how can I clean this couch?

October 11, 2009 11:54 AM

My landlord just bought a brand new sofa (this beige model) for my apartment, and I seem to have ruined it already by letting my friend sleep on it for a few days using dark-colored sheets. The area under the head/pillow is now slightly darker than the rest of the sofa; it looks as if it's always slightly wet. The cover can be dry-cleaned but will be expensive; what are the chances of it working? Are there any easier/less expensive alternatives?
posted by helios to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Looking at your location my specific product recommendation is probably useless, but there's likely to be similar locally. My boyfriend is afflicted with a pale sofa and is always spilling things on it - he uses various Vanish mousses and sprays to get stains and marks out quite effectively. I'd have a go at something like that (with the normal caveat of 'try it first on an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn't change the colour'), before going for dry cleaning.
posted by Coobeastie at 1:59 PM on October 11, 2009

I reckon some kind of dye removal sachet (in Australia we have something called Run Away for when you wash a red sock with your white undies kind of problem) in water and sponged on then off. It's a dye transfer problem. Perhaps the dark sheets were newish? With any attempt, try it in an inconspicuous place, if possible, first.
posted by taff at 3:01 PM on October 11, 2009

I've had good luck with Woolite carpet cleaner
posted by jmsta at 3:22 PM on October 11, 2009

Why not talk to your landlord about it? Are you not supposed to have guests in your apartment? What if the fabric of this sofa is easily stained by anything at all? Has your landlord then made you the steward of this delicate fabric that you will have to worry about the rest of your tenancy? Just some questions running through my head. In these sorts of situations, I've always fared better when going to the landlord as soon as it happens and discussing it out.
posted by buzzv at 9:56 PM on October 11, 2009

Hm, that stain might be hair oil (natural or otherwise) from your friend's head, rather than dye. I don't have a solution, sorry, but oil might require a different removal strategy from dye.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:12 AM on October 12, 2009