A new sofa should last at least 10 to 15 years, but after all the day-to-day dirt and use slowly wear it down, sometimes the shelf life of your sofa can become much shorter. Of course, there’s no need to just let your furniture go without a fight. Restoring and maintaining your sofa doesn’t have to be difficult. All it takes is a little tender loving care. Plus, cleaning your sofa regularly has many benefits, including extending the life of the upholstery, maintaining its original look, and even improving the air quality in your home. Here are three types of sofas and how you can go about cleaning them:
1. Fabric sofa
For cleaning fabric sofas, there’s one easy rule you can follow and that’s vacuuming regularly – whether you can see the dirt or not. The thing that fools people most is the colour of their sofa. If it’s a light colour like cream or white, it’s much easier to see when it is becoming dirty. Darker coloured surfaces, on the other hand, can be harder to evaluate. With this in mind, you can make it a point to vacuum your sofas once a fortnight as a minimum precaution against dust and bacteria.
The nature and the material of your sofa also plays a big part in how you clean it. If the material is a bit delicate, try using a brush or lint roller to loosen any dirt particles deeply embedded in your fabric sofa before vacuuming. Any tough stains found while cleaning your sofa can also first be tackled with some cleaning solution on a microfiber cloth, followed by a water-soaked cloth and then a dry cloth. Remember to leave your sofa to dry naturally before sitting on it again.
2. Synthetic sofa
Common materials used for synthetic sofas include polyester and microfiber. The trick with polyester is to be gentle. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to care for as it is more resistant to water-based stains, so you just need to use a light hand with your cloth and cleaning solution – dabbing is key. You should also vacuum it to remove any pet hair, dust and dirt.
Essentially the same cleaning method for fabric sofas applies to synthetic sofas, but you may still want to double-check if there are specific dos and don’ts for your sofa type. For instance, microfiber can be delicate so check to see if it’s vacuum-only, water-only, or if it allows cleaning solution.
3. Leather sofa
Leather is a gorgeous material but there are many different kinds so it’s important to do your research when it comes to cleaning your sofa. The general rule of thumb is that while most leather sofas can be vacuumed and wiped down with a cloth just fine. If you’re going to use extra cleaning products, you should test them out on a small, inconspicuous spot – especially if you are trying out a leather product for the first time.
Don’t let this deter you from properly caring for your leather sofa though. To ensure that they last a long time, leather sofas require additional care – you just need to select products specifically for your type of leather sofa. For example, while certain types of leather are more stain-resistant, you’ll want to ensure you have a leather cleaner that is suitable to use on your sofa in case something happens. Follow up with a specialised leather conditioner and let it dry naturally. If possible, you should also avoid placing your leather sofa under direct sunlight.
For a deeper and more thorough cleaning process, consider Big Mama Home Services for professional sofa cleaning services.
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