Removing Grease Stains from Upholstery

There are few things more unnerving during a dinner party than watching a guest spill greasy cheese or dressing on one of your favorite pieces of furniture. As a host or hostess, you cannot make a big scene cleaning right after the spill; but if you wait until the party is over, the stain could set and leave an unsightly mark on your couch, armchair or other fabric-covered piece. But if you still have a few days until your maids service stops by for a regular house cleaning service, follow these tips to save the piece quickly and efficiently.

First, blot up as much of the spill as possible when it happens. Using cold water, lightly moisten a rag or towel and press it into the stain, letting it soak up any initial debris. Use a dry towel to blot the spot until it is dry, and caution guests about sitting in that area. If you have a fabric spray handy (such as Resolve™), you can spray this and let it get to work on the stain while the party winds down. Otherwise, hang tight for the rest of the party and wait until your guests leave to break out the big stain fighters.

After everyone has left, make a tincture of cold water and colorless laundry detergent. The ratio should be two parts water to one part detergent, though you can adjust the ratio to better fight your stain if this is too diluted. Using a clean towel, soak up some of the mixture and rub it gently into the stain with a circular motion. Since laundry detergent is designed with heavy stain lifting chemicals, you’re essentially acting like a giant washing machine for the upholstery. Once the area is saturated, take a second towel and a bowl of cold, clean water and apply in the same way, lifting the detergent mixture from the fabric. Continue until no suds are visible in the rag, changing the water in the bowl as needed.

Monitor the furniture closely over the next several hours as the water dries. If your treatment was a success, you won’t see any residual stains left on the fabric. But if your stain still hasn’t disappeared, try reapplying until it lifts. With each subsequent cleaning, increase the amount of detergent in your solvent to boost its stain fighting power.

Some fabrics are tougher to clean than others. If this is the case for you, try some of the following tips to get the stain out. Some fabrics respond better to dish soap than washing machine detergent, so substitute it into the method above. Another product that you could try is shampoo designed to dry out greasy hair. Avoid anything that is artificially colored, and be sure to test on a small area out of view prior to applying to the stain. If worse comes to worse, ask your local seamstress or dry cleaner for their suggestions. They may recommend a specialist or suggest reupholstering the piece entirely, removing the troublesome grease stain with it.

More tips for effective housekeeping services are available at www.maidformommy.com. Follow easy cleaning steps before your maids arrive and definitely you will save some money as well.