What to Know About That Viral Couch Cleaning Hack

We all remember the pride we felt when we bought our first couch. We also remember our agony when that couch got its first stain. This rollercoaster of emotions may have driven you to a popular couch-cleaning hack on social media, but should you use it?

The couch cleaning hack in question comes from content creator @aestheticallyinhome. In their video, the creator dissolves a dish detergent pod in hot water. Then, they wrap a pot lid with a microfiber cloth before lightly dipping it in the now soapy water.

Once wet, the cloth-covered lid is rubbed back and forth on the couch to clean it. Yes, it does look impressively clean, but this hack isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

@aestheticallyinhome

Follow for cleaning motivation 🖤 #cleantok #livingroomclean #sofaclean

♬ son original - nathaellabat

Using a dishwashing tablet to clean upholstery is taking the product well outside of its intended use, and that means unintended consequences.

Dishwashing tablets can leave behind residue that can irritate sensitive skin, affect your pets’ skin, and even damage the upholstery by leaving spots and marks. While some similar hacks recommend using Pine-Sol, it’s not much better, especially since when added to hot water, it could cause respiratory irritation in some. In addition, some TikTok users even raised concerns about fire hazards caused by leaving behind detergent residue.

While TikTok has plenty of viral cleaning products and cleaning hacks that work, you should always do your research before implementing them. As for your couch, thankfully, we’ve got a whole guide on couch cleaning.