Remember that wonderful feeling when you finally brought home the perfect sofa – after going through a hundred sets – which not just matched your wall decor but lit up the entire living room? Well, you can’t hope for that feeling to last forever. But if you want your guests to always keep wondering if your house has featured in the recent Dream Home Makeover edition, you need to ensure that your sofa continues to be the showstopper of your living room.
That’s because, let’s face it, maintaining and cleaning your sofa set can be a tough job. After all, you cannot just pick them up, put them in the washer, and hang them to dry on a Saturday afternoon. Add to that the daily grind of kids playing Tag on them, you watching an entire season of Friends on them, and (not to forget) your pets curling up on them alongside you. Sofas do not just demand high maintenance for nothing. They deserve it!
So, in short, if you want to keep your couch as your ultimate unwinding place after a long day’s work, you will have to make sure that they are always free of stains, smells, and bits of Nachos from your last weekend’s party.
When One Size ‘Does Not’ Fit All
But, hold on before you turn towards your sofa, all geared up like Mrs. Doubtfire with a wicked smile and a cape on! Well, there is nothing wrong in twirling with the vacuum cleaner, but your enthusiasm may end up destroying your beloved (and water-sensitive!) sofa cover forever by washing it in a machine!
So, for now, manage your excitement levels and read this guide to know exactly how and when to clean your sofa. After all, improper maintenance and ordinary cleaning methods have ruined more than a few sofas.
Maintaining sofas can be tricky. Sofa types are different in terms of their fabric, the type of covers used, the recommended cleaning products, and the washing methods that are advised on their manufacturing labels. And since you can’t employ professional cleaners every week, you will have to take some preventive measures to keep your sofa as good as the day you brought them.
Use Cleaning Methods That Your Sofa Will Love
All sofa types are not made equal! So, depending on the type of your sofa, whether it is made of cotton fabric, velvet, or leather upholstery, you will have to adjust your cleaning methods.
Leather Sofas
When you are dealing with leather sofas, you should always avoid using water to wipe away dust. Instead, vacuum clean with a brush attachment to avoid scratches, and use a cloth for the dusting. Apply a leather conditioner, such as a mixture of olive oil and vinegar to preserve its sheen and natural color.
Fabric Sofas
Fabric sofas, comparatively, are far easier cleaning projects. Start with vacuum cleaning all the cushions, and before you move on to the covers, check their label to see which cleaning products are best suited for them.
You can use various DIY remedies for removing stains and spills from your sofa. Use white vinegar on the stain and gently clean with a microfiber cloth. You can also use baking soda to get rid of the smells from your sofa.
Velvet Sofas
If you own a velvet sofa, brush it with a specially designed metal brush to maintain its sheen. Then, use a hand-held steamer on a low setting to clean your sofa. But, don’t forget to check the label before you use steam to ensure that the sofa is water-friendly.
Schedule Your Cleaning Sessions (Since You Don’t Have a Magic Wand!)
Alas! If only we always had a couple of Hermione Granger’s cleaning spells to fix our homes. But for us Muggles who have not enrolled in Hogwarts yet, all that we can bank on is a reliable cleaning schedule.
Look at it this way; your sofa is going to serve you all year round. And, if you carefully plan cleaning tasks on a regular basis, it will always look great and be clean enough for you to eat your dinner off them! (Well, maybe not that clean. But you get the point, right?)
Weekly Tasks
Brush your sofa every week to get rid of pressure marks and uneven shading. Brushing is also especially recommended for velvet sofas. Other weekly activities involve changing sofa covers, plumping the cushions, and dusting.
Monthly Tasks
It’s always great to vacuum clean your sofa about once every month at a low setting to remove small dust particles and reduce the piling of the fabrics. Make sure that you use the brush attachment and vacuum gently.
Yearly Tasks
If possible, go for professional cleaning of your sofa every year or every six months. Otherwise, you can clean your entire sofa at home and wash the fabrics according to the instructions provided on the label.
Keeping Your Sofa Filing in Prime Shape
Have you noticed that your sofa has started revealing accurate bottom prints every time you get up? This happens because people often have one favorite spot where they end up sitting most of the time. This can wear out one area more than the other and cause depression in those cushions.
But don’t worry; if you don’t want this to happen, just plump your cushions regularly. Take out the cushions every once in a while and punch them from all sides to fill the air back and restore their shape. Rotate your cushions to even out their load and prevent their fading due to sunlight.
Dealing With Wine Spills And Sauce Stains
We know it is difficult to bring out your inner Mrs. Hinch every time someone spills something on the sofa. But with spillage, try to be as quick as possible. Use a cleaning liquid and blot the stain with a paper towel to stop it from going deep into the sofa. Thereafter, use water and a mild detergent to gently clean the surface without scrubbing.
Staying on Top of Your Sofa Game
So then, as we have seen, the key to keeping your sofa clean, like any other skill, is consistency. Adopting a daily or weekly cleaning regime is far better than going for a nightmarish rescue operation every six months. Use this guide to give your sofa some love, and you will always have a jaw-dropping sofa that will also last long.
Head over to the Pepperfry website to check out a variety of furniture options and even more home maintenance ideas, from changing the upholstery of the sofas to livening up your entire living room with amazing decor ideas!
