Give your Upholstery a Longer Life with These 6 Tricks
Sofas and lounge chairs tend to be some of the most heavily used items in the home.
They’re where you unwind after a long day at work or sit for hours getting lost in a good book. Not only do we spend hours using them, but upholstered items can often be one of our biggest interior investments.With that in mind, it’s important to do everything you can to prolong their life as much as possible. Here are 6 tips for taking care of your upholstery.
1. Keep Away From The Sun
Over time, sunlight can fade all kinds of upholstery, making fabric look tired and dull and causing leather to dry out and crack.
If you can, make sure your furniture is not sitting in direct sunlight. If this isn’t possible, you can minimize the damage by applying a UV-resistant window treatment or adding high-quality curtains or blinds.
2. Turn Your Cushions
Flipping your sofa cushions over every one to two weeks is great for keeping them in tip-top condition.
It will prevent wear and sagging and will also stop any lumps or distortion from forming. That’s why, when looking for a new sofa or lounge chair, you should always look for one with removable cushions as they will last much longer than those fixed in place.
3. Vacuum Your Furniture
Whenever you vacuum your floors, try and remember to vacuum your upholstered furniture too.
Your sofa may look clean, but all that dirt that we can’t see like skin cells and dust can become embedded into the fabric over time. Eventually, this will cause discoloration and spots that you will struggle to get rid of. The brush attachment of your vacuum is perfect for this, as it will get in between the fibers of the material to get rid of all that hidden grime.
If your furniture is leather you can still use the brush attachment as long as it is very soft. Otherwise, you might prefer to wipe your sofa with a slightly damp cloth so as to avoid any scratches or damage.
4. Use An Upholstery Protector
There are plenty of sprays on the market that are designed to protect upholstery from spills and stains.
It’s fairly inexpensive, will work on even delicate materials and dries to be completely clear and odorless. Plus, you only need to apply it once a year, so it’s a great low-hassle way to extend the life of your upholstery. Just make sure to check the spray to make sure it’s suitable for use on your particular upholstery.
5. Do A Yearly Deep Clean
As well as regular light maintenance, upholstered items will benefit hugely from a proper cleaning every year.
There is specialist equipment out there, like steam cleaners and dedicated upholstery vacuums, that are designed to give your furniture a thorough clean without leaving any damage behind.
To deep clean leather furniture, you can simply make your own cleaning solution with equal parts white vinegar and water. Just lightly dip the corner of a cloth into the mixture and wring it out before wiping your furniture down.
Leather furniture will also hugely benefit from a yearly application of leather conditioner to help it maintain its natural oils and stay nice and soft.
6. Tackle Stains Straight Away
Spills and stains are bound to happen, and the best course of action is to tackle them as soon as you notice them.
Keep a stain remover geared towards upholstery on hand to stop stains causing any long-lasting marks. If you find yourself caught short, a damp cloth should be able to get rid of most common stains. Just make sure to wring out your cloth thoroughly so as not to cause any water damage to your furniture.