How to