Read the care tag first
Most couches carry a cleaning code under a cushion or on the frame. It is the quickest way to know what the fabric will tolerate.
- W: water-based cleaning is fine, so steam cleaning suits it.
- S: solvent only. Water can leave rings or shrink the fabric.
- W/S: either method, used with care.
- X: vacuum only. Leave anything more to a professional.
No tag? Treat the couch as delicate until a spot test in a hidden place says otherwise.
Steam cleaning versus dry cleaning
Steam (hot water extraction)
Best for polyester, microfibre, olefin and most blends. It flushes out body oils, food spills and the fine grit that wears fibres down. The trade-off is drying time, usually a few hours with good airflow.
Dry and low-moisture cleaning
Used on viscose, rayon, silk, linen and some velvets, which can shrink, brown or lose their pile when soaked. A solvent or a light foam lifts the soil with very little water, so the couch is ready to use sooner, though a heavily soiled fabric may not come up as bright.
Leather
Leather is never steam cleaned. It needs a leather cleaner and a conditioner so it doesn’t dry out and crack.
Caring for a fabric couch, by fabric
Microfibre
A tight synthetic weave that resists stains but shows water rings and flattened pile. Where the tag says S, spot clean with a little rubbing alcohol on a white cloth, then brush the pile up once it is dry.
Linen and cotton
Natural fibres that shrink and brown when they get too wet. Blot spills straight away, never soak them, and leave a full clean to a low-moisture method.
Velvet
The pile crushes and marks easily. Vacuum with a soft brush in the direction of the pile, and on synthetic velvet only, a light pass of steam from a distance lifts crush marks.
On any fabric, spot test first: dab the cleaner on a hidden seam, wait a few minutes and press a white cloth on it. Colour on the cloth means stop.
What a professional couch clean involves
- A fabric check and a spot test for colour run.
- A thorough vacuum, including under the cushions and along the seams.
- Pre-treatment of stains, armrests and headrests, where body oils build up.
- The clean itself, by the method the fabric allows.
- Grooming the pile and setting the cushions to dry evenly.
What it costs
Our couch and upholstery cleaning starts at $88 per seat for a fabric lounge suite, or $99 per seat with removable cushions. Leather lounges are $99 per seat. Deodorise and sanitise is $10 per seat, and fabric protection is $88 per seat. Elite technicians are police-checked and fully insured, and every job carries a satisfaction guarantee.
Couch steam cleaning questions
How long does a couch take to dry after steam cleaning?
Usually a few hours. Open windows or run a fan to speed it up, and keep off it until it is dry to the touch.
Can I steam clean a velvet couch?
Synthetic velvet can often take a careful steam clean. Cotton, viscose or silk velvet is safer with a low-moisture method, after a spot test.
Will steam cleaning remove odours?
It removes the soil that holds most smells. A strong odour, such as from a pet accident, may also need a deodorising treatment.
Couch and upholstery cleaning from-prices| Service | From price |
|---|
| Fabric upholstery |
|---|
| Lounge suite | $88 per seat |
| Lounge suite (removable cushions) | $99 per seat |
| Standard recliner | $99 per seat |
| Tub chair | $88 per seat |
| Chaise | $44 per seat |
| Ottoman / footstool | $25 |
| Dining & office chairs (seat only) | $22 each |
| Dining & office chairs (seat, back + arms) | $33 each |
| Decorative cushions (small / medium / large) | $20 / $30 / $50 |
| Leather upholstery |
|---|
| Lounge suite | $99 per seat |
| Standard recliner | $99 per seat |
| Chaise | $66 per seat |
| Ottoman / footstool | $35 |
| Dining & office chairs (seat only) | $33 each |
| Dining & office chairs (seat, back + arms) | $44 each |
| Protection & extras |
|---|
| Fabric lounge protection | $88 per seat |
| Dining chair protection (seat only) | $22 each |
| Dining chair protection (seat, back + arms) | $33 each |
| Deodorise & sanitise | $10 per seat |
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