As one of the most used pieces of furniture in the home, only second to your bed, it’s understandable that your sofa is going to need a good clean every now and then.
Whether it’s muck from someone’s shoes, spillages of food or drink or pet hair – there are many familiar sights on a well-loved sofa which aren’t exactly a welcome addition to the beauty of your sofa’s aesthetic.
The thought of cleaning your sofa may fill you with the dread of accidentally ruining your favourite place in your living room, but it is easier than you may think.
Leather Sofas
Leather sofas need a little extra care than soft fabric ones, and they will often have care labels for you to refer to with how you should proceed with cleaning.
However, it’s important that you dust the sofa before applying any kind of liquid cleaner. This is so that the dust doesn’t get pushed into the material, making it harder to lift and making your job harder. Just use a dry duster and gently wipe any dust you may find.
If there are any stray crumbs – and let’s not kid ourselves, there always seems to be crumbs – you can use a vacuum cleaner with a soft bush head but try not to apply much pressure to avoid scratching the leather. Make sure to focus on the spaces between the cushions, backs and sides of the sofa.
If you notice any spillages, lightly wet a cloth and gently rub around the mark in small circles, using very little pressure. The cloth shouldn’t be wringing wet – just damp enough to help lift the spillage mark.
Natural Fabrics
Similarly to leather sofas, its best to give the fabric a quick wipe down before any actual cleaning occurs. Using a plain coloured towel as to make sure no colours run onto your material. Try to break through any hard spillages or marks as well as you can with the dry towel.
Next, you can use baking soda to help get rid of any unwelcome smells from within the sofa. Simply sprinkle some all over the sofa and leave to soak into the material for around 20-30 minutes. Take your vacuum with a brush attachment and hoover the powder up.
If you notice more stubborn stains, you can create a DIY cleaner which works quickly to help lift stains without the need for harsh chemicals. However, it is advisable to test this cleaner on an inconspicuous area of your sofa to make sure it doesn’t discolour the material.
Once completed, you should leave your sofa to dry, soaking up any excess water using a towel and leaving to air dry – don’t say we didn’t warn you if you get impatient and sit down onto a wet sofa!
If your sofa has been through the works and is past the point of repair then you should consider investing in a bespoke sofa. Not only do they come with a lifetime guarantee but they are also hand created at your request by professionals with over 15 years experience in the industry.