Summer’s here — and with it comes BBQs, garden parties, and long, lazy evenings enjoying the sun. But while the warmer months are perfect for entertaining, they can also leave your furniture looking a little worse for wear.
Your sofas and soft furnishings take a hit during the summer social season. At Direct Vacuums, we know a thing or two about rescuing furniture and flooring from disaster. So, here’s how to tackle those stubborn summer stains.
How to remove red wine stains from carpets and upholstery
A party classic — red wine is one of the most dreaded stains for a reason. Its deep pigment and acidity mean it can soak into fibres fast, especially on light-coloured upholstery or carpets. But don’t panic, with the right approach and tools, you can stop the stain from becoming a permanent reminder of party season.
How to remove it:
- Blot (don’t rub) the stain immediately with a clean cloth.
- Mix one part dishwashing liquid, one part white vinegar, and two parts cold water.
- Dab the solution onto the stain with a clean cloth, working from the outside in.
- Let the mixture sit on the stain before going over it with a carpet cleaner
Top tip: for older stains, pre-treat with a carpet shampoo and let it soak for 30 minutes or longer before going over it with a carpet cleaner.
How to remove suncream stains
Suncream is essential in summer, but it’s not so friendly to your furniture. Its oily texture and UV filters are designed to stick to your skin, which means they also cling to cushions, sofas, and fabrics with equal enthusiasm. It only takes one relaxed afternoon or a post-beach flop onto the sofa for greasy marks to appear. Luckily, you can remove suncream stains with a few simple steps and a little help from your vacuum cleaner.
How to remove it:
- Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda or cornflour on the stain to absorb the oil. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Vacuum up the powder with a high-powered vacuum cleaner.
- Dab the area with a small amount of rubbing alcohol to cut through any remaining grease.
Top Tip: If the stain persists, especially on white fabrics, try hanging the fabric outside in direct sunlight to help bleach out the remaining stain.
How to remove fake tan stains
Whether it's from freshly tanned legs, arms, or a quick lie-down before the tan fully sets, those telltale orange streaks can be a nightmare on light fabrics. But don’t worry — you can fix it without waving goodbye to your furniture.
How to remove it:
- Blot any fresh marks with a dry cloth.
- Mix a solution of warm water and a mild detergent.
- Gently dab the area — do not scrub, as this can spread the stain.
- Finish off by going over the stain with an upholstery cleaner or a carpet cleaner with an upholstery attachment
How to remove tomato-based sauce stains and other food stains
Whether it’s ketchup, salsa or pasta sauce, tomato stains are some of the most frustrating to deal with. Rich in pigment and often oily, these stains cling to fabric quickly — and their acidity can make them even harder to remove if not treated correctly.
How to remove it:
- Scrape off any excess.
- Blot with cold water (hot water can set the stain).
- Mix a solution of dish soap and water and blot gently.
- If the stain remains, try a diluted vinegar spray followed by a clean rinse.
How to remove grease and fat stains
As much as we all love a BBQ, Hot dogs, burgers, and greasy hands are a recipe for disaster when it comes to your furniture. Whether it’s a dropped burger or a casual sit-down with sauce-stained hands, greasy stains can quickly soak into fabric and leave behind a dark, stubborn mark.
How to remove it:
- Blot the grease with paper towels.
- Sprinkle baking soda or table salt and let it sit to absorb the fat for at least 30 minutes or overnight for delicate fabrics.
- Vacuum up the powder using a HEPA filter vacuum to make sure you catch all of those fine particles.
- Follow up with a water-detergent mix and blot until clean.
How to remove grass stains
If the kids (or adults!) come crashing in from the garden after a game of football or a picnic on the lawn, chances are they’ll bring some grass stains in with them. These bright green marks might look harmless, but they can be tricky — grass contains natural dyes that cling tightly to fabric fibres.
How to remove it:
- Rinse the stained area with cold water as soon as possible. Hot water can set the stain, making it harder to remove.
- Dab with a mixture of vinegar and water.
- Let it sit for 5–10 minutes, then gently blot.
- Rinse and dry — repeat if needed.
- Avoid heat drying the item until the stain has completely gone
Keep Your Furniture Fresh All Summer
Even with the best cleaning tips, there’s no substitute for the right tools. At Direct Vacuums, we stock a wide range of refurbished vacuums, carpet cleaners, and steam cleaners from top brands.
