I've DIY'd with a carpet cleaner upholstery attachment if that's an option for you. I do water and vinegar with a teeny bit of dish soap, and then a second round with just water and vinegar to thoroughly rinse the soap.
Try a DIY Cleaner
For fabric upholstery: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar, 3/4 warm water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap or Castile soap. Put in a spray bottle. Mist the soiled area. Scrub with a soft cloth until the stain lifts.
Store-bought fabric upholstery cleaner is a good choice to use on a sofa, but you can also make a solution of 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of gentle laundry detergent and 2 cups of warm water. Use a rag or microfiber cleaning cloth to rub the cleaner into the upholstery. Then, air-dry.
If you have oily stains to clean in upholstery, use blue Dawn dish soap to break down the oil. Just a tiny bit on a wet cloth will do!
Pure & Gentle's dish soap and laundry detergent are two liquid cleaners that work well on most upholstery without causing damage to most fabrics. Diluted dish soap is one of a few upholstery cleaning products that may be used to pre-treat and remove common stains.
Mix your cleaning solution.
4 cups of warm water + ¼ cup of dish soap, such as Dawn. Whisk it together in a bucket until it's crazy sudsy.
Start by vacuuming the surface of the seat to remove any dirt and debris. Then, scrub lightly with a mixture of warm water and laundry detergent. If needed, mix in some white vinegar or baking soda to help deal with tough odors or mold growth. Rinse with cold water and let dry before using again.
White vinegar
This home staple is a versatile multi-purpose cleaner and is great for many surfaces, including the exterior of your car and upholstery.
Most professional upholstery cleaning services use a process called hot water extraction. Their machine injects hot water and cleaning solution into the fibers of your upholstery to dislodge particles hiding there. Then it all gets sucked up with a powerful vacuum.
Thoroughly mix a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle or another container. Add 1 to 2 drops of dish soap, so that the solution does not produce too much foam. Treat the smelly area of the couch with the mixture and let it dry. Repeat the operation if necessary.
In our tests, Woolite's line of carpet and upholstery stain removers worked quickly and thoroughly without the need for extra rinsing or blotting. Even though the oxy bleaches in Woolite's Instaclean are color-safe, it's best to test it on a hidden spot before treating any stain just to be safe.
Vacuum your couch so you're not rubbing in dirt or debris while cleaning. In the bucket, mix about 2 cups of distilled water with 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Dampen a microfiber cloth with your cleaning solution. Gently blot any stained areas with the cloth.
You'll need 1/4 cup of vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon of castile soap (I prefer Dr. Bronners), and 1/8 cup of baking soda. I run a bit of hot water and then mix this solution together. This eliminates the baking soda and vinegar reaction.
1) Upholstery
It is a natural, non-toxic cleaner that is not only effective but also affordable. When using vinegar to clean upholstery, it's important to remember that it should never be used on delicate fabrics such as silk or velvet.
Step 3: Sprinkle baking soda on all the smelly fabrics. You can do this on your seats or carpets. For extra effectiveness, rub it or scrub it into the surface. Step 4: Leave it for at least 3 hours before vacuuming the baking soda.
Get a cloth wet with warm water, ensuring it's damp, not sopping or dripping wet. Additionally, keep a spray bottle handy to continue to wet the cloth and wet the car seat padding too. Locate the stain, and use a dab of Dawn dish soap to scrub at it with your clean cloth.
A spill has gotten all over that chair that ties the room together! Don't worry, with OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover you can get your upholstery looking stylish and clean again.
Mix 2 tablespoons of laundry detergent with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, and 2 cups of warm water. If you don't have baking soda, that's okay, although baking soda does a great job of neutralizing odors!
Mix the warm water, the few squirts of dish detergent and the ¼ cup of vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake the mixture well and leave for 5 minutes to set. STEP 2: After the half hour, use a clean dry towel to blot the stains with the baking soda and water.
For water based cleaning, I suggest one cup of water, one cup of rubbing alcohol, and a few drops of dawn dish soap. This DIY mix will do a great job cleaning up the piece without causing any damage.