide can also work for old tomato stains. If you’re trying to get rid of a lingering spot from spaghetti dinners past, you can skip step one and jump directly to step two. 

Pro tip: Allow soaking time for older stains. We recommend waiting at least 10 minutes between applying your cleaning solution and blotting it up.

Depending on the upholstery, steam cleaning your couch is a simple and easy way to give your most sat-on piece of furniture new life. Like a carpet, you may need to pretreat and spot-clean tougher stains, but you shouldn’t use any larger or bulky steam cleaners you’d typically use on your carpets. Opt for a gentle steam cleaner that can specifically clean fabric, and double-check your couch manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations.

It might be possible to wash your couch upholstery, but we don’t recommend it. Couches labeled with a “W” or “W/S” on the tag might be okay to wash gently with a couch cleaner or a homemade couch cleaning solution, but you have to be very careful not to get the padding underneath wet, as it will deteriorate and potentially ruin your couch. You should hire a professional upholstery cleaner to guarantee a safe, deep clean for your favorite furniture items.

To remove odor from a leather couch, let's focus first on what not to do.

A quick Google search may suggest using vinegar to do the job—don't. The acid will dry out anything made of leather. A better DIY option is to sprinkle a little baking soda on your sofa and let it rest for a few hours. Afterward, vacuum it up with a soft-attachment brush. You can also try airing your sofa by opening windows or leaving it outside for a few hours in a clean, dry space.