How to Clean Oil Stains From Furniture Upholstery

by Bethany Thomson

Check out a step-by-step-guide how to save your sofa from oil stains

how to clean oil stains from furniture upholstery, how to, painted furniture, reupholster

Oily foods, body lotions and car fluids can cause harsh oily stains on the furniture upholstery. The oily stains are a big problem as they are difficult to remove. In addition, if you leave the stain longer on the upholstery, it becomes even more troublesome.

This does not mean that the stains cannot be removed from the upholstery. You need to treat and clean them while they are still fresh to prevent the permanent noticeable spots on the upholstery. I have some great tips and instructions to help you clean bothering oily stains from upholstered furniture.

A step-by-step-guide

1. Sprinkle some absorbent powder over the stained area. You may use baking soda, baby powder or corn starch to absorb the excess oil. Rub the powder gently into the fibres with your fingers and leave it to work on the stained area for at least 15 minutes.

2. Use the vacuum machine and upholstery attachment to clean the powder from the furniture. Avoid brushing as this could spread the oily stain across the upholstery.

3. Create a cleaning solution by mixing gentle liquid dish detergent and some warm water. Use a clean piece of cloth to apply the cleaning mixture on the area. Gently rub the stained area and rinse the upholstery with clean water.

4. If you still notice the stain, you may also use grease remover to clean the oily stain. Spray the solution on the stained area and leave it to work for a few minutes. Get a clean piece of cloth or a sponge to gently rub the spot. It is a good idea to test the grease remover on a small hidden piece of the upholstery to make sure it does not damage the colours and fibres of the material.

5. Rinse the stained area with clean piece of cloth and clean warm water.

6. Blot the upholstery with paper towels to absorb the excess moisture and leave the area to air dry.

7. Inspect the area to make sure the oily stain is removed. If needed, you may repeat the cleaning process to remove any leftovers.

The process will work great with fresh oily stains. However, the old stains are much more difficult to clean and you may consult with professional furniture cleaning services. How do you deal with oil stains on your furniture? Share some other useful tips, please!

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2 comments

Jenny MBacca on Sep 05, 2015
I absolutely LOVE this couch! Do you know the name of the couch and where to purchase it? Thanks!

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Bethany Thomson on Sep 07, 2015
The picture is from Pinterest, so I don't know where you can purchase the sofa, sorry, Jenny :(

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