You have probably bought a best recliner, the best you could afford and used it to your full satisfaction. You may even value them as perfect furniture pieces after all; they provide you with great comfort and relaxation. But after many a nights and days, the hours of you spending time on the recliner keeps adding up just as the dirt on your recliner. If you look carefully, you are bound to discover a buildup of food and drink spills, dirt, pet and human hairs, and what not. That has to get you to notice the stains, the unsettling odor and the waning color of your recliner. Even if your brand new recliner doesn’t have these problems, they are bound to in the near future if not properly taken care of.
Most recliners are constructed out of leather, cloth or microfibers. While there are other materials used also, these materials are commonly found in all recliners. Buying a recliner may be easy, but luckily for you, keeping it clean is easy too.
Cleaning the slipcovers
Purchasing a study slipcover for your recliner is always a smart choice because if you have a slipcover on your recliner, the chances of your recliner getting dirty really fall down as the recliner cover takes all the brunt of use. Any dirt or stain will be manifested on the recliner cover rather than the recliner itself. To clean these slipcovers, all you have to do is take them off of your recliner and wash them in the washing machine as you would with any other piece of clothing. Once it’s washed properly, hang them up to dry and afterwards, put it back on the recliner. In the meantime, you could always vacuum or dust the recliner without its cover and check to see if everything’s all fine.
In case you had not protected your recliner with a slipcover, you can take the following steps to correctly clean your recliners at home.
Cleaning cloth recliners
The first step to clean a cloth recliner is to remove all the loose cushions of your recliner. You have to primarily take care of any loose dirt that may have manifested on your recliner. You can do so by brushing it thoroughly or use a vacuum with the brush attachment to ensure that all the loose dirt is cleaned fully. Make sure to clean all the areas of the recliner – seating area, the back, the arms, the sides, and any openings in the design.
Once your recliner is free of loose dirt, give your recliner cushions the same treatments of cleaning. This was only a simple treatment to get out the dirt hanging to your recliner. But to remove stains and pungent odors, you will have to wash your recliner.
To do so, get a gentle detergent, making sure that it is bleach or whitener free. Otherwise, the color of your recline will end up fading up. Now add one-fourth cup of the detergent to some warm water. Use a hand blender or mixer to mix them properly. Create suds or lathers from this detergent mixture, and use them to clean the recliner’s upholstery by applying them to the fabric. Make sure to use a sponge or soft cloth to scrub the upholstery lightly. As you gently scrub, you will soon see the dirt coming up in the suds. Once all the dirt has been brought out, use a dry towel to remove the dirt. Next, leave your recliner indoors to dry it overnight.
Cleaning leather recliners
To clean a leather recliner, you will need some warm water and a mild facial soap. Also, use a soft cloth rag to first clean the recliner thoroughly, making sure that it does not damage the recliner’s leather upholstery. When it comes to cleaning leather recliners, extra care and attention should be given to the recliner’s armrest and headrest. Leather attracts dirt and body oils that as a user, you end up excreting in mostly these areas of the recliner.
Now that you have carefully cleaned the recliner, it’s time to rinse the recliner off with some water (warm to cold). Dry it off with a moisture absorbing towel for faster results. Since you do not use detergent here, you may have thought that the color of your recliner will not be affected. Unfortunately, this is a common misconception that most users have. Using regular water to clean your leather recliner will discolor it. You will need to ensure that you use ONLY distilled water for this purpose.
Now that you have cleaned and rinsed the recliner, it’s time to wipe it off with a clean towel.
Another efficient way to clean leather recliner is through the use of one part vinegar and two parts linseed oil and using this mixture to wipe your recliner clean. Irrespective of the manner you choose to clean you recliner, it is always a good step to apply leather protectant to it. Other general ways of keeping your leather recliner clean is by wiping up spills instantly without waiting for them to be a permanent stain on your recliner.
Cleaning microfiber recliner
Microfibers are a type of synthetic fine fiber that resist spills, but dirt, hard stains, dust, and hair still prove to be a major problem. Spills can easily be mopped up or cleaned by the use of a cleaning rag. But when it comes to cleaning dirt or food stuck to the areas of the recliner, you will need to use a soft bristly furniture brush to release them. You will also need to vacuum or brush all over the recliner cracks and seats thoroughly. Uses a lint roller to remove hair from the recliner or duct tape to pry the same off. You can also use a soft washcloth, gentle soap and some water to clean it up. Allow the recliner to dry after the cleaning is done.
While these above cleaning techniques will be sufficient to keep your recliner clean from basic stains and dirt, opt for professional help for severe cases. Before starting to clean your recliner all by yourself, always read the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.