This TikTok dishwasher tablet sofa cleaning hack is going viral - and we see why

At this stage, we're just rethinking everything we thought we knew about cleaning

Mustard sofa with coloured cushions by artwork and houseplant
(Image credit: Future PLC)

Another day, another clever nugget going viral from TikTok! This time it's a nifty dishwasher tablet sofa cleaning hack and it really couldn't look much easier.

Most of the tricks for how to clean a sofa, while effective, can be time consuming and sometimes pricey, which is why this new tactic first caught our eye.

TikTokker Chlara, whose page is rather aptly named 'Chlara's CleaningHacks' used the platform to show how a dishwasher tablet can be dissolved to create a solution for cleaning your upholstery.

@charlascleaninghacks

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The dishwasher tablet sofa cleaning hack

In the social media video, Chlara demonstrates how she gives her sofa a monthly clean. She begins by mixing a dishwasher tablet in a bowl of boiling water and making sure it's dissolved.

Once the solution is ready to go, she dips a small towel in the liquid, and wraps this around a pot lid. With the cloth on here it means she can hold the handle to rub the solution over the sofa fabric. 

Chlara claims this technique for how to clean upholstery makes getting rid of stains a breeze - and without any proper scrubbing required. In fact, she says a quick hoover over the fabric is all she needs to finish the job.

Grey sofa and pink ottoman in front of white built in bookshelves

(Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore)

The dishwasher tablet sofa cleaning hack video has racked up over 317,000 views on TikTok so far, and it's certainly having quite the reaction - but not all of it positive.

Among the over one thousand comments on the post are many people questioning if this is actually safe to do. The main argument is the this technique is that they don't believe it properly dissolves the chemicals, and may be leaving unsafe substances or be bad for the upholstery.

Mustard sofa with coloured cushions by artwork and houseplant

(Image credit: Future PLC)

'I’ve been doing this for quite some time,' says Chlara. 'But every sofa is different.' So if you want to try this, make sure you only start with a patch test on a small, hidden area first. That way, if there's any bad reaction, you won't have ruined your sofa.

If you're in any way concerned about chemicals, it's worth sticking to natural methods. There's a solution for every one - and every sofa!

Thea Babington-Stitt
Managing Editor

Thea Babington-Stitt is the Managing Editor for Ideal Home. Thea has been working across some of the UK’s leading interiors titles since 2016.

She started working on these magazines and websites after graduating from City University London with a Masters in Magazine Journalism. Before moving to Ideal Home, Thea was News and Features Editor at Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc and Country Homes & Interiors. In addition to her role at Ideal Home, Thea is studying for a diploma in interior design with The Interior Design Institute.