10 Best Ways To Clean Your Living Room Storage Ottoman

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The ottoman is honestly in a league of its own. It adds a touch of class to your space that is simply unparalleled. Ottoman is a multipurpose piece of home furniture that every household could use. Ottomans were introduced in Europe back in the 18^thcentury. It was popular in Turkey and as the name suggests, it comes from the time of the Ottoman Empire.

It’s a versatile piece of furniture that can be used in a formal or casual setting. Over the years, the Ottoman has gone through several changes in design. There are different kinds of ottomans such as square ottomans, cocktail ottomans and ottomans with storage. Modern ottoman benches are used as a storage solution – a major reason for their popularity. However, like every other piece of furniture, this too will get dirty and would require a nice clean, let’s look at some cleaning methods to restore your living room storage ottoman.

1. Dust Your Ottoman

The simplest and easiest way of cleaning any piece of furniture is by giving it a quick dusting fix. You can easily remove any dust which may have accumulated on your ottoman over time. A simple cloth or brush can do the trick. Don’t forget to dust the inside storage compartment of the ottoman as well.

The storage compartment usually collects dust easily. Don’t be surprised if you notice some spider webs inside too, especially if the ottoman has been empty and not been in use for a long time. While dusting may not bring it back to its original condition, it does just enough to make it presentable.

Read more: Where To Put Ottoman In Living Room

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2. Vacuum Your Ottoman

A more efficient way of cleaning your ottoman is by using a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum is better at sucking up dust that simple dusting just doesn’t remove. Remember to use the hose attachment of the vacuum to get to any nitty-gritty cracks and crevices of the ottoman.

Most of you would know that maximum dust is accumulated under the ottoman, so always remember to vacuum underneath. In case you are not able to get underneath, try to lift the ottoman from one side for a moment and then clean the area below. Repeat the process on all sides of your ottoman for a perfect clean.

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3. Shampoo Your Ottoman

Now, this is the method that would bring your ottoman back to its original condition, and you would feel that you just bought it from your local big box store. Shampooing is recommended if the ottoman your own is a fabric-upholstered one. To clean that, you’ll need a plain old carpet cleaner which doesn’t have bleach. A mild detergent will do the trick, so you just need to take some of that detergent, mix it in with some warm water and make a nice sudsy solution.

The next step is to apply the solution with a damp clean cloth or sponge. Scrub with light hands until the dirt comes off the living room storage ottoman. Remember shampooing is the only way to remove stains on your ottoman. Be sure to always dust and vacuum the furniture before shampooing.

After scrubbing and removing all the stains, wipe up the suds with a dry towel, and let the ottoman dry. Once done, your living room storage ottoman will look like it’s brand new.

Read more: 11 Best Ottoman Storage Bench Picks for Your Living Room

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Pro-Tip

A cleaner with bleach can cause havoc on your ottoman and can do more harm than good cause, after all, you don’t want to ruin your ottoman’s colors, do you? Secondly, shampooing is the only way to remove stains effectively from any furniture made of fabric.

4. Wax Your Ottoman

Leathered-upholstered ottomans should be treated with extra care, and in addition to shampooing, they should be waxed as well. Waxing should be done once every year. This will rid your ottoman of any scratches or marks that may appear naturally with time.

Try to get your hands on a leather care kit so your ottomans can look fresh again; we recommend this if there are multiple leather ottomans in your house.

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5. Clean With Baking Soda

An ottoman storage bench can also be cleaned using something as convenient as baking soda. It is an excellent alternative to detergent and the results are quite similar. Just sprinkling some baking soda on your entire ottoman will help loosen the stains but for a thorough clean, mix it with water and make a solution. Apply it just like you would while shampooing your furniture, let it rest for a couple of minutes, and finally, vacuum it up. You will be amazed to see the results.

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6. Check Manufacturer’s Guidelines

People who are buying ottomans made by a renowned manufacturer will surely get a manual or instructions on how to clean this piece of furniture. The tags can be of great help. Normally, you’ll find instructions on those tags on how to clean an ottoman and what type of solution to use. As ottomans with storage are quite expensive, you must make sure all instructions are followed when cleaning so that you don’t end up damaging the upholstery.

Determine The Ottoman Fabric

While we have mentioned checking manufacture guidelines, sometimes it is difficult for a layperson to understand. Let us breakdown what the letters in your ottoman mean:

• “S” uses a dry-cleaning detergent only.
• “O” use cold water for washing as the material is organic.
• “X” use vacuum and bristle-brush alone, or go for a professional service for shampooing.
• “W” use a water-based detergent with a steam vacuum.
• “WS” use a water-based detergent with a steam vacuum or a dry-cleaning detergent.

7. Steam Clean Your Ottoman

It’s quite similar to how you would steam iron your clothes. A steam cleaner can do a similar job on your ottoman. It’s a good alternative to shampooing but make sure that the fabric of your ottoman is heat-safe. You would never want your expensive living room storage ottoman getting wrecked so make sure you follow the instructions. When steam cleaning just makes sure that the room is well ventilated and once done, try to vacuum it for better results. Vacuuming before and after steam cleaning is a great way to get the ottoman looking brand new. 

