The sofa is a key part of your living room, and some would agree, is at the heart of it. As with any furniture, preserving the life of your sofa or chair is synonymous to how well you look after it. Luckily, cleaning your sofa is straightforward and will only take a few minutes. All you need is to follow the proper care tips.
Importance of Regular Cleaning and Maintenance for Your Sofa
To keep your sofa looking brand new, the most important step of sofa care is regular cleaning and maintenance. Dust, dirt, and grime can build up incredibly quickly and will make your sofa look older. The prolonged existence of dust can potentially cause damage and ruin the integrity of the sofa materials.
The typical sofa maintenance will include regular vacuuming and spot cleaning, and even occasional professional upholstery cleaning. Depending on the type of material your sofa is made from, there will be different requirements when it comes to cleaning.
Fabric sofas will primarily need vacuuming, cleaning with a mild dish soap and warm water mixture and a soft microfiber cloth. When it comes to prolonging sofa life, you’ll want to avoid commercial detergents with harsh chemicals, as they are likely to cause damage to the fabric. The same can be said for velvet sofas. In this case, you should use as little soap and water as possible, as any type of moisture can cause the fabric to bleed.
For leather sofa care, avoid detergents and soaps altogether. To remove dust, you can use a microfibre cloth or a vacuum with a soft brush attachment. For any spills, it will be best to clean them up with a damp cloth and distilled water. Make sure the sofa is completely dry before use.
Best Practices for Protecting Your Sofa from Stains and Wear
One of the most effective sofa care tips is to focus on preventative measures. It’s one thing to address problems and damages as they arise, but it’s ideal to stop them before they happen. Stains and general wear and tear often come from particular day to day habits. It’s a good idea to be mindful of things like muddy shoes, dirty clothes, paints and other stubborn stains as the potential damage they can cause is always going to be difficult to remove.
The best way to avoid stains or unwanted marks is to avoid taking food or drinks near your sofa altogether. After a long day, it may be tempting to relax with a glass of wine or your favorite snacks. No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. Try to save eating and drinking for the kitchen, or just a reasonable distance from the sofa.
Another way of preserving sofa appearance is to rotate any cushions so they are not remaining in the same spot constantly. Cushions may be rather light, but you’d be surprised at how they can create large indents in the sofa if kept in the same place for too long.
Other Ways to Care for Your Sofa
Some extra steps you can take for maintaining ideal sofa care is to try to position your furniture out of direct sunlight. Over time, UV rays can age materials and cause discoloration. To help this you can simply close your blinds or curtains during the day if you are not home. If you have animals in your home, then you may want to limit their time on the furniture or even prevent them altogether, although we all know there is nothing more comforting than curling up with your furry friend. This will help avoid any stains, scratches and fur getting trapped.
Beautiful Sofa Upholstery with Westcote Design
If your sofa fabric is coming to the end of its life, it might be time to look at sofa upholstery. This is a quick, simple and affordable way of refreshing your sofa or chair without the outlay of new, although we can help you. So, if your living room needs a fresh new look, contact Westcote Design today.