So your brand new recliner is no longer brand new (click here to check out the new ones) and now it needs some cleaning. No problem, with a little bit of effort even the dirtiest of recliners and sofa chairs can be tidied up.
Step 1. Figure Out The Dirtiest Section Of Your Recliner
What part of your recliner really needs cleaning? More often than not, there’s one section that is especially dirty and the rest is fine by most peoples’ standards. The places you should be checking are in the couch cushions, the armrests, the section in which the horizontal part of the recliner meets the vertical part of your recliner (where your tailbone would be when seated) and sometimes underneath the recliner itself. To Clean this section you will need to fully recline the bottom piece allowing access to the area that needs cleaning plus we recommend using a high quality shop vac for the task.
Step 2. Vacuum In Between The Couch Cushions
For this step, you’re going to need a portable vacuum which will fit in the tight abyss that is your recliner cushions. We suggest you use your vacuum with its highest setting, and slowly drag across the entire section gently making sure to pick everything up. If done properly, you can often find some very disgusting things hidden in this part of your recliner (of course, this is dependent on your lifestyle and reclining habits). We found some popcorn kernels in ours and some hair. This section of the recliner probably needs more frequent cleaning than others.
Step 3. Wipe Up Visible The Leather/Material On Your Recliner
We suggest you do this part with a wet/damp cloth. Get any towel suitable for cleaning your leather recliner and once damp, gently cover all the surface area of your recliner. Make sure you get all portions; often you don’t see anything dirty but the towel will reveal the truth. Our towel was filled with dirt and we could’ve sworn our recliner looked squeaky clean!
Step 4. Get Underneath The Recliner
On many recliner models, anything that falls between the cushions will then proceed to drop underneath the recliner itself. To reach this area, you must fully recline your chair to give you full access to the area. Once this is done, pick up any objects big enough to be swept with your hand. Then, with a wet towel repeat the process picking up smaller items and wiping down the dust (trust us, it will be dusty).
Step 5. Make A Schedule For Cleaning
To tell you the truth, your recliner wouldn’t be dirty very often if you’d clean it once every 2 – 3 weeks. Ultimately, your frequency of cleaning and your habits will determine the final cleanliness of not only your recliner, but all of the furniture in your home! For optimal cleanliness, we suggest cleaning your recliner at least once a month. If you wait too long, it usually gets pretty disgusting and you probably don’t want that.
Conclusion
The reality of life is that things will get dirty. You will need to clean your recliner eventually. Luckily most recliner makers keep this mind and design their chairs so you can be able to clean them as easily as possible! Remember, your habits will decide how clean anything in your house is. If you eat candy on the recliner every day, don’t be surprised when you find some in between your cushions.
