How to Care for Your Fabric Sofa

So, you’ve bought your perfect fabric sofa from Viesso and it looks and feels amazing in your living room. However, general wear and tear can take its toll on your sofa so you must stay on top of your fabric sofa care.

Read on as we explain our best fabric sofa care tips to keep your upholstery fabrics vibrant and clean.

How Should I Care for My Fabric Sofa?

Care for your fabric sofa from the moment of purchase. After all, your new sofa is so much more than a piece of furniture!

Consider where your new sofa will be placed in your living room. Positioning your sofa under a window could cause your fabric color to fade over time, whilst an opened window could entice raindrops and debris to fall on your sofa.

It is also essential that your sofa does not rest against a radiator and that there is a gap between the sofa and the heat emitted.

Also think about the cushions and throws you place on your new sofa. Any such additions should be made with colorfast fabric to prevent color stains being transferred to your couch. 

How Often Should I Clean My Fabric Sofa?

There are certain tasks that should be completed daily to take care of your sofa, whilst other cleaning processes should be performed weekly or every 6 months.

Daily Tasks

1. Each day, use a vacuum cleaner to hoover up any crumbs on the sofa surface, paying particular attention to any crevasses. This prevents debris build-up and crumbs from becoming stuck to the fabric. Consider the Renfrew sofa for easy maintenance yet sublime comfort.
2. Plump up your cushions to push some air back into the fibers, straightening out the corners and ensuring each cushion looks inviting. This also ensures you gain longevity from the cushion fibers. If you have a sofa with reversible seat cushions like Sola sofa, turn the cushions around regularly to evenly distribute use.

Weekly Tasks

1. Each week, brush your sofa with an upholstery brush, or a brush with similar soft bristles, maintaining your modern living room design. You may need to brush vigorously if you own pets who typically lounge across your sofa, removing pet hair in one swoop.
2. Take your vacuum cleaning up to the next level and remove all cushions, sucking up every tiny piece of dust or dirt from all corners of the couch. Experiment with the vacuum brush attachment that typically comes with your vacuum, but you never know what to do with them! Also remember to vacuum clean underneath the sofa and around the feet of the couch.
3. If your sofa exudes comfort with soft fiber filling in the seat and back cushions, plump and shape these areas, too. Many back and seat cushions unzip so push your hand into the cushion interior to ensure your cushions offer the best shape.
4. It is also recommended that you check weekly for any necessary spot cleaning, examining all corners of the fabric for any marks or stains. To clean such stains, first try to clean the area of fabric with a plain wet cloth, gently rubbing the fabric in a circle motion. If using water doesn’t remove the stain, use a water based cleaner instead, or a spot of dish soap.

6 Monthly Tasks

1. Deep clean your fabric sofa two times per year to keep your couch in tip-top condition. The perfect cleaning method is using a steamer, eliminating stains and smells in one go. Always remember to dry your sofa to prevent any damp smells developing.  Alternatively, you can purchase sofa cleaning solutions that make your couch fabrics easy to clean so follow the instructions and let the magic happen! However, success will depend on the type of fabric so always do a spot test before launching across the whole sofa. 
2. If you really love your sofa, replace the natural fiber filling of your cushions every 6 months. If your back and seat cushions have zippers on them, you can also replace the inner filling of these cushions too.

Top 3 Emergency Cleaning Tips

If you spill something on your sofa, you must take action immediately to prevent lasting damage. 

Follow these essential steps:

1. Using a paper towel, blot as much of the spillage as possible in a dabbing motion. Never rub the spillage as you could make the problem worse by embedding the liquid into the sofa fibers.
2. Once you have blotted the spillage, take a clean damp cloth and repeat the action whilst gently rubbing. Severe spillages may require cleaning solutions that are suitable to the type of fabric you have.
3. If your living space is prone to spillages, a stain resistant faux leather sofa may be a good option as you can wipe-up any liquid easily. However, you may not receive the same level of comfort that a fabric sofa can offer.

How Can I Protect My Fabric Sofa?

Depending on the fabric used for your sofa, you could purchase a fabric protector treatment spray to add a layer of protection against spillages.

To apply a fabric protector treatment, simply spray across the couch and a protective barrier will form. Then, if a liquid is spilled onto the fabric, the barrier will stop the liquid being absorbed into the fibers.

Fabric protector treatments do not last forever, however, and should be reapplied every few months to gain the best layer of protection.

Why Choose Viesso for Your Sofa?

Viesso aims to provide you with modern home decor, curating eco-friendly, high-end furniture pieces that we know you will love! We search brands across the globe to discover the very best items that will furnish your home.

Contact Viesso now for details! You could even gain a 10% discount on your first order when you subscribe to our mailing list.

Read our blog for further inspiration for your home, such as a Sofa vs Sectional Buyer’s Guide or How to Measure a Couch for your living room.