Does your Sofa look dirty and flat? Did you buy a new sofa and want to take care of it properly? Do you have a lot of activity in the house? Kids, Pets, Parties? Then you found the right blog. Here’s the ultimate guide for Sofa Care.
How do I care for the Sofa has been one of the burning questions of all time. Let’s try to identify why you need to care for the sofa, sectional or recliner you have in your home.
- General Wear and Tear
- Stains (Food, Beverages, Bodily Fluids, Dye Transfer etc)
- Flat Cushions / Dips
- Cracking and Peeling of upholstery
- Dirt accumilation
You may be facing one or a few of the above mentioned issues already with your sofa or sectional. Let’s explore what can we do to maintain the sofas and sectionals for as long we could.
General Sofa Care – Regular Cleaning
At least, once a week, clean the dust off of your sofa. If you have a Genuine or Faux Leather sofa, you can use a soft cloth to wipe it. If you have a microfibre or fabric sofa, use a vacuum cleaner. Leather can also be vacuumed if done carefully.
Some of the materials attract dust more than others. Therefore, cleaning frequency is determined by the material of your sofa or sectional, color, as well as the environment. If you live in high desert area, it may require regular cleaning.
Generally, it is not recommended to use any cleaning agents on Sofas and Sectionals, specially if they are fabric. This could ruin the material and may lead to discoloration.
- Always vacuum towards one direction.
- Make sure to use clean towels when wiping the sofa.
- Change the towels when they get dirty.
Leather Cleaning and Conditioning
Genuine and faux leather or bonded leather sofas need cleaning and conditioning. This helps to keep them in good shape for a long period. Cleaning removes any dirt, grim and even oil transfers from the skin off the Sofa while conditioning keeps the material moisturized.
How do I clean my Leather Sofa?
- Grab a clean microfibre towel.
- Spray a leather cleaning agent onto the microfibre towel.
- Gently wipe the seating areas first and sides and the back afterwards.
If you do not want to use a leather cleaner, you can also use warm water. Remember not to spray anything directly on to the leather.
How do I condition my Leather Sofa?
Conditioning is equally important as cleaning. Leather Conditioning helps leather to maintain it’s flexibility by moisturizing the fibers. In addition, conditioning strengthens the leather and keeps the leather from cracking and becoming brittle.
- Clean the Sofa first.
- Let it rest until the cleaning agent / water completely dries out.
- Wipe the Leather Sofa with a clean dry Microfibre towel.
- Test the Leather conditioner. To do so, apply a small amount of conditioning to a Microfibre towel and test it on a small, hidden area (back of the sofa)
If there’s no discoloration or greasy, oily residue, proceed to the next step. - Apply the recommended amount of conditioner (refer the Conditioner manufacturer’s directions) to the microfiber towel.
- Gently wipe the sofa.
- Allow the leather to dry out.
- Lastly, wipe down any excess conditioner.
You sofa should look brand new. Choosing a proper leather conditioner is also equally important. Always try the conditioner by applying a small amount to the back of your furniture. If it leaves an oily, greasy residue, do not use it on the sofa.
Our recommend product: Leather Conditioner by Leather Master
Also, avoid using any natural material like oil to condition leather.
Spot Cleaning
No matter how careful you are, stains on furniture are unavoidable. Kids, Pets, Parties and Gathering are most likely to cause stains on your furniture, specially on Sofas and Sectionals. Not to mention, most of the accidents are caused by visitors than owners.
Certain Materials like Leather and Microfiber can be easily cleaned while regular fabric is usually difficult to spot clean. Certain manufacturers use Performance fabric such as iclean by La-Z-Boy which are easy to clean than regular fabric and water repellent.
Here’s a step by step guide to clean any stains on your upholstery sofa or sectional.
- Remove any solid remains.
- Blot with a clean paper towel or a cloth to absorb the moisture.
- Dampen a clean cloth with warm water or a stain removing agent.
(Make sure to use as little chemicals as possible) - Clean the stain using the damp cloth working from outside towards center.
- Use a clean cloth or paper towel to remove any leftover moisture.
- Let it dry.
- Lastly, Dry Clean or Machine wash the cover (Refer to the manufacturers recommendation)
Certain sofas may have non removable cushion covers and you may need to get a professional upholstery cleaner to clean it.
Do not use pressure when cleaning. Also rubbing the same spot over a long period could ruin the fabric.
Certain furniture shops offer Furniture Protection Plans that cover any stains for multiple years. If your sofa is already covered, call them immediately.
Protecting the fabric
Certain products like Scotchgard can protect the fabric upholstery against water and spills.
You can also use Upholstery fabric refreshers on certain fabrics to keep the fibers soft and lasting.
Fluffing Sofa Cushions
Fluffing your cushions can make your sofa look brand new. The goal is to re-fluff any floppy cushion back to its original shape. The result could vary depending on the material used in your sofa cushions.
- Remove all cushions.
- If you have removable covers, take off the covers as well.
- Squish the sides of the cushion to move materials to the center of the cushion
- Hit the cushions on the sides as well as the seating area.
- Grab on to the edges and shake aggressively.
- Check the shape of the cushion and redo the process until the it takes the desired shape.
Check the video by Article.com to see how to fluff your cushions.
How often should you fluff the cushions?
This entirely depends on the materials used in the cushions. If you have down feathers, regular fluffing may required. Generally, it is recommended to fluff cushions every 2-3 months.
Flipping and Rotating Cushions
Flipping and Rotating Sofa Cushions periodically will ensure the longevity of the sofa. Specially if you use the sofa in your family room, it is being used heavily.
Most of us are creatures of habit. We like to sit in the same place everyday. Due to this, a cushion where the 300lbs person sits and the cushion where the 120lbs person sits will show a significant difference after some time.
Therefore, periodically rotating your cushions simply by swapping it with the cushion next to it can reduce over wear and dipping of the foam. The best methodical way to do this is rotating cushions in one direction either from left to right or right to left. Don’t forget to do this on your back cushions as well.
Most of the sofas have upholstery on both sides. These cushions can be flipped for even wear on the material. If your sofa has detachable back cushions, flip them as well.
Washing and Drying
A question that is most asked is if the Sofa cushions can be washed in a Washing Machine. The best way to figure this out is to read the manufacturer’s recommendation. Certain Fabrics could be safe for machine washing while some may not.
However, avoid washing Sofa upholstery unless it is really necessary. Instead, clean it regularly by vacuuming.
Never wash your Foam cushions or Fillings inside. If your cushions do not have zippers to take the cover off, you cannot wash them.
Professional Cleaning
No matter how you good you take care of the Sofa, overtime it is going to show the signs of use. Specially on a light color sofas, when they are exposed to dirt, dead cells and sweat for a prolonged period it could cause discoloration and also could be unhygienic.
You can contact a Professional Upholstery cleaner and get them to properly clean your sofa or the sectional to give it a brand new look.
A Good Sofa or a Sectional is an investment. Not only it provides seating, it also plays an important role in your day today life. Therefore, taking care of your sofa will improve the quality of life.
When buying a sofa, consider if the cushion covers can be removed, washed and if they can be flipped and rotated.