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Color-safe cleaner for red upholstery?

18 years ago

Sigh. DS threw up all over my best piece of furniture - - my red sofa - - while I was at work. I mean, of all of the places . . .

Anyway, I'm now stuck at home with very few options for cleaning this. I have already wiped up the majority with wet paper towels. Do I have to buy a special product for this? Can I used diluted vinegar? I have no idea what would be color-safe. I've never cleaned this sofa with anything but the vacuum.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

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Comments (9)

chispa
18 years ago
Do you have any info on the sofa fabric? What is the cleaning code? I would probably have a service come to clean it with the machine.

Main reason why we have leather in the family room! My oldest DS was a projectile vomiting baby ... the joys of parenthood!! Good luck getting it cleaned.
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rococogurl
18 years ago
Very tough to clean some upholstery fabrics so proceed carefully. Cold water mixed with white vinegar might be the safest as the vinegar will keep the color fast if it wouldn't otherwise be but it really depends on the fabric. Might need steam cleaning. Might not be able to clean effectively.

I happen to be taking a textile class and the instructor is super expert on all this and a nationally known designer. If you find out the composition of the fabric is I can email and ask him. He's seen everything and cleaning stuff is part of the class. The red dye issue just came up in class tonight.
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I have a dyson. It was a special model offered to employees of Best Buy when our son worked there. He lived at home so we got his discount. I'd been wanting one and was thrilled to get it. That was four years ago and I still love it. I've always loved to vacuum, but then my Mom always had commercial grade vacuums and gave one of her old ones to me when I moved out. When it finally gave out instead of having it rebuilt (which my Mom had done once) we decided to try something smaller and went through a couple brands that were highly rated by Consumer Reports. Never again. That's when we bought our dyson. We have hardwood, ceramic, marble, granite, wall to wall carpet and area rugs. I use my dyson on all of them and our upholstered furniture. I even dust with it because of allergies. Ithas a very long hose that allows me to do our stairs without dragging the upright up the stairs. It also has an attachement for doing hard floors like a canister vac, but I prefer to unengage the brush and use it that way. I highly recommend the dyson if you have pets because dog and cat hair isn't a challenge to this baby. If you want a vacuum that really sucks, get a dyson. You won't regret it.
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Thanks for your input valinsv. Oddly enough, I had most of the same exact concerns that you did. And in fact, our plan was to have them make us fitted cushions rather than the pillows you see. The sectional would look cleaner and we thought, function better. As it turns out, now that we have had this sectional for about two weeks, we rather love how it functions. Yes, the sofa doesn't look as clean but wow is it comfortable for us to use. When it's just the family, we all sort of tuck ourselves into different parts of the sectional. And, when it's just me, I actually gravitate toward the corner more than most places on the sofa. The pillow look allows us to just grab one and put it where it is comfortable. Shoot, I (and others) even use the armless end to watch TV if other parts are full. We didn't plan it this way and like I said, were set to do it another way. But hey, now that we got a chance to use it, we like this better. We did consider a curved sectional but the dimensions just would not work in this room. And regarding microsuede, I understand that it is practical. But in this case, we have to go with style over function. Just don't like that material. It just happens
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Can't comment on new cleaning machines. In the past I had a Bissell and it did a very poor job of vacuuming up the solution. New machine that my DS bought for me. After a very few cleanings, the Bissell then developed a problem where all the cleaning solution would drain out of the tank quickly. Repair part was on backorder. Ditched the Bissell and bought a used Hoover at a rummage sale. It does a much better job vacuuming up the cleaning solution. But it has a design flaw. A hose is breaking at a flex point; I have it patched with self sealing silicone tape for now. The used Hoover has outlasted the brand new Bissell. I'll be on the lookout to replace it when garage sales start again this summer. Likely will be another Hoover. It won't be another Bissell, that much I know for sure.
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paigect
Original Author
18 years ago
rococogurl, it's a cotton duck/denim type material. I'm guessing it is mostly, if not 100%, cotton, although I can't find any tags that specify content.

Since you also mentioned it, I think I will try diluted vinegar with cold water on a spot on the back of the sofa, and see what happens. If you get any info from your instructor, I would love to hear it! Thanks so much.
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garden_of_darwin
18 years ago
Paige -- I don't have any helpful info other than to say I'm sorry! And I hope your DS is feeling better soon!

Susan
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paigect
Original Author
18 years ago
chispa, I somehow didn't see your post - - my ds is not a baby, and should have known better!

The blasted babysitter sat in the next room on the computer and didn't even realize what had happened. So I come home to ds asleep on couch, babysitter clueless, and couch covered. And *of course* I took yesterday off from work for an appointment for DS, so now I'm backed up and I have a huge deadline tomorrow that is *not* flexible, and no one to watch DS. He's going to have to come to work with me, with a 102 fever. Poor kid.

No mother of the year awards for me this year!
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paigect
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks Susan! What's keeping you up this late?
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chispa
18 years ago
Paige,
I knew your son was older! Ours is too, but he trained us when he was a baby with his sensitive gag reflex! He has pretty much learnt to aim for the hardwood or tile, yuck. Better yet, when he feels the least bit sick he walks around the house with a bucket! LOL

Hope your son is feeling better and you got caught up at work today.
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rococogurl
18 years ago
Paige -- without knowing exact fiber content it's hard to be precise but suggestons are cold salt water first, then if that doesn't do it a little cold water mixed with clear (not blue or colored) dish soap -- not too much as it's hard to get out, sponge with cold water and blot.

Hope it helps.
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paigect
Original Author
18 years ago
Just checking in quickly while I'm waiting for my secretary to finish something . . .

Chispa,
DS is in the conference room, comfortably watching t.v. and drinking ginger ale. Thank goodness he felt a little better this morning! He did have a bucket yesterday, but, well, it spilled. :-( Those sensitive gag reflex kids can be a challenge, no?!

Rococogurl,
Thanks so much for the saltwater tip. I will try that when we get home. It never would have occurred to me.
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