How to remove those stubborns stains from your sofa

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It doesn't matter how careful we are, or how many rules we put in place about no food and drink on the living room sofa, there always seems to be a stain that simply slips through the net, doesn't there? It's such a shame, especially if you have invested a lot of money in your fabulous furniture, which is why we've found some fabulous stain removal tips to share with you today! 

You don't need to be a professional cleaner to know that tackling a stain as soon as it happens is the way to go, but would you know which solutions to put on what stain? Well, come with us now and you will, but please always try a test patch first, in case certain cleaning products will discolour your fabric!

1. Red wine.

Argh! The dreaded red wine spill is easier to tackle than you might think! Simply blot up the stain to remove as much moisture as possible, then mix up an oxygen bleach solution (you might find your laundry detergent additive will work!) and douse the stain, leaving the solution on for between one and six hours. Then blot again and leave to dry! 

2. Chocolate.

All you parents will know the pain of chocolate on the sofa! Start by scraping off hard chocolate with a butter knife, then treat the stain with a weak solution of either detergent or dish soap. Leave for 10 minutes and then wipe the stain away. For more stubborn stains, you might want to try an oxygen bleach solution.

3. Ketchup.

Damn that ketchup stain! Blot away as much of the stain as you can, before adding some dish soap. Leave for up to 30 minutes, then blot again and rinse thoroughly. Warm water will really help it to lift, but you might need to repeat the process for really messy stains.

4. Ink.

This is why you don't allow drawing on the sofa! Firstly, you need to stop the ink in it's tracks, so whip off your cover and place a tea towel underneath the stain. Spritz with rubbing alcohol, but try to use as little as possible as it will help the ink to run. Leave to soak for a few minutes before hard-blotting the area with a clean cloth. DO NOT RUB! The ink will start to lift and transfer to your cloth, so keep going until no more will come out and then pop your cover in the washing machine, on a cold cycle. Do not add any heat to the area, as this will actually set the stain permanently! 

5. Coffee.

We can't live without coffee, but that doesn't mean we want it on our sofas! Blot a coffee stain with cold water, leave it to soak for 30 minutes and then simply wash it like you would normally, with a gentle detergent. All gone!

6. Milk.

Got milk?Well hopefully not on your sofa! If you have, then gently blot the stain with a clean cloth before adding a solution of two-parts hydrogen peroxide to one-part dish soap on top. Leave to soak in for about five minutes, before blotting with a cold, damp cloth. Et voila!

7. Crayon and marker pen.

These stains can be treated in exactly the same way as ink, but you can actually substitute rubbing alcohol for simple hairspray! Perfect for parents who need a quick solution, huh? With crayons being waxy, you will need to add baking soda to a wet sponge before gently rubbing off the stains and rinsing with clean water.

8. Pet poo.

Well this is never a nice task, but it is inevitable, as a pet owner, especially if you have a baby animal in the house! Blot/scoop up the as much as you can before making a paste of 1/4 cup table salt, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup laundry detergent. Cover the stain with the paste and leave it to sit for 24 hours. Yes, we know this is a long time! Vacuum up the dried paste and then rinse with cold water. If you still have a lingering stain or odour, you can repeat, but add some essential oils to your paste.

9. Oil and grease.

The dreaded oil stain! Remove excess grease by blotting the stain and then sprinkle a teaspoon of cornflour over it, to grab onto any lingering oils. Leave the flour in place for about an hour and then simply brush it off. With excess grease removed, you can now tackle the remainder with a simple solution of warm soapy water!

10. Chewing gum.

Don;t fret if you spy gum on your sofa! Try to remove as much as possible with a dull-edged knife or even a credit card, before removing your cover and popping it in the freezer. If you haven't got space, or your covers don't come off, then grab an ice cube and apply topically to the gum, to freeze it until hard. It will now simply ping off with your dull-edged implement! Any residual stain can be simply treated with hot soapy water. Easy!

11. Blood.

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Ok, so with this one, you need to act super fast! Blot as much as you can immediately, then rinse the stain under cold water. When as much as possible has been removed, you need to soak the stain in an oxygen-bleach laundry detergent mixture, for up to six hours, and then wash with cold water. Never use heat, as it will set the stain forever! 

For more handy cleaning tips, take a look at this Ideabook: Easy bathroom cleaning tips.

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