Naturally, your furniture will become dirtier over time. This is especially true of items that are used frequently. Your couch and chairs, for example, will be subject to wear and tear—and often dirt from people’s clothes—and need maintenance to keep them suitably clean.
What’s the best way to keep your couch from getting dirty? The obvious answer is not to let anyone sit on them, but that won’t happen! So, to help you find the right way to keep your couch clean – and the best way to clean it when necessary – here are some great ideas and tips that we think may help.
Put Rules in Place
You probably have a rule about people taking their dirty shoes off before entering the house. After all, you don’t want all that mud and dirt getting into your carpets. So, why not have a similar rule for sitting on your furniture? Suggest that anyone who has been wearing working clothes and children who have been playing outside change their clothing before they use the furniture. It can often be that minute particles of dust you can’t see on their trousers, for example, will transfer to your soft furnishings, so make it a regular rule in your lounge.
A Weekly Once-Over!
The vacuum you use for cleaning the floor comes with a set of fittings. Once a week, use the brush attachment and that strange thin alternative head fitting to give your couch a good vacuuming. It will only take you a few minutes. Ensure you take the cushions off to do the job, and you’ll be surprised how much dust and grime await you.
Buy Quality Furniture
This may sound like a strange tip given we’re talking about cleaning. Still, it’s certainly so that a quality couch will be made with better quality materials, which will last longer, be less susceptible to wear and tear, and be easy to clean. This may be especially true if you look at the latest in quality, tailored couches, and furniture: eco-friendly couches. Made from natural materials and with no dangerous chemicals sometimes used for lesser quality items, you can get a nontoxic couch designed for you, made from material that needs very little attention and cleaning. It’s a great way of going green while investing in quality furnishings!
Use Throws
One of the easiest and most affordable ways to keep your sofa and other furniture clean is to use throws or blankets for protection. Throws come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and styles and are of great value. They can also be very attractive and add detail to the finish of your room.
Keep Pets Off!
This is a decision you really must consider! We all love our dogs and cats, but they do have a tendency to run in from outside and jump on the furniture! This is a surefire way of quickly getting your couch much dirtier than it should be. If you want your dog to get up beside you, use the throw or blanket as we mentioned, and train the dog to lie in a particular place – his or her special spot! That way, all you need to do is give the dog a fresh blanket now and then and there’s no extra cleaning for you.
Deal With Spills and Stains Quickly
This very important hint will save you a lot of trouble! Stains and spills are inevitable – we’ve all spilled a cup of coffee or glass of wine on a beautiful couch before, and then there’s the kids with chocolate and plenty of other stuff that can make a nasty stain. The trick is to deal with spills straight away. Use a paper towel and blot the liquid – don’t rub in the first instance – then when you have got rid of most of it, warm water gently applied should do the job. Ensure you don’t overdo it; the material loses color if you wash too hard.
Washable Covers
Good quality couches and furnishings have removable covers to help with this problem! They will come with guidelines on how to wash the covers—and don’t forget the cushion covers, too—and will be easy to get on and off, if perhaps a two-man job. Check before you buy that you are getting covers that are machine washable, too. Sometimes, customers buy a second set of covers to swap them now and then.
Definitely No Smoking
There’s no getting away from it: tobacco smoke will certainly dull the colors of your furnishings, and surprisingly quickly, too. If you – or anyone in the home – is a smoker, make it a rule that they must do so outside, not in the room where your treasured couch and chairs are! The smoke will also dirty the walls, so you will keep the whole room cleaner if you implement this rule.
Plump Up the Cushions
Giving your cushions a good shake every evening to get them back into shape will last longer and look better. The same is true of the occasional cushions you use for decoration, so make sure you get these back into shape, too.
The above tips are common sense, but many people forget to vacuum their furniture once a week, which very quickly becomes affected by ingrained dirt and dust. Follow these ideas—none of them takes much time or effort—and you will find that your couch looks clean and fresh for longer and gets more life out of it. It makes sense, after all, so note the above tips and give them a go.
