Sofa cleaning at home: how it works

What hot water extraction is

A sofa, or couch, in daily use holds dust, skin oils and dust mites that a vacuum will not lift. With hot water extraction, the cleaning solution goes into the fabric and is pulled straight back out with the dirt. The fabric is cleaned right through and the filling does not get soaked.

It is the method we use on fabric sofas, mattresses, chairs and car seats. Because the work is done at your home, there is nothing to transport and no days without a sofa.

What about leather sofas?

Leather does not take hot water extraction. It is cleaned with products and a method made for leather. Mention it is leather when you book, so the technician comes prepared.

When to call in professionals and how the clean goes

It is worth calling professionals when stains no longer come out with a damp cloth, when the sofa smells of pets, sweat or damp, when someone at home has allergies, or simply when a light fabric has turned grey. It also makes sense when you move into a furnished flat, or before you hand the keys back.

Our upholstery cleaning in Porto is carried out by our team dedicated to upholstery, with its own phone line. It is a booked service, not an emergency call out, covering Porto and Greater Porto, and it always runs the same way.

The first contact

Call or WhatsApp +351 933 535 818. Send photos of the whole sofa, the fabric close up and the stains that bother you most, and say how many seats it has and whether there are other pieces to clean on the same day.

Booking

We agree the day, the time and how you would like to pay on the phone, before the visit. The quote is free and is confirmed before any work starts, once the technician has seen the sofa.

The fabric test

Before cleaning, the technician tests the product on a hidden spot. If the fabric will not take the treatment, they tell you before going ahead. Some marks are not dirt at all: a bleach mark, for example, is fabric that has lost its colour, and no clean will bring it back. You hear that beforehand too.

Stains, odours and the clean

The technician treats the stains and odours and cleans the sofa by hot water extraction. If you ask, they also carry out the anti dust mite treatment.

Drying

The sofa is damp to the touch and usually dries in four to eight hours, depending on the fabric and how well the room airs. Open windows speed it up.

The invoice

At the end you get an invoice for the work done. That document is what entitles you to complain if anything is not right.

Getting ready and looking after the sofa afterwards

A few small steps before and after the visit help the result last longer.

Before the visit

Clear throws, cushions, toys and other things from the sofa and around it. If you have pets, keep them in another room while the work is done. The night before, do not try different products on the stains: mixing products can set a stain and make it harder to lift.

While the sofa dries

Open the windows or air the room. Avoid sitting on it and do not put throws or covers back until the fabric is dry. Keep children and pets off it for those hours.

New stains day to day

When something spills, blot it straight away with a white cloth, without rubbing, working from the outside in. Do not use bleach or household cleaners on the fabric without testing them on a hidden spot. If the stain will not shift, leave it for someone with the right product rather than spreading it.

How often

If you do a round of home maintenance in spring or before winter, cleaning the sofa and mattresses fits well into it. With pets or small children at home, the fabric needs attention more often.

What else can be cleaned on the same visit

Couch cleaning is only part of it. If you want other pieces done, mention them when you book so the quote and the visit time include them:

• Mattresses and headboards
• Dining and office chairs
• Rugs and fitted carpets
• Car seats and floor mats

Sofa cleaning questions