Cleaning a futon cover is not like cleaning your clothes. It has special considerations that need to be acknowledged. You may wonder if there is a way you can clean your futon cover without bringing it to the dry cleaners and without taking it off the mattress.
Luckily, there are ways you can clean a futon cover without taking it off the mattress. The benefits are self-evident because you save yourself a lot of time by cleaning the mattress as it is. The following ways can be used to clean a futon cover without taking it off.
- Spot cleaning
- Deodorizing with baking soda
- Vacuuming
- Steam cleaning
These methods are quick and do not require the futon cover to be removed. Except for spot cleaning, you do not even need to wet the futon cover, which saves you time since you will not need to wait for the cover to dry.
Each method is not difficult as long as you follow a few basic steps to get the job completed. They do not require many supplies and just a little bit of time. You will not need to worry about taking the futon cover off and sending it to a dry cleaner, either.
Spot Cleaning a Futon Cover
Spot cleaning a futon cover is one of the best ways to remove small stains that occur from time to time. It does not require many materials. To spot clean your futon cover, you will need the following supplies:
- A sponge
- Some clean towels or clean rags
- Mild detergent (without bleach)
- Cold water
First, you will want to mix a small amount of mild detergent (without bleach) in the bowl of cold water. You do not need a lot of detergent to make this mixture effective. Once you have made the mixture, wet the sponge with the mixture.
Next, use the sponge to gently scrub the areas that need cleaning. Be sure that you do not use too much water because any excess water will seep down into the mattress, which will cause you more headaches later on.
To rinse the area, use plain cold water and a rinsed sponge and remove all the soap by gently scrubbing it. To finish, use the clean towels to dry the area by dabbing the newly cleaned spot.
Deodorizing a Futon Cover with Baking Soda
If your futon cover does not have stains, but it does smell of mildew or something else undesirable, then you may want to consider deodorizing the futon mattress with some baking soda.
This method does not require many supplies. The materials you need include baking soda and your vacuum cleaner. You may also use this method on the futon mattress itself if the need arises.
Nevertheless, to deodorize your futon mattress, you need to take some baking soda and sprinkle it over the entirety of the mattress. You only need to sprinkle it, nothing more. Just make sure that the baking soda is evenly distributed across the cover.
To properly deodorize the futon cover, you will need to wait around an hour. You do not need to do anything during this hour. Once the time is up, take your vacuum and remove the baking soda.
Deodorizing a Stain
If there was a stain on your futon cover, and you want to deodorize the stained area, then you can use a mixture of baking soda and water to get the job done.
You will mix together the cold water and the baking soda. The water should be cold, and you will want to use a 3:1 ratio of baking soda to water. Next, lightly apply the mixture to the stained area and leave for up to ten minutes.
Using a damp cloth, remove the mixture at the end of the ten minutes. The area should be deodorized.
Vacuuming a Futon Cover
Possibly the easiest way to clean a futon cover without taking it off, vacuuming can remove a lot of physical uncleanliness present on the cover.
Vacuuming is a great option if your futon cover is not stained and only is dirty because of things such as:
- Dust
- Hair
- Crumbs
Moreover, vacuuming can be used to remove cleaning agents like baking soda when you are deodorizing the cover or specific spots.
Steam Cleaning a Futon Cover
One of the best ways to fully clean your futon cover without taking it off is by using a steam cleaner. However, you should refer to the futon cover’s tag to make sure you can use a steam cleaner on your particular cover.
A steam cleaner uses steam to accomplish several tasks regarding the cleaning of the futon cover. Consider what a steam cleaner can accomplish:
- Deodorize
- Decontaminate
- Deep clean
This is a great option if you want to clean the entire futon cover and not just specific spots. Moreover, it is very effective in making your futon cover smell better and cleaner. For added scent, you can always finish up with a nice air freshener made for spraying on fabrics.
If you do not want to take the futon cover off, or you do not want to take your futon cover to a dry cleaner, then using a steam cleaner may be your best option as it can handle the entirety of the cover. This method can also be used in conjunction with any of the other methods mentioned, such as spot cleaning.