How to maintain your sofa? | Factory Street

There are several rules to follow to maintain your sofa and preserve its good condition. From grandma’s advice to using specialized products, there are many steps you can take to take care of it.

Maintenance adapted to the type of sofa

Sofa maintenance is not always done in the same way. In fact, it differs primarily depending on the coating. Depending on whether the furniture is made of leather or fabric, the actions to be taken and the products to be used vary considerably. Although specialized products prove effective in overcoming most maintenance problems, it is not always necessary to use them. It is possible to clean a sofa using simple everyday products: an economical and ecological solution!

Entertain on a leatherette sofa

The term leatherette includes materials that imitate leather, especially skai and polyurethane. Although your faux leather sofa looks like a leather model, it doesn’t clean the same way. However, you can restore its shine by using various products that are easy to find on the market:

• Use a cotton pad soaked in makeup remover milk and a few drops of white vinegar or denatured alcohol to remove any ink stains from the furniture.
• You can also opt for a mixture of clay stone or white stone and one to two drops of white vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Apply it in a circular manner on the stain using a sponge. This tip is also suitable for removing marks left by clothes on the sofa.
• If the ink stain resists these two solutions, rub it lightly with a cloth moistened with mineral spirits. Rinse with another damp cloth to stop the action of the product.
• You also have the option of using an oleo-anti-limescale liniment or a preparation based on soda crystals and warm water to restore the cleanliness of your furniture.

Although the use of these common products allows you to easily clean your imitation leather sofa, the fragility of this covering requires you to observe some rules to avoid damaging it:

• Once a week, clean your sofa regularly using a soft, damp cloth to prevent dust and dirt from settling deeply.
• Use a soft bristle brush to remove dust stuck in the ribs.
• Avoid scrubbing too vigorously or dryly.
• Banish scouring sponges and abrasive powders that can scratch the finish.
• Avoid bleach, pure alcohol, glass cleaners or dust sprays.

Cleaning a fabric sofa

Even the fabric sofa is not immune to unpleasant stains. To clean it and preserve its shine it is essential to follow the following advice:

• In the case of a fabric sofa with slipcover, the protector should be machine washed or sent to the cleaners once or twice a year. Twice a month it is recommended to use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush to dust the furniture. In case of persistent stains, use a specialized product and make sure to treat the entire fabric without soaking it.
• For a fabric sofa without lining it is necessary to use a stain-resistant waterproofer. This will protect the fabric – do this at the time of purchase and after each cleaning. Twice a month, dust it with a vacuum cleaner and a soft brush. It is also recommended to clean the furniture with dry foam or shampoo and a little water once or twice a month.

To eliminate specific stains that are difficult to remove, there are also some tips:

• To remove a food stain it is necessary to avoid rubbing so as not to grease the surface of the sofa. To remove it, use a vacuum cleaner then apply a special fabric shampoo which will clean thoroughly. You can also gently blot the stain with paper towels. To do this, gently dab it from the outside towards the center to prevent it from spreading.
• To remove chewing gum, place an ice cube in a plastic bag and apply it to the stain. When this tip starts to work and the stickiness of the gum wears off, carefully scrape the stain to remove it. Turpentine is also effective in this situation.
• In case of paint or varnish stains, call a specialist who will advise you on the suitable product.

Maintenance of a leather sofa

Since leather is a delicate material, it is important to respect some rules to preserve it without leaving marks:

• Once a week it is recommended to clean the leather sofa with a damp sponge to remove dust. Be careful never to get the material wet!
• If the sofa is made of full grain leather it is necessary to carry out maintenance once a month with specialized products. To clean it, simply soak a cloth with a suitable product and pass it over the entire sofa.
• For corrected leather furniture, use a pH-neutral cleaning base to spread from edge to edge and from seam to seam. The ideal maintenance frequency is also once a month.
• You can dilute specialized products with water or cleansing milk to prevent them from lightening or darkening the leather and creating a color difference that ruins the aesthetics of the furniture.

Products containing certain substances such as lanolin, ketone, silicone or cellulose thinner should be avoided because they can damage the skin. Instead, use a homemade cleaner to maintain a leather sofa without risking damage to it. To prepare it, beat an egg and then add the lemon juice. All you have to do is pass this mixture all over the furniture to clean it.
It is also possible to preserve the quality of a leather sofa by applying the following advice:

• After cleaning it, constantly make sure to soften and nourish its coating
• Soak a cloth with glycerin and apply the solution to your skin
• Then apply the after-sun cream to optimize the effect of the glycerin
• Allow to dry before rubbing gently with a soft polishing cloth
• If the leather on your sofa is cracked or dry, you can remedy this by applying several coats of Vaseline

Further tips to optimize the maintenance of a sofa

A sofa is a long-term investment. It is therefore normal to try to preserve it for as long as possible and by all means. The following tips will allow you to optimize the maintenance of this piece of furniture, which is as practical as it is aesthetic:

• Direct light on the sofa should be avoided as much as possible because it risks ruining its colours.
• Before using a new cleaning product it is important to always test it on an inconspicuous part of the sofa. This allows you to verify that it will not alter either its material or its color.
• Clean your sofa on sunny days to ensure quick drying
• Clean your sofa immediately after a stain appears. It is important to apply this precaution to prevent the stain from getting stuck in the fibers.
• If you are unsure about stain removal, seek advice from a dry cleaner or call a cleaning specialist.