3 DIY Upholstery Spray Cleaners We Highly Recommend

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Squeaky is all about the borderline genius hacks and ideas that keep literally every inch of your space pristine.

With pets, kids, and the occasional food spill, your couches and chairs need an occasional pick-me-up. If you have unsightly stains or mysterious smells, try one of these three cleaning and deodorizing options to treat sofa cushions, car upholstery, chairs, curtains, and even rugs.

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A few simple ingredients, a bottle, and a good shake — that's all you need to make these DIY upholstery cleaners that will help fight funky odors.

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DIY Stain-Fighting Upholstery Spray

With just three ingredients, this simple cleaning spray tackles stains and unpleasant odors. White vinegar — an all purpose cleaning all-star — neutralizes odors and alkaline stains (like grass). Add a few drops of dish soap to spot clean grease and food stains.

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Things You'll Need

  • 1 cup distilled water or club soda

  • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

  • 3 to 5 drops dish soap

  • 10 to 15 drops essential oil (optional)

  • 12 ounce spray bottle

Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle, and then replace the top and swirl to mix ingredients. Add essential oils to fight odors while you attack stains.

Spritz lightly onto stained areas and let it sit on the fabric for five minutes.

Scrub gently with a clean rag until the stain is gone. Remove any excess soap with a clean, wet rag and dry thoroughly with a towel or vacuum.

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DIY Febreze-Inspired Upholstery Spray

This two-ingredient spray is the perfect way to refresh hard-to-wash fabrics like couches, curtains, and rugs. You can also spritz pillows, dog beds, and bedding to get rid of unwanted odors.

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Things You'll Need

Add one tablespoon of the fabric softener to an empty 16 ounce spray bottle. Use a scented fabric softener or add 15 drops of an essential oil with a fresh, clean scent, like lemon, lavender, or rosemary.

Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water. Replace cap and shake to combine.

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To use, spritz fabric in a sweeping motion until slightly damp. You want to lightly mist the upholstery, not get it sopping wet. Then let the fabric dry naturally.

DIY Brightening and Deodorizing Upholstery Spray

This simple deodorizing spray uses hydrogen peroxide to brighten fabrics and essential oils to naturally whisk away odors. Perfect if you want just a hint of scent — you get to customize it!

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Things You'll Need

Add one cup vodka or rubbing alcohol to an empty spray bottle and add the essential oils. Lavender, citrus scents like sweet orange or lemon, or tree scents like pine or rosemary are good choices to freshen fabrics and the air in your home. Play around with combinations of scents that you enjoy.

If your upholstery is white or a light color, add 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide to naturally lighten stains and brighten fabrics.

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Spray liberally on dirty upholstery to quickly get rid of smells. If you use rubbing alcohol, the spray will dry super fast but the smell is strong so open a window until the alcohol smell dissipates.

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Try one of these DIY sprays the next time you're dealing with unwanted odors on stinky couches or smelly curtains. For the best results on upholstery, follow these usage tips:

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  • Do a spot test in an inconspicuous area before using.
  • Spritz lightly, a little goes a long way.
  • Use once a week.
  • Vacuum upholstery to remove crumbs and dirt before deodorizing.
  • If you're removing stains, let the cleaner sit for a few minutes and scrub gently to avoid damaging the fabric.
  • To avoid water spots, don't use on silk, suede, and leather fabrics.

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