So, it looks like your party was a huge success. Everyone had a good time, no one fork-stabbed anyone else, and despite the intense music and general recklessness showed by your once respected friends, nobody spilled anything on the new couch
Wait! What’s this?! Yup. It’s a huge food-stain all over your upholstery. Well, don’t panic. You may never be able to get the image of your neighbor’s karaoke disaster out of your head, but you should at least be able to take out the furniture stain. Here’s a list of some of the most common upholstery fabrics, and tips on how to clean them.
1. Leather
Leather isn’t too hard to clean, as long as you get to it quickly. However, some things, such as ink, can cause a real problem. For these stains, dab a cotton-swab in alcohol and rub it over the area. Dry the area thoroughly afterward. Other leather cleaning chemicals are available for purchase, but you can also use everyday things like moisturizing soap or even small amounts of white vinegar to get the upholstery back to pristine conditions. Just remember not to over wet it, and don’t leave the leather damp after cleaning. Use a small rag or shammy, and buff the leather until it shines. Suede is a different story. You might be in trouble with this one. All we can say is that you’ll need to wipe the suede from all directions, so as to clean the nape from all sides. Be gentle so you don’t just cause more damage. 
2. Cotton
Cotton is probably the most commonly used upholstery fabric. It’s great because it breaths, is durable, and feels soft to the touch. However, unlike the T-shirt that you sloshed Pepsi all over, cotton upholstered furniture can’t just be thrown into the washing machine. If you get a stain, act quickly to remove it. Have some upholstery solvent on hand for emergencies such as this, and gently clean the away the offending blemish.
3. Nylon
This shouldn’t be a problem. Just get some upholstery cleaner and go to town. Seriously, there’s not many ways to screw this up. Just don’t leave the stain unattended for a long time, and make sure not to expose nylon to direct sunlight, or it might fade.
4. Silk
Ouch. Get a professional, because you’re not going to be able to do much with this. Maybe you can send the bill to whomever was trying to balance his wineglass on his plate while he was imitating Gangnam Style. At the very least get some sort of cover for when you have company over.
5. Olefin
This new synthetic fiber is—in cleaning terms—the anti-silk. It’s water and chemical resistant, and should be a breeze to clean. Just don’t use any solvents on this particular fabric, as they might melt the backing. Just stick with soap based cleaners and you won’t have much to worry about.
With all upholsteries, you should be sure to first do away with any dirt or grime from the surface before you try to remove any specific stains. Use a vacuum cleaner to lift offending particles away from the exterior before they can work their way down into the fabric or mix with whatever cleaning solution you plan on using. The only thing worse than a food stain is a food-and-mud stain.
Remember, a stain on your upholstery is not the end of the world. If you can’ seem to make any progress on your own, contact professional upholstery cleaners. They have better equipment and know-how, and can help you out for a small fee. If even that doesn’t seem to work, then you’ve still got one option left to you: flip the cushion over and never invite that particular group of people into your home again.