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Is your couch or car upholstery in need of a little TLC? This homemade upholstery cleaner will remove stains and help sterilize the area too! This DIY cleaning tutorial has many positive reviews – it works!
Over the past few years, I’ve worked very hard to switch to all natural cleaners, most of them homemade. Until recently, I had not tried to create a homemade upholstery cleaner.
I finally decided to give it a try and came up with something that works great on most upholstery! If you don’t want to make it, you can also buy organic upholstery cleaner on Amazon.
Whether your couch needs a freshening or your car upholstery has seen better days, this easy homemade upholstery cleaner with only 3 ingredients can take it from blah to brand new.
I originally started using this on a microfiber couch and I was so impressed with how well it removed stains that I gave it a try in the car and found it to be just as effective there!
You will want to use this mixture in an open space. If you’re using it indoors, open up those windows! When wet, the smell is overpowering, but it dries with no odor other than the essential oil scents you choose.
Also, it is always a good idea to try this in an inconspicuous place to test the surface you want to clean for discoloration before using on a larger area.
If you give it a try, will you let me know how it worked for you?
Homemade Upholstery Cleaner Recipe
Watch this short video that includes reviews, then make your own DIY upholstery cleaner!
Or you can buy organic upholstery cleaner on Amazon.
Ingredients & Supplies
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle with a fine mist option. You’ll want to use equal parts rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.
- Add 4-8 drops of any essential oils you like. If using citrus oils, you will want to store your cleaner in a glass spray bottle so they do not eat away at the plastic.
- My favorite combo for a fresh clean scent is lavender oil and rosemary oil.
To Use
- Before you follow the usage instructions, be sure to test in an inconspicuous place.
- Spray fabric surface generously with your homemade upholstery cleaner mixture, and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes (do not let it dry).
- Scrub vigorously with a sponge or clean towel, then allow to dry (the alcohol helps this dry rather quickly) repeat if needed to remove stubborn stains.
- Once dry, this homemade upholstery cleaner is odorless except for the essential oils scents you add. I have had very good luck removing all sorts of stains from my car upholstery and couches as well.
- Being a mom who knows what often ends up on them, I love knowing that the essential oils, alcohol and vinegar all kill germs as well as remove stains!
Buy Organic Upholstery Cleaner Here.
Julie @ Logger's Wife says
March 14, 2016 at 9:48 amThanks for this! My van’s seats have seen better days. Light gray doesn’t stay “light” very long. (visiting from Inspire Me Monday)
Nicole says
March 14, 2016 at 2:01 pmOhh I love this!! I have been working on switching our cleaning supplies over to natural cleaners as well. I have not found anything for cleaning upholstery that actually works so I’m happy to have found this our furniture and cars could surely use a good cleaning with 6 kids they sure get trashed lol. Thanks for linking up with Inspire Me Monday. Have a wonderful week!!
Chrystal Johnson says
March 14, 2016 at 9:49 pmAwesome! Will you let me know how it works for you?
Doris Taylor says
September 17, 2017 at 12:25 pmThis mixture worked great on fabric upholstered sofa that smelled like cigarette smoke. Also, I use 100% alcohol on my entry halls shiny tile. Great. No water smears.
Chrystal Johnson says
September 18, 2017 at 10:57 amGreat to hear!
Marti Keller says
January 15, 2018 at 3:02 pmI have
A dog that has gotten a lot of blood pressure
On microfiber couch can I use peroxide firs to get blood out
Marti Keller says
January 15, 2018 at 3:05 pmPlease help
Chrystal Johnson says
January 16, 2018 at 9:46 amI haven’t tried that, but if you do let us know how it works for you 🙂
Kim says
April 25, 2016 at 7:49 amGreat sharing… Really, am getting frustrated after travelling with my children. they are very mischievous and they want big space in the car and they create mess everywhere in the car.
Thanks for this post..Its really seems to be helpful for me..
Sarah Anderson says
May 16, 2016 at 8:41 amI haven’t seen anything homemade that works well at cleaning upholstery. This is something I should try, but thanks for the warning about the strong smell because it would have probably bothered my cats quite a bit. Does it have the overpowering smell while your making it too, and if so, should I do that outside as well?
Hazel Owens says
May 18, 2016 at 7:25 amWow! The before and after pictures of your car’s upholstery shows that your cleaner is the real deal! I didn’t know that rubbing alcohol and vinegar made such a good cleaning combination. Adding essential oils is a great idea, too. I’ll definitely be using this recipe next time my kids spill something in the car. Thanks!