Refurbished doesn't mean second best. Every machine is cleaned, tested, and restored to top condition — so you can clean smarter, not harder, this summer.
Stain Blasting Essentials from Direct Vacuums
Vax Platinum SmartWash Carpet Cleaner
Our Price £129.99 RRP: £299.99 (Save £170.00)
- VAX’s best-ever carpet washer - Effortlessly outperforms the UK's leading rental and delivers a deep clean 7 times more effective than vacuuming alone.
- Next-generation motion sense technology - It automatically transitions from washing to drying, just push forwards to wash, pull backwards to dry.
- Triggerless design - No trigger, no hassle. Platinum SmartWash automatically dispenses the correct mix of water and solution.
- Advanced FLEXFORCE brushbars - Optimised, flexible bristles distribute the correct energy deep into your carpet fibres to effectively lift dirt.
- Easy to access brushbars, simply lift out to clean - Quick and easy to access and remove for cleaning, the brushbars simply lift out with no tools required.
- Dedicated dry-only mode - Leaves carpets dry in as little as one hour† so you can carry on with your day without disruption.
- Above-floor cleaning for a complete home clean - VAX’s patented Spinscrub hand tool and 2.5 m long hose enable you to remove dirt from stairs and upholstery.
Vax Spotwash Duo Spot Carpet Cleaner
Our Price £69.99 RRP: £139.99 (Save £70.00)
- Versatile and effective spot carpet cleaner – Quickly, easily and conveniently lifts spills and stains combining powerful suction with deep cleaning.
- Multi-Surface cleaning – Suitable for use across carpet, upholstery, stairs, car interiors and sealed hard floors.
- Avoid cross contamination with separate tools – No longer do you have to use the same tool for both every day cleaning and unhygienic pet messes. The Spotwash
- Duo features two separate tools that enable you to keep one set messy and the other set clean and hygienic.
- Antimicrobial protection – Antimicrobial treated bristles help prevent the growth of bacteria between uses for a hygienic clean time after time.
- Self-clean function – The self-clean function efficiently flushes the hose clean after use to help remove dirt and debris.
- Portable & Compact – Conveniently refresh your car interior and boot without having to get a valet.
Vytronix Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner & Carpet Washer Shampoo 1600W Multifunction
Our Price £74.99
- WET & DRY - With its powerful 1600W motor and being suitable for both wet and dry pick-up, the WASHVAC makes short work of any spillage around the home. From the kids crumbs to an overturned cup of tea.
- DEEP CLEANING - No matter how tidy you keep your home, vacuuming alone isn't always enough. Maybe muddy paw prints on your nice cream rug are a regular battle you face on your hands and knees with a sponge and spray bottle or perhaps you just have a busy home with lots of foot traffic, the WASHVAC is perfect for everything from spot cleaning your rugs to a deep spring clean to refresh and revive tired looking carpets. The built in shut-off float system also prevents overfilling of the machine when using in wet mode.
- BLOWER FUNCTION - For those who love a DIY hobby or project, a clean and tidy garage or workbench is just as important as a tidy home. By attaching the hose to the exhaust port of the WASHVAC, it quickly goes from vacuum cleaner to blower, enabling you to blast filings and shavings away from your workbench.
VAX CDCW-SSXS SpinScrub Power Upright Carpet Cleaner Washer Grey & Tiger Blue
Our Price £99.99 RRP: £239.99 (Save £140.00)
- TACKLES TOUGH STAINS, DELIVERING A DEEP CLEAN - 5 rotating SpinScrub brushes within the floorhead penetrate deep down targeting carpet fibres from all angles. Cleaning and extracting dirt whilst refreshing and lifting carpet pile, restoring that bouncy feel.
- EXTRA LARGE TANK FOR A LONGER CLEAN - The extra large tanks and wide cleaning path mean you can clean further for longer, around the whole home. Giving you the freedom to get back to using and enjoying the space.
- QUICK DRY TIME - Our HEATBLAST technology combines hot air and powerful extraction to dry carpets in as little as 1 hour*, for minimal interruption to your day.
- ABOVE FLOOR CLEANING - SpinScrub Power comes with Vax's Upholstery Tool, 2.5m long hose and Vax's Platinum Antibacterial Solution so you can tackle dirt and stains around the home including stairs and upholstery.
