The average life expectancy of a sofa is 7 to 15 years. However, you can get many more years out of your sofa (with a good quality sofa, as much as 30 years!) by looking after it. Below are a few tricks for extending the life of your sofa.
Clean your sofa regularly
Cleaning your sofa regularly can prevent it developing permanent stains and odd smells. Try to get into a habit of regularly vacuuming your sofa (including under the sofa cushions) to get rid of all crumbs. If sofa cushion covers can be easily removed and are machine-washable, consider taking these off every few months to wash them. It could also be important to spot clean any spillages the moment they occur to prevent them seeping in and becoming permanent.
Use specialist fabric products
It’s important to always read cleaning and maintenance instructions as you may not be able to use certain products on certain fabrics. For example, materials like linen can be sensitive to various chemicals. There may also be extra measures you need to take when caring for certain furniture materials. For example, leather can develop dry patches unless you use leather furniture conditioner. Make sure to invest in the right products.
Cover your sofa up to protect it from kids/pets
Your sofa is likely to experience greater wear and tear if you have kids or pets. Young kids are more likely to cause stains or marks on sofas by spilling drinks or even drawing on them. Pets like cats and dogs may meanwhile scratch sofas with their claws. While opting for certain sofa materials may help to reduce this damage, another solution is to buy slipcovers or a throw blanket. These can go over the top of your sofa to protect the materials beneath and can be much more easily washed or replaced.
Keep sofa cushions comfy by plumping them
After being sat on continuously, sofa cushions can start to become flat and can lose their comfort. Plumping sofa cushions can help cushions to keep their shape. This involves removing sofa cushions and pushing the filling around with your hands until it feels soft and plump again. Don’t wait too long to do this as cushions may eventually lose their form permanently.
Consider restuffing your sofa cushions
Of course, if sofa cushions do lose their form permanently, there may still be the option of restuffing them. Some sofa cushions have covers that can be easily removed to help access the filling inside. By sourcing a filling of the same shape, you can then easily replace this filling. With sofa cushions that do not have removable covers, you may have to cut open the sofa cover to replace the filling and then sew it back shut.
Consider getting it periodically cleaned and restored by professionals
Professional upholstery cleaners will know exactly how to clean and restore your sofa. They typically have much more specialist tools and products, and know how to care for different materials. Considering hiring these services to help extend the life of your sofa.
