Foam couch cushions are a perfect fit for your living room as they are heat-sensitive, ultra-light, and designed to adjust your body’s specific contours. But what about their cleaning?
Cleaning couch cushion foam is challenging, but if you follow some simple techniques, you can achieve great results. You should avoid washing foam sofa cushions thoroughly as this would distort their texture and damage them.
Instead, you can apply cleaning solutions and a little water to the areas that need to be cleaned. Cleaning foam cushions using a steam cleaner is a good general choice.
Water is undoubtedly a vital component in the cleaning of cushion foam. However, you need to take special care of your foam when cleaning it. Here’s how to clean foam couch cushions.
How To Clean Couch Cushion Foam?
Tools You Will Need To Clean The Couch Cushion Foam
Before you begin the thorough cleaning, ensure you have everything you need. You’ll need the following tools to clean the foam cushion:
- Your form-cushion.
- The cushion’s cover.
- Liquid washing detergent.
- A lot of clean towels.
- Cool and warm water.
- A sink or basin big enough to soak your cushion.
To find the best cleaning procedure for your particular covers, read the care label on the foam cushion covers.
Steps To Clean The Foam Cushions Covers?
Knowing a few spot-treating tips is useful. But if you’re serious about learning how to clean memory foam chair cushions, you need a more thorough explanation.
Let’s go through the procedures to follow after you have set some time and are prepared to thoroughly clean your favorite item.
1. Remove The Cushion Cover
It will pay off when you buy a high-quality cushion with a washable, detachable cover. So you can just take your pillow’s cover off, and wash it in machine.
Therefore, if the stain on your cushion is only visible at the surface, you may just only a machine rinse in cold water to complete the task.
Read the tag on your cushion if you cannot remove the cover. Most will provide cleaning advice. Find out whether it’s okay to wash your whole cushion here.
Whatever process you choose, remember that you should never wash or dry a memory foam cushion. The core agitator of the washing machine and heat from the dryer may harm or shred the foam.
2. Vacuum the Foam
After taking off the cover, did you notice any dust or other particles on the memory foam? If so, you may vacuum it using a little portable vacuum.
In this manner, the foam’s surface will be clean as you remove the stain.
3. Prepare the Water
What can you do if you must remove the whole foam seat cushion?
First, completely soak the cushion in a tub of warm water. A deep laundry sink should work nicely if it’s a personal seating cushion. Alternatively, you may fill a bathtub with bigger cushions, like those for a couch.
Maintain a lukewarm water temperature and include some washing detergent. It will set the stain off if the water is too hot. To uniformly disperse the detergent, stir the water.
4. Slightly dip the cushion
Place your seat cushion into the basin once the water is ready. After that, gently push it down to thoroughly soak it.
Continue pressing the cushion into the water while flipping it back and forth. You will gradually develop a mild suction as it rises to the top, and you continue pressing it downward.
If there are any stains or dirt within your cushion, this motion alone may help remove them.
You can notice that your water is becoming filthy when the stain from the memory foam is released. Continue in this manner, and you’ll begin “washing” your cushion in muddy water, worsening any stains already there.
Instead, spend five minutes cleaning the basin, adding soap, and draining the wastewater.
5. Deodorize
Sprinkle baking soda over the mattress after obtaining some. Even if it’s still wet, you can still do this.
You may assist the mattress drying out by opening the windows in your room, turning on the fan, or taking it outdoors to dry in the sun on a tarp. Just watch the wind; if it’s too strong, the baking soda will all fly away.
6. Rinse the cushion
After removing the stains from your foam cushion to your satisfaction, it is time to rinse it. Drain the sink to get rid of all of the soapy water. Refill the sink with fresh, cold water after that.
Rinse the cushion repeatedly in a back-and-forth manner until it no longer resembles or feels soapy. If you wash it in a sink with a detachable spray nozzle, you may spray through and into the foam.
Try to give the cushion a little pressing while you rinse it. It might assist in getting rid of any extra suds and make it easier to wash thoroughly.
You may need to gently massage the cushion a few times to get all the detergents out since the inside tends to hold extra detergent.
7. Dry the cushion
After rinsing the foam cushion, it is time to dry it!
Start by getting a couple of fresh towels. To dry the cushion, wrap the towels over it and apply gentle pressure. You could find it easier to softly walk on the cushion to let the water flow out more readily if it’s heavy and still retaining a lot of liquid.
Replace a wet towel with a dry one if it gets damp. It facilitates drying more quickly. You can also utilize this tool to remove the moisture from your cushion if you have a wet vacuum!
