Most people spend a significant amount of time on the couch – it’s where we go to relax at the end of a hard day or spend time with chatting with friends over a cuppa or glass of something a little stronger.
An excellent quality sofa can be a significant investment, too, so you'll want to make sure your choice is both comfortable, long-lasting and easy to maintain.
When you’re shopping for a new couch, you may wonder about the various benefits and downsides to when it comes to fabric and leather upholstery cleaning.
Ultimately it comes down to your personal preference, but here’s a quick guide to working out which option will suit your lifestyle.
Choosing a leather sofa.
Leather is very durable and can look great for many years with a little care. It's a perfect choice if you've got young kids or (non-scratching) pets because you can often merely wipe down spills. Just remember that lighter colours are less resistant to stains like red wine or food colouring!
You'll need to moisturise your sofa to keep it looking new – otherwise, it may develop fine cracks. If you notice your leather drying out, rub leather protector all over it to bring it back to original splendour.
How to clean a leather couch:
- Vacuum your couch first, paying particular attention to all the nooks and crannies harbouring dust and dirt.
- Apply a moisturising soap to a damp cloth and wipe any stains.
- Allow to dry and absorb rather than washing the soap off to stop the leather from drying out.
- If your stain is stubborn or the leather is damaged, try a combination of white vinegar and baking soda. Remember to moisturise the leather after cleaning.
- If all else fails, you’ll need to call in a professional leather cleaner to renew and restore the leather. The good news is you can repair leather if you act fast, and your couch will give you many more years of faithful service.
Choosing a fabric sofa.
Fabric's versatility means you can find the perfect fit for your existing décor. However, it's more likely to soak up stains than leather. The more you spend, the more likely your fabric sofa will look better for longer.
You’ll need to clean a fabric lounge suite more regularly than a leather version, but you can use simple cleaners and water or upholstery cleaners to get the job done to your satisfaction. You could also consider steam cleaning once a year to keep it looking tip-top.
It’s worth spending a bit more and getting stain guard added to your couch by the manufacturer to get extra years of dependable service from it before you’ll need to consider recovering or replacing.
How to clean a fabric couch:
- Vacuum all over, remembering to do under cushions, in the seams and folds if you can (a strip vacuum attachment is a great help here).
- Once it’s clean of all dust and debris, use water to try to remove any stains.
- If the stains are proving particularly stubborn, you could try blotting with vodka or vinegar.
- If all else fails, call in a professional who’ll apply a commercial cleaner, tried and trusted techniques and specialised equipment designed to remove tough stains.