Julie @ Crown Cleaners Blog says
June 21, 2016 at 6:55 amI’m so happy I ditched toxic cleaners a while ago. I mostly use soapnuts, vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. Great roundup of DIY cleaners! I love making my own cleaners and other household products using basic ingredients I can find in my pantry and some of my favorite essential oils. Thanks so much for including my bathroom ideas…pinning all the others too!
Jim says
August 8, 2016 at 2:16 amEssential oils are a great addons to home made cleaners. And oils like eucalyptus can enhance the cleaning power of the solution. It can remove greasy stains from a variety of surfaces.
Brittnie says
August 16, 2016 at 4:01 pmThis worked amazingly for my milk filled back seat!
Chrystal Johnson says
August 16, 2016 at 10:24 pmThat’s so great to hear!
Brenda says
January 30, 2018 at 5:33 amWhat’s the measurements of ingredients.
Chrystal Johnson says
January 30, 2018 at 10:52 amIt depends on the size of your bottle. The ratios are in the instructions.
Brian says
October 14, 2016 at 8:39 amGreat advice! It’s important to use the alcohol to kill all the germs when you clean. Thanks for sharing this!
john says
November 2, 2016 at 1:54 amWow, great cleaner. I tried it and got much better results. Use should try it once.Thanks for sharing!
Christina says
December 19, 2016 at 11:53 amThe glass spray bottle is a unique tip. You do not want those ingredients to eat away at the plastic, especially not the essential oil, which can be expensive.
Sam Manchester says
December 19, 2016 at 12:15 pmOMG this is a LIFE and MONEY saver!! Between a baby and two dogs my furniture qas looking like a biohazard station! I really thiught I was going to have to spend thousands on leather – SO grateful incame upon this recipe and actually tried it!! Thank you for this!!
My before/after wont post but it is DRAMATIC!
Chrystal Johnson says
December 20, 2016 at 9:54 amI’m so glad it has worked to so well for you!
S Bahr says
December 24, 2016 at 4:50 pmWell I ran out of upholstery cleaner for my vehicle, and did an online search – this came right up. Well I had the ingredients on hand, including peppermint oil. The alcohol, vinegar and oil make an amazing clean smell. I have dark seats so I can’t really see stains, but I can tell you they looked darker and even, so I’m sure some stains came out.
Thanks
Chrystal Johnson says
December 25, 2016 at 7:56 amGreat to hear!
McKenzie says
January 10, 2017 at 11:42 amThank you for sharing this homemade cleaner! The before and after pictures were pretty impressive, and it’s cool that it works on more than one surface!
April Cranford says
January 16, 2017 at 1:55 pmCan you share how much rubbing alcohol and vinegar to place in the bottle?
April Cranford says
January 16, 2017 at 1:57 pmNever mind. Reread the recipe and found that it is equal parts. Thanks.
Lynne Hearn says
January 27, 2017 at 1:49 pmThank you so much for sharing the recipe. I searched high and low at all the stores for an upholstery spray cleaner and couldn’t find one. And had I been able to find one, I’m sure it would have been very expensive. I have a few other homemade cleaning recipes and it suddenly occurred to me that I could probably find a homemade recipe for an upholstery cleaner as well, so I googled it and quickly found your blog. I tried this homemade cleaner to get out some spots on my sofa and it did a fabulous job.
Chrystal Johnson says
January 27, 2017 at 2:08 pmThat’s great to hear Lynne!
Mike Buttler says
March 1, 2017 at 1:31 pmHi Chrystal,
Thank you so much for this wonderful tip!
I am very thankful to you, my mom needs one for cleaning! I have bookmarked this post so that my mom can later learn it from it.
I really appreciate your effort
Keep doing good work.
Jackie says
March 29, 2017 at 5:40 pmSo how much of each item do I need in a bottle ?
Chrystal Johnson says
March 30, 2017 at 12:03 amIt depends on the size of bottle you use. Just use equal parts rubbing alcohol and white vinegar in your bottle.
Anna says
March 30, 2017 at 8:52 pmWill the essential oil stain the upholstery?
Thank you
Chrystal Johnson says
March 30, 2017 at 9:03 pmIt hasn’t stained mine! But don’t use cheap essential oils with fillers in them. If in doubt, you can leave them out.
Ashley says
April 2, 2017 at 6:30 pmThank you
Sabrena says
April 3, 2017 at 11:54 amIs this safe to use on other things like stains on carpet etc…
Chrystal Johnson says
April 3, 2017 at 5:28 pmI always recommend spot testing first because every material is a bit different.
Carole says
June 14, 2017 at 10:54 amI must admit I came to the “green-life” trend a bit too late, but I am a full-fledged convert now! I am also trying to avoid any chemical-based detergents because my niece has allergy problems. A quick question – I believe the white vinegar is the main cleaning component in the mixture. Do you add the oil for aroma only? Or does it help the mixture go deeper in the fabrics?
Chrystal Johnson says
June 14, 2017 at 12:20 pmIt’s never too late Carole! The oils are definitely optional, but certain oils like Lemon oil and Melaleuca oil do have great cleansing properties. They aren’t critical to the mixture, but they do add to the cleaning power.
Melinda Smith says
June 19, 2017 at 2:37 pmOur sunroof has leaked in our van! I sure hope this works. I am posting the link on my Facebook blog page! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Chrystal Johnson says
June 24, 2017 at 9:42 amBe sure to come back and let us know how the upholstery cleaner recipe worked for you!
Tina says
July 19, 2017 at 3:55 pmTHANKS so much for sharing! The back seat in my car was ridiculous! Too embarrassing to post pictures. My husband took the backseat out to replace a part and refused to put it back until it was clean! I skipped the essential oil because I only had lavender on hand (I’m trying to reserve that scent to associate with bedtime for my daughters.) I made a spray bottle full, but the mixture worked so well that I really only needed about 8 oz of it. Works great! Smells clean!
Chrystal Johnson says
July 19, 2017 at 7:02 pmThat’s great to hear!
Azalea N. says
August 8, 2017 at 2:49 amHi! I happened on your DIY cleaner after realizing I didn’t have any in the house when I needed it. I would very much like to try it; I only have one question: is there a specific proportion to this recipe? The ingredients are all listed but without any specified amount. (I’m a little obsessive with ratios haha)
Chrystal Johnson says
August 8, 2017 at 12:59 pmThe ratios are in the directions 🙂
silvana says
August 20, 2017 at 5:26 pmCan the vinegar be white cleaning vinegar from Bunnings or just plain white vinegar from supermarket?
What about a large amount of spilt milk and its smell?
Is it safe using essential OIL on fabric – won’t stain? Just checking as I know you invented it and have tried it and it works for you?
Chrystal Johnson says
August 21, 2017 at 9:10 amAny white vinegar should work. Every piece of fabric will different, so it’s always good to spot test first.
silvana says
August 20, 2017 at 5:27 pmsorry from last comment – it was for car upholstery?
Chrystal Johnson says
August 21, 2017 at 9:10 amCar upholstery or any upholstery
Lisa says
August 22, 2017 at 12:18 pmCan this be used on upholstery such as a sofa that is cleaning code S?
Chrystal Johnson says
August 22, 2017 at 12:38 pmI always suggest spot testing in an area that isn’t highly visible first. I haven’t tested it on all upholstery fabrics.
Lorraine Avery says
August 28, 2017 at 8:44 amWow, bought a jalopy from neighbour who smoked! One treatment removed all traces of tar stain from headliner, seats and large oil stain in boot!
Cheers for this recipie, will do spot checks first and try stains on stair carpet, sofa, and Timberland boots!
Blessings from Lorraine Northampton England
Ralph says
September 16, 2017 at 1:06 pmIs this recipe primarily for overcoming stains or is it recommended for general upholstery cleaning, also? Thank you
Chrystal Johnson says
September 16, 2017 at 2:48 pmI have only used it for stains. If you try it for larger areas, let us know how it worked out for you! Always remember to spot test 🙂
Mary Miranda says
October 11, 2017 at 3:02 amWhat is the drying time after you’ve cleaned the uplostory?
Thank you
Chrystal Johnson says
October 11, 2017 at 12:12 pmIt depends on the humidity in the area and how heavily you saturate the upholstery, but it’s pretty quick compared to other methods since rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly.
Wendy says
October 25, 2017 at 1:40 pmThank you for this post! I’ve read dozens of posts for carpet/upholstery cleaner and they all use Dawn dish soap—-which is a great spot cleaner, but car upholstery can’t be rinsed easily! I know from experience that the soapy residue will attract dirt. Your combination sounds perfect, and I can’t wait to try it. The essential oil addition is genius. I have to admit, I’m not so much into “green” as I am “effective”. In my experience they have been mutually exclusive, except for peroxide…..I’m excited to try this!
Chrystal Johnson says
October 25, 2017 at 4:45 pmWonderful to hear! You’ll have to come back and share how it worked to clean your upholstery after you give our upholstery cleaner a try!
jean says
December 14, 2017 at 1:30 pmWhat about cat urine?
creativejewishmom/sara says
January 14, 2018 at 12:56 pmThanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday and great to “meet” you!
Jann Olson says
January 21, 2018 at 9:26 pmSounds like a great cleaner. Thanks for sharing the recipe with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Richella Parham says
January 25, 2018 at 6:33 amI’m glad to get this formula for upholstery cleaner! Thank you so much for sharing it at the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I’m featuring you this week!
