Can You Clean a Sofa with Potash Soap?

Can you clean a sofa with potash soap?

You can, but it is not recommended. Liquid potash soap is made for cleaning floors, carpets and laundry; it is not a product made for sofas and upholstery. Soap left in the fabric can leave marks and attract dirt over time, and soapy water is also hard to remove from the fabric and padding. That is why, on a fabric sofa, a product used for cleaning sofas and upholstery is safer than potash soap; which product is used where is explained in the stain section below.

If you do use potash soap, dissolve liquid potash soap thoroughly in lukewarm water in the amount on the label, wring the cloth out until it no longer drips and wipe the sofa without soaking it; then remove the soap with a cloth dampened with clean water. If the sofa's care label does not allow cleaning with water, do not use any wet method, including potash soap. Whatever product you use, test it first on a hidden area such as the back or underside of the sofa.

Fabric sofas: cotton, linen, polyester and knit fabric

Woven and knitted fabric sofas can be cleaned with damp methods; if you use potash soap, use it only on these fabrics and sparingly. Linen and cotton upholstery can shrink with water and leave water marks; wipe not just the stained spot but the whole panel from seam to seam, and dry the panel evenly. Zippered cushion covers, on the other hand, can be removed and machine-washed according to their care label; do not put the cover back on until it is dry.

Leather and faux leather sofas

Potash soap is not recommended on leather and faux leather sofas; soap can dry out the leather and lead to cracking over time. Wipe leather and faux leather sofas with a damp, well-wrung cloth and, to care for the leather, use the leather care product recommended by the manufacturer. Do not use solvents, abrasives or bleach.

Suede and nubuck sofas

Suede and nubuck are sensitive to water; do not clean them with anything wet, including a cloth with potash soap. On these upholstery materials, use the brush and care product recommended by the manufacturer; do not wet the surface to remove a stain, and if you are unsure, turn to a professional upholstery cleaner.

Velvet and chenille sofas

The pile of velvet and chenille can be flattened by water and friction; pouring water on velvet leaves a water ring. On these upholstery fabrics, follow the cleaning advice on the upholstery label instead of wiping with potash soap. For a local stain, apply the product to a cloth, not to the sofa, work by blotting in the direction of the pile and, once dry, lift the pile with a soft brush; if the label says dry clean, get professional help. For general velvet care, see the how to wash velvet guide.

Wooden and metal parts

Do not wet wooden and metal parts such as armrests, legs and frames; wipe them with a damp cloth and dry them straight away. If the soapy cloth touched the wood while you were wiping the fabric, wipe it off with a dry cloth without leaving water on the surface. Details on wooden surfaces are in the furniture section below.

How to clean a sofa with potash soap: step by step

• Check the label: If the care label of the sofa or cushion cover allows cleaning with water, go ahead; if only dry cleaning is recommended, do not clean it with water.
• Vacuum: Remove dust and crumbs with the vacuum's upholstery nozzle, including along the seams, under the cushions and at the edges; dust that gets wet works its way into the fabric.
• Prepare a dilute solution: Add liquid potash soap to lukewarm water in the amount on the label and mix well; dissolve solid potash soap completely in a little water first. More soap does not clean better; it leaves marks on the fabric.
• Test on a hidden spot: Apply the solution to a small area on the back or underside of the sofa; once it is dry, check for any change in colour, marks or pile.
• Wring out the cloth well: Dip a microfibre or cotton cloth in the solution and wring it out until it no longer drips; the cloth should be damp, not wet.
• Wipe section by section: Wipe the sofa in small sections, from seam to seam and in the direction of the fabric's grain; work on stained areas by blotting rather than rubbing. Rinse the cloth and wring it out again as it gets dirty.
• Do a rinse wipe: Dampen a separate cloth with clean water, wring it out well and wipe the same areas once more to remove soap residue.
• Absorb the moisture and dry: Blot excess moisture with a dry towel. Air the sofa by opening the windows and do not dry it in front of a heater; do not sit on the sofa or lay a throw over it until it is completely dry.

Does a sofa cleaned with potash soap need rinsing?

Yes. A sofa wiped with potash soap is rinsed by wiping it once more with a cloth dampened with clean water and wrung out well. This rinse wipe removes the soap left in the fabric; leftover soap leaves marks, and that area gets dirty faster over time.

Rinsing does not mean washing the sofa with water: do not pour water on the sofa and wring the cloth out every time. If a dull mark or stickiness remains on the fabric, this usually shows that too much soap was used; wipe the area once more with just a clean damp cloth, and follow the amount on the label the next time you wipe.

Does potash soap remove stains from a sofa?

Potash soap is not a product made for sofa stains. On fresh, light soiling, wiping with a damp cloth can help; on set-in stains such as grease, coffee, ballpoint pen or wine, however, it may not be enough on its own. For these stains, use a product suited to the stain instead of wetting the sofa more.

For dirt spread over the whole sofa, carpet shampoo is used: our label describes TETİK Carpet Shampoo as a carpet shampoo for hand use in cleaning carpets and sofas. For local stains, TETİK Kar Aspirin, a multi-purpose stain remover also used on sofa and upholstery stains, is applied by spraying it onto a clean cloth, not onto the sofa. With both products, test on a hidden spot first and do not soak the fabric.

Do not use potash soap and stain remover on the same cloth or one on top of the other; before switching products, wipe the area with a clean damp cloth. The steps for tea, coffee, grease, blood and pen stains are in how to clean a sofa, and using carpet shampoo by hand on a sofa in can you clean a sofa with carpet shampoo.

Can you wash a sofa with potash soap? Can it be used in an upholstery cleaning machine?

No, a sofa is not washed with potash soap. Soaking the sofa with lots of soapy water leaves moisture in the foam and padding; moisture left in the foam causes bad smells and slows drying, and the soap cannot be fully removed from the padding.

If you use a carpet and upholstery cleaning machine for general dirt on the sofa, add to the machine's clean-water tank only a shampoo that is suitable for machine use and recommended in the machine manual, in the amount on the label; work with little water and vacuum up the dirty water thoroughly. Do not put liquid potash soap in the tank of a carpet cleaning machine or a carpet and upholstery cleaning machine unless the machine manual allows it. The steps for machine washing are in the how to use carpet shampoo guide.

Removable cushion covers and sofa covers are washed like laundry; how potash soap is used for laundry is explained in the can you wash clothes with potash soap guide.

Can you clean furniture with potash soap? Wood and glass surfaces

Yes, polished and varnished wooden furniture and wooden cabinet doors can be wiped with little water and a well-wrung cloth; use potash soap in the amount on the label and dry the surface straight away with a dry cloth. Wood is damaged by too much water: wring the cloth out every time, do not let water get into carvings and joints, and do not leave water on the surface.

Oiled and unvarnished (raw) wood absorbs water quickly; test on a small area first and follow the furniture manufacturer's care advice. On laminate and melamine-faced cabinets and tables the surface is durable, but the edge joints are sensitive to water; do not let water get into the edges.

For regular cleaning of wooden furniture and doors, a product made for wood can also be used: our label describes TETİK Wood Surface Cleaner as a wood cleaner for all kinds of wooden surfaces, and it comes in a 750 ML bottle. The steps for use are in how to use wood surface cleaner, and the difference between varnished, oiled and veneered wood in how to clean wooden furniture.

On glass coffee tables, display cabinet glass and mirrors, soapy water can leave marks and a film. On these surfaces, use a glass cleaner such as START Glass Cleaner Spray or START Vinegar Glass Cleaner Spray, spraying it onto a cloth (how to use glass cleaner).

Can potash soap be used for dishes?

Not recommended. Potash soap is not a product made for plates, glasses, pans and cutlery that come into contact with food, and it can leave residue and odour on dishes. For dishes, use a dishwashing detergent such as TETİK Dishwashing Liquid or TETİK Gel Dishwashing Detergent and rinse the dishes with plenty of water.

How dishwashing liquid removes grease is explained in what is dishwashing liquid, and how to use it correctly in how to use dishwashing liquid; all varieties are in our dishwashing liquids category.

What should you watch out for when wiping a sofa?

• Do not soak: Do not pour water on the sofa or wet the foam and padding; moisture left in the foam causes bad smells and slows drying.
• Do not exceed the amount: Use the soap in the amount on the label; too much soap leaves marks on the fabric and attracts dirt.
• Do not scrub: Do not use a stiff brush or a wire scourer; they make the surface of the fabric fuzzy. Blot the stain instead of rubbing it.
• Do not add other products: Do not add bleach, fabric softener or any other cleaning product to the potash soap water. Bleach lightens the colour of the fabric and weakens the fibres; fabric softener can leave a sticky film on the fabric (can you wipe a sofa with fabric softener). For using products together, see can cleaning products be mixed.
• Protect yourself: If you will be working for a long time, wear gloves and ventilate the room; if soap gets into your eyes, rinse with plenty of water.
• Store safely: Keep the product in its original packaging, tightly closed and out of the reach of children; do not transfer it to drink bottles.

Our potash soap products and packaging

• TETİK Liquid Potash Soap: 5 kg and 20 kg. It is the liquid form of traditional potash soap and is used for cleaning floors, carpets and laundry.
• TETİK Potash Soap + Soda Laundry Detergent: 1 kg, 5 kg and 20 kg. The areas of use on our label are kitchen, bathroom, floors and laundry; sofas are not among them.
• How to use potash soap on floors, carpets and laundry, area by area, is explained in how to use potash soap, and how it is made in how potash soap is made.
• Product codes and case details are listed on the liquid soap and potash soap category page; our carpet shampoos for cleaning carpets and sofas are listed in the carpet shampoo & room fragrance category.
• Tetikoğlu Kimya has been making cleaning products since 1997; production takes place in İkitelli OSB. We present our plant on the production page.

For upholstery cleaning companies, hotels and cleaning firms

In cleaning companies that wash sofas, in hotels and in places of worship, potash soap (for floors, carpets and laundry), carpet shampoo (for general cleaning of sofas and carpets) and stain remover (for sofa and upholstery stains) are kept separate. So that everyone on the team gets the same result, take the amount from the label and fix the quantity per bucket, label the containers you decant into from large packs, and wash the bucket and cloths when switching products. Make sure staff know which upholstery materials potash soap is not used on (leather, suede, nubuck, velvet).

TETİK Liquid Potash Soap is produced in 5 kg and 20 kg packs, TETİK Carpet Shampoo in 1, 5, 20 and 30 kg, TETİK Binbir Stain Remover (Carpet Shampoo) in 30 kg and TETİK Kar Aspirin in 750 g, 5 kg and 30 kg. START Wood Surface Cleaner comes in 5 kg and 30 kg packs; the areas of use on our label are parquet, wooden doors, kitchen cabinets, wooden stairs and all wipeable wooden surfaces.

For product lists, see the supplies for a cleaning company and mosque cleaning supplies guides; you can request a quote for bulk purchases.