You have designed your living room the way you wanted, maybe spent a small fortune to make sure your furniture not only looks classy and stylish, but that’s also super comfortable and of the highest quality from a reputable furniture store. If you bought something worth the money from the very beginning, it won’t be difficult to keep it in good condition, but it will definitely be of great importance.

So, how not to ruin your perfect sofa, how to prevent it from going all tacky, faded or deformed. Of course, you need to establish the adequate way of regular maintenance depending on the model and material of upholstering, which you can find on the care label, but there are some other details that can help any furniture look great for a long period of time.

Choose Right

As already mentioned, doing it right from the very beginning is crucial. So make sure you carefully chose the fabric which covers your furniture. Besides paying attention to design and colors, make sure the fabric is suitable for your way of life. If you spend a lot of time on your sofa and often have guests, synthetic fabrics are a better option for you. If you have kids and/or pets, you might want to avoid fabrics that have too much texture or loose weaves. Ask your local furniture seller for more information.

Whichever fabric you may choose, make sure you apply additional protection on it, so it lasts longer. This is done in the process of furniture production, as well as at stores, but it’s not bad to do it yourself at home as well, by spraying it with water and soil repellents and/or mildew inhibitors. Mind, however, that this does not replace regular cleaning, so make sure you don’t skip it.

Move the Cushions

If applicable, this is one of the simplest and most efficient ways of extending the longevity of your furniture. Turn the cushions every now and then, that way they will stay in good shape for a longer time. You will also prevent fading and indentations in overly used places. You can do this by switching their places as well, so your favorite spot doesn’t get ruined so fast.

Fluffing you pillows after cleaning them is another good practice which will keep them in shape for a longer period of time. The point is to equally distribute the “pressure” on the whole surface of your sofa and prevent certain places from getting worn out too quickly. Also, you can always throw a cover over your sofa, if you find an appropriate one, but this might be your last resort, especially if you spent a lot of time choosing your fabric and invested a lot in it. What’s the point if it’s covered?

Protect it from Sunlight

Maybe sunlight wasn’t one of the factors you had taken into account when positioning your furniture and designing your living room, but it definitely does play an important role in maintaining your furniture in good condition. Namely, too much sunlight causes your furniture to fade, or even fray, so it’s crucial to avoid it as much as possible. Try positioning the sofa and armchairs out of the sunshine’s reach as much as possible, especially if your fabric of choice is silk or some other really delicate fabric.

Sunlight is not your furniture’s only enemy. There are everyday pollutants that quietly gnaw on that expensive sofa. One of them is cigarette smoke, so you might want to avoid smoking in the room as much as possible. Also, cooking fumes affect the fabrics, so it would be ideal to prevent them from reaching the living room. If that can’t be helped, then at least make sure you provide good ventilation.

Regular vacuuming and spot cleaning go without saying, as well as deep, professional cleaning every couple of years, depending on the type of fabric and manufacturer’s recommendations.