Jennifer says
February 9, 2018 at 7:20 amWow!! This worked amazing thank you!! I used it on my microfiber recliner. I thnk I used too much of the vinegar and alcohol maybe though because it smells a little like vinegar still. Maybe I just need to add more EO. Either way, I’m amazed how well it works!! Thanks for sharing!
Patricia says
April 2, 2018 at 5:17 pmYour before and after pictures was not from the same location. Why the scam?
Chrystal Johnson says
April 3, 2018 at 8:56 amThe picture was taken at a different angle. The sun had changed positions by the time it dried.
Paula Jo Hall says
May 11, 2018 at 5:43 amHI I wanted to say thank you for this recipe. Yesterday I used this solution on two counter stools
that have white cloth sets. Over the years the seats had gotten really dirty. I used the solution
and then set them out in the sun to dry. They are so clean now I can use them again without recovering.
Thank you for this post.
Chrystal Johnson says
May 12, 2018 at 11:08 amThat’s wonderful to hear!
Judy says
June 16, 2018 at 7:47 pmCan this recipe be used to clean a microfiber sofa that when new was treated with a fabric protector at purchase?
Chrystal Johnson says
June 19, 2018 at 10:24 amI’m not 100% sure about what was used on your sofa. I would recommend spot testing in an inconspicuous area to be sure.
Deby46 says
June 20, 2018 at 7:16 amWhat a terrific cleaner! Used it on my grimy dining room chairs! Like magic (and a bit of elbow grease), the backs of my chairs now look like I had a pro come in and clean them! Thank you!
Chrystal Johnson says
June 21, 2018 at 11:49 amI’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know how well it worked for you!
Karla says
June 26, 2018 at 11:46 amWow wow wow this worked on the first try and my light gray couch which looked brown thanks to my two poms and 2 yr old, is finally looking stain free!!!! Will do a second try anyways but I am over the moon happy with this recipe. Thanks soooooo much!!! Saved me quiet a bit of money!
CYNTHIA says
October 21, 2018 at 10:24 amYes – this worked great with a one to one ratio of vinegar and alcohol! I used it on a stain on my grey couch AND on some spots on my area rug (thanks to my two year old grandson). Both look great! Thank you for the ‘recipe.’
Jamaica says
November 12, 2018 at 6:00 pmThank you so much for such a wonderful article of yours. I want you to know that is has helped me a lot.
Jennifer says
November 16, 2018 at 9:08 amI wanted to show you my results!! I took before and after pictures and it’s pretty amazing the difference especially from such simple ingredients. My chairs are so dirty from dog and toddler and I never knew what to clean them with. After just scrubbing one time through I can’t beleive the results! However, it does leave a slight ordor even after drying (at least for me) BUT I probably soaked it more than enough. Chair #2 I might try to use less to avoid excess vinegar smell. This will be my go to cleaning solution for upholstery for sure!
Chrystal Johnson says
November 16, 2018 at 2:29 pmI’m so happy that it worked so well for you! Yay!
Kiana says
January 3, 2019 at 6:28 pmThank you for the information you shared it helps me a lot. Thank you and god bless
Laura says
January 8, 2019 at 10:02 pmLooking forward to trying this. I have all kinds of water and tea stains on a light taupe microfiber sofa. Do you have a specific EO you recommend? I noticed suggestions of peppermint, lavender, lemon, and eucalyptus.
Cali says
March 22, 2019 at 11:16 pmWOOOOOOOOW!!! We have a pale blue fabric lounge suite and chaise that’s less than a year old. One of our British Shorthair fur babies has made the top of the chaise and pillow “his” and it became quite grey and really grubby looking. We don’t use chemicals in our home so I went looking for a natural DIY fabric cleaner. I REALLY didn’t expect such AAAAAMAZING results. I used a white rag to clean and I couldn’t believe the dirty and oil and grime that came up. I got kinda obsessed actually and went hunting for more furniture to clean! This stuff is a miracle, cheap, natural and always on hand. THANK YOU a MILLION times for sharing!
Chrystal Johnson says
March 23, 2019 at 1:52 pmThank you so much sharing! I’m so happy it worked so well for you!
lazyg says
May 14, 2019 at 2:14 pmI use white vinegar for a weed spray so this recipe made total sense to me. It worked wonderfully. I gave it the ultimate trial, the dirty, greasy driver’s side head rest. It conquered it! Thanks so much for sharing this easy cleaning solution.
Chrystal Johnson says
May 14, 2019 at 2:23 pmI’m so glad the upholstery cleaner recipe worked so well for your dirty head rest!