Put your towels aside and place the foam cushion outdoors to dry in the sun after you think you’ve drained out as much liquid as possible. While doing this step outside is ideal, you may still do it inside if necessary in a warm, sunny area.
Try to raise your cushion slightly so it can dry at an angle rather than laying it flat on the floor. It will dry more rapidly since the air can move more easily around it. You may also put a humidifier next to the cushion to hasten the drying process.
8. Test It Out
It’s a good idea to check the seat cushion’s dryness before putting it back into regular use.
To achieve this, put the cushion on top of a fresh, dry paper towel and apply pressure firmly. If the hand towel is slightly damp, you will have to wait a little longer before utilizing the cushion again. Otherwise, you’re fine to go!
Can You Wash Foam Couch Cushions?
A typical mishap you can experience is splashing a drink on the sofa. When this occurs, you must immediately check how deeply the liquid has infiltrated the cushion foam.
You should clean the cushion foam depending on how much or how little the spill was.
For Light Spills: Wash the foam with a moist towel to extract the liquid. Keep in mind that the spill must be quite near the surface. To remove all the liquid that is soaked, create a vacuum. It made sure there was no moisture remaining on the inside.
For Deep Spills: The fact that you also need to thoroughly clean them makes this a difficult process to do.
- To help a spill’s stain absorb, pat it with a paper towel.
- Try not to rub the spot with a clean towel. It runs the danger of acquiring the liquid and worsening the damage.
- Continue dabbing at the spot with towels until it becomes wet.
- To keep it dry, air-dry it or place it in the sun.
So, can you wash the couch cushions? Yes, but be extra careful.
If the spill is severe, you will have to upholster them or get new ones.
Can You Wash/Clean the Foam Padding?
No, it’s not a good idea to wash the foam padding. But If it’s too dirty or stained, try washing it gently.
Otherwise, you can use liquid soap, vinegar, or alcohol to clean it (preferably rubbing). If not, just vacuum the cushions to get rid of any dust.
Foam is a porous material that soaks up water, which can break it down and damage it. Also, foam padding usually can’t handle the high temperatures and agitation needed for a washing machine to clean clothes well.
If the foam padding on a cushion or piece of furniture is dirty or has become soiled, you should remove it and replace it with new foam. If the foam padding is in good shape but just smells bad, you can try a fabric freshener or deodorizer to eliminate the smell.
But keep in mind that these products might not be able to get rid of stains or dirt that is really deep in the foam.
If you can’t replace the foam padding and need to clean it, you can try vacuuming it to eliminate any dirt or debris on the surface. When vacuuming the foam, use the upholstery attachment and be gentle, as too much suction or abrasion can damage the foam.
Extra Tips For Cleaning Foam Cushions
Here are a few more additional tips on how to clean foam:
- Don’t use hot water or harsh cleaning chemicals on foam, as these can break it down and damage it.
- To clean foam, use a mild detergent or spot cleaner, and rinse well to remove any soap residue.
- If you need to clean a small spot of foam, use a clean, damp cloth or sponge to scrub the area gently. Don’t press too hard because that can hurt the foam.
- If you can’t get a stain out of foam, you might want to cover it with a protective cover or get new foam.
- Don’t put foam directly in the sun or near a heat source, as this can cause it to break down and get damaged over time.
- After you clean the foam, let it dry completely in the air before you replace it or use it again.
- If you need to get a stain out of foam, the best thing to do is use a product that is made just for getting stains out of foam. These products are usually better at getting rid of stains than water and detergent alone.
I hope these suggestions help! Don’t be afraid to ask more questions about cleaning foam if you have them.
Conclusion
Regular cleaning of your couch cushion foams can extend their lifespan and improve your comfort.
Foam is a resilient substance when handled with care and consideration. Use vinegar, laundry soap, baking soda, rubbing alcohol, or other fabric-safe cleansers to quickly clean any spills or stains on your sofa.
Nothing makes your bedroom smell as good as freshly cleaned couches. A foam couch cushion may also be cleaned properly to remove any allergies or even mold or mildew that may be forming.
FAQs
How do you thoroughly clean foam?
Make an equal mixture of liquid washing detergent and water. Put a small amount of the solution on the area and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Then, wipe it clean with a wet rag. Use a new towel to the area to dry it, then let it air dry.
How do you clean up foam without washing it?
Sprinkle a thin coating of baking soda to the whole surface of the foam mattress. Allow the baking soda to sit on the cushion overnight or throughout the day while you’re at work. Then pick up the baking soda with a vacuum. Spray an orange-based cleaner on the foam cushion.