This 5-Step Plan Will Get Any Sofa Looking 10x Better
Apartment Therapy’s January Cure is a free 20-day program that’ll help you refresh your home for the year ahead. Sign up here and get all assignments delivered to your inbox.
You might spend a lot of time on your couch, whether you’re just lounging, watching TV, sitting with loved ones, or even eating on it, but how often are you actually cleaning it, beyond brushing off the crumbs or vacuuming just the surface of your sofa? Well today, we’re going to deep-clean your couch — cushions and all!
Day 18: Get your sofa into shape.
Today’s task will go beyond your regular vacuuming and throw pillow cleaning for your sofa. If you don’t have a sofa, you can choose a different seat you frequent, like a reading chair. Just replace “sofa” with “chair” and do whatever can apply to your furniture piece.
- Start by removing all throw pillows, blankets, and cushions. (If you took off any of these during your living room reset, you’re already starting with a blank canvas, so that’s great! Just be sure to wash these before putting them back later on.) Put anything that can be machine washed into the washing machine. Dry accordingly. For anything that can only be spot-cleaned or hand-washed, take care of that now.
- Vacuum under, around, and in every crevice of your sofa. A vacuum with a crevice tool attachment works wonders here! Moving your sofa will let you get any hidden spots, but make sure you ask for help on this. If you really can’t move it, that’s OK too. Do what you physically can.
- Clean and treat stains. If you are trying a new cleaner, be sure to spot-test it before proceeding. If it can handle it, use an upholstery cleaner to really get in there. If there are any major stains that you can’t seem to remove, you might want to mark your calendar to get it done another day after some research or schedule a professional cleaning, if that’s within your means.
- Let your sofa air dry before returning the cushions, throw pillows, and blankets. Make sure to fluff and rotate your cushions — especially if they have been a bit worn on one side.
- Style your sofa. Now, you can do this last step tomorrow as you complete your living room reset or get a jump start right now. Bring in a variety of pillow sizes (and textures), swap out the covers for something more seasonal, and add plush blankets for a cozy feel.
How’s your sofa looking? Tell us in the community forum.
More ways to participate in the January Cure:
- Sign up for email updates.
- Visit the 2026 January Cure page and catch up on assignments.
- Download the January Cure calendar.
- Activate your free membership to talk about all things Cure in our community forum, check off completed tasks, and track your overall January Cure progress!
The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.