How to clean a sectional, a loveseat and sofa cushions
A sectional is cleaned module by module with the cushions off, and WATERFALL prices a sectional by its seats, starting at 5–6, on sectional cleaning. The prices page has every size. WATERFALL cleans couches at your home from $130: call (747) 214-6199.
What is the easiest way to deep clean a big sectional with a chaise?
Have it cleaned by extraction, module by module, by someone who brings the machine: a big sectional holds more fabric and more water than a home machine pulls back out evenly.
WATERFALL does it at your home: the technician takes the cushions off, cleans the chaise and every module on all sides with shampoo and then steam extraction, with a drop cloth on your floor. To do it yourself on W or W/S fabric, vacuum every module and the gaps, test a hidden spot, then use an upholstery extractor with little solution, slow passes and several dry passes, and run fans. Before a visit, do the three things below.
- find the cleaning-code tag under a seat cushion or on the frame and photograph it
- text a photo of the whole sectional to (747) 214-6199, so the seat count, chaise included, is settled before you book
- plan to keep people and pets off it until it is dry (drying times)
How do you clean a sectional couch?
Take the cushions off, check the tag, vacuum every module and the gaps between them, then clean each section and cushion on its own. A professional extractor pulls the solution back out so the foam does not stay wet.
At home, work one module at a time and keep the water light. For the machine method, see how professionals clean a couch.
How does WATERFALL clean a sectional?
The technician takes the cushions off, works an organic shampoo into the fabric and extracts it, cleaning every side of every module and each cushion one by one. The job is shampoo, then steam extraction, the same as for any couch.
Can you clean a large sectional in one visit?
Yes. The booking form has a size for the biggest modular and U-shaped sectionals, so one booking covers it. How long it takes depends on the size: the visit takes about an hour for a typical couch, 1–2 hours for bigger pieces.
Does the chaise count as a seat?
Text a photo of the whole sectional to (747) 214-6199 and we confirm the seat count before the visit. The price follows the count, so it is worth settling before you book.
Can you clean a matching couch and loveseat together?
Yes. A loveseat is in the smallest couch size. Tell us about both pieces when you book, or text photos, and we confirm the details with you.
How do you clean a small loveseat in an apartment?
The same way as a couch, in small sections and with the room aired. WATERFALL cleans a loveseat at your home as the smallest couch size, apartments included; tell us about the stairs and the parking when you book, and we confirm the details with you.
- take the cushions off and vacuum the seams and under them
- check the tag and test the cleaner on a hidden spot
- on W or W/S fabric, work foam or a lightly damp cloth into one small area at a time and blot
- open a window, run a fan, and stand the cushions on edge apart until they are completely dry
Can you clean a curved or semicircle sofa?
Yes. A curve does not change the method, only how the seats are counted. The before and after page has a cream and a green curved sofa cleaned at customers' homes.
Can you clean a couch with loose plush back pillows?
Yes. Loose back pillows come off like the seat cushions and are cleaned one by one. Plush fabric can dry more slowly than flat weaves; drying takes between 2 and 6 hours, depending on the weather.
How do you clean a sleeper sofa?
Open it up and clean the sofa and the fold-out mattress as two pieces, in the order below.
For WATERFALL the sofa is a couch job, and a fold-out mattress is a mattress, which has its own price, the same for any size, on mattress cleaning. Text a photo with the bed opened and we confirm what the visit covers.
- take the seat cushions and bedding off and open the bed
- vacuum the mattress, the deck, the frame and the crevices of the mechanism
- spot-clean the upholstery the way its tag allows, with little moisture
- treat the fold-out mattress like any mattress (cleaning a mattress at home)
- let everything dry with the bed open before you fold it away
Can you wash couch cushion covers, and how often?
Only if the label on the cover says so. A zipper does not make a cover washable: many upholstery fabrics shrink or lose their backing in a machine, and then the cover no longer fits the cushion. If the label allows it, wash all the matching covers together on the gentle setting so they stay one color, and air-dry them unless the label allows a dryer; if the tag gives only a cleaning code, or says dry clean or professional cleaning, the cover is cleaned on the cushion, and the foam never goes in the washer.
How do you clean couch cushions that do not come off?
Clean them in place, with as little water as possible, because the foam sits right under the fabric.
When the dirt is in the foam, it is a job for extraction.
- check the tag under the couch or on the frame
- vacuum the seams and crevices
- test the cleaner on a hidden spot and let it dry
- put the cleaner on a white cloth and blot from the outside of the mark inward
- clean the whole cushion face from seam to seam, not just the spot, or it dries with a ring and the stain can wick back up
- dry it with a fan and open windows
Questions and answers
How do I clean my sectional couch?
Take the cushions off, vacuum each module and the gaps, then clean section by section with the tag in mind. A professional extractor pulls the water out so the foam does not stay wet.
How to clean a fabric sectional?
Check the tag, vacuum, blot marks and clean each module on its own. For a large sectional, extraction is what a home method lacks.
How often should you clean your couch cushions?
Vacuum them weekly and rotate them. A cleaning is due when the seats darken, as with the rest of the couch.
Can sofa cushion covers be washed?
Only if the care tag on the cover says so; a zipper does not make it washable, and the foam inside never goes in a machine. If the label allows it, wash all the matching covers together on the gentle setting, when the seats darken or after a spill.
Should couch cushion covers be washed inside out?
If the tag allows washing, yes, on a gentle setting. Let the cover dry fully before it goes back on.
Can you clean a loveseat or apartment-size couch?
Yes. A loveseat is a 2-seater, the smallest couch size.
Do you clean throw pillows along with the couch?
Throw pillows are small pieces with no set price. Text a photo to (747) 214-6199 and we confirm.
Can you clean a couch with tight back cushions that don't come off?
Yes. The back is cleaned in place, with the water kept low because the foam sits right under the fabric.
Do you clean both sides of reversible couch cushions?
Yes. Reversible cushions come off and are cleaned on both sides.
What if my L-shaped sofa is bigger than the listed options?
Text a photo of it to (747) 214-6199. The booking form goes up to the biggest modular and U-shaped sectionals, and we confirm anything larger.
Prices and booking
More guides
- Couch care: all guides
- How professionals clean a couch, step by step — Check the tag, pre-treat, work in a shampoo, then pull it out with hot-water extraction and let the piece dry.
- Is couch cleaning worth it? — Yes when the frame and foam are sound and the problem is dirt, marks or odor; replace when the structure has failed.
- How to clean a couch at home (DIY) — Read the tag, test, use as little water as possible and blot; stop when the dirt is in the cushion.
Sources: IICRC (The cleaning and restoration industry's standards body, for how professionals clean fabrics and carpet.)