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8. Disinfect Your Ottoman

An ottoman coffee table or any ottoman with storage should be regularly disinfected if there are kids in the house or otherwise. An ottoman coffee table is a place that may be highly infected as you may regularly put food and drinking items on the table. It’s a simple and easy task to disinfect any furniture and by doing so you’ll prevent your kids and yourself from getting infected. All you need is some rubbing alcohol, an essential oil with antibacterial property, and a spray bottle.

Put both these items in the spray bottle and spray it all over your ottoman coffee table and furniture in your house. Let the solution sit for a couple of minutes and then simply run a vacuum over it. Your ottoman is now disinfected.

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9. Dry Clean Your Ottoman

Dry cleaning your living room storage ottoman or in fact, any other fabric made furniture can be a little confusing. A dry cleaning solvent is a non-water-based solvent which should be applied in a well-ventilated room because of the strong odor. The first step is to apply the solution on a rag and then hold it against any stained portion of your fabric-based ottoman with storage.

Those of you have some doubts about how much to apply should follow the product guidelines. Once you are done with spot, test press the rag onto the stained portions of your ottoman. Be careful not to rub the stain; you just need to press against it. Heavy strains on your ottoman with storage will require multiple reapplying, so you just need to be patient. Once done, let your ottoman air dry.

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Pro-Tip

Always go for a spot-test whenever you are using a solution to clean your ottomans. You should never take the risk of going full-on with the cleaning process as ottomans being expensive should be handled with care. It is always recommended to spot test, so you know what result you will get after cleaning.

The primary purpose of spot testing is to see if the solution leaves any spots or discoloring on the fabric.

10. Use A Lint Roller

Ottomans are usually quite comfortable to sit on – this makes them an ideal resting spot for your household pets. People with pets like cats and dogs would know the nuisance pet hair can bring and how hard it is to remove them. Your living room storage ottoman or any other furniture made of fabric can be rid of any pet hair by using a lint roller. The roller will clean and remove even those things a regular vacuum cleaner can’t.

Read more: Creating A Functional Craft Corner In A Living Room

Lint Rollers

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Pro-Tip

Ottomans with storage or any storage furniture, for that matter, is a great hiding place for pets. So, remember to use the lint roller in the storage compartment as well.

While we are on the topic of Ottomans and their multipurpose use as storage furniture, let’s look at some other storage ideas from which you could benefit. We hope that you would give these hacks a try the next time you are looking for a storage option.

Vertical Shelving Units

This storage technique was developed for use in the industrial sector but has since caught on and is now quite famous in households as well. The luxury of storing more items while utilizing minimum floor space is a must-have in any house with limited space. The shelves come in various sizes and materials. Simply go to your nearest big box store or shop online for one that may just replace your living room storage ottoman.

Coffee Table With Hidden Storage

Coffee tables are an essential part of any living space. The new trend in coffee table designs is that they usually double up as storage space. A black oak coffee table like the one below is easily available online. You can purchase one for your living room on Amazon. This coffee table can fit in any corner of your house and enhance the beauty of that space. Once you have this in your home, you might not even need any other storage furniture.

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Bed Frame With Drawers

Everyone living in a small house would know the hassle of storing items with limited storage space, especially in their bedrooms. A perfect hack to counter this is to go for a bed frame that has built-in drawers. Whether you use these to store blankets, clothes, shoes, or anything else – the choice is entirely up to you.

Fold-Down Desks

The dilemma of wanting a desk but not having enough space for it is something we can totally understand. The solution for this is the folding desks that fold back into the wall when you are done using it. Like every other house furniture, these folding desks also come in various shapes, sizes, and designs. We recommend you to install one in your bedroom or living room primarily if you work from home. It’s an investment you won’t regret.

Floating Shelves

On that note, the texture a floating shelve provides to your space is unparalleled to any other storing space or storage furniture. As they literally take no floor space, they allow more natural light to flow through the room, creating an illusion of a bigger space. Floating shelves are readily available online, but we recommend you to try your hand on a DIY shelf. It can be a fun-filled activity and a good way to pass some time.

A Wall-Mounted Pegboard

The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word pegboard is a garage, workshop, or tool shed. These boards are used to organize stuff, and they can be used as a storage solution in your bedroom as well if you know how to use them correctly. All you need to do is to paint the pegboard nicely and add a few screws to hang it just about anywhere you want. You can store just about anything on these from your keys to your handbag and more. 

Hooks On The Back Of Your Closet Wall

Those looking to utilize every inch of their space should utilize the back wall of their closets. Simply put on some hooks and hang items that are not in your daily use. Anything that can hang can be stored here, so the options you have are limitless.

With so many storage options available, it’s easier than ever to organize your house, no matter the size. By using simple hacks, whether it’s cleaning your ottoman bench or letting more light in by installing floating shelves, you can save up on storage space and make room for things easily.