How To Clean Scotch Guarded Couches Yourself

Scotchgarded couches are treated with stain-repelling Scotchgard. This product repels water and slows the rate that spills absorb into upholstery. It will stop many stains completely. Most large pieces of furniture are professionally treated with Scotchgard before they leave the store, however, you can also apply a Scotchgard at home. Once applied the couch needs little cleaning other than regular vacuuming and if a spill is caught quickly it only needs to be blotted up. Some stains need a little extra effort.

Step 1

Blot up as much of a spill as possible using paper towels or absorbent cotton towels. Press the towels into the spill using your body weight and change for new towels as the towels become saturated. Continue doing this until no more fluid comes out. If the spill was clear and odorless, such as water, this all you may need to do.

Step 2

Find the manufacturer's label for the couch. It is usually attached to the bottom side of a cushion. Read the labels to see what kind of cleaners are safe for the couch. If you see an "S" it means you can use a solvent, if you see a "W" you can use a water-based cleaner, "W-S" means both and "X" means you can only vacuum. For solvents, try mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol, for water-based cleaners, dilute 1/4 teaspoon dish soap with 1 cup water.

Step 3

Dab the cleaner solution into the stain until the entire spot is moistened. Continue dabbing with a clean towel to pick up the moisture from the cleaner out of the couch.

Step 4

Rinse the stain with plain water by wetting a cloth and dabbing it onto the spot. Once it is moistened, blot with paper towels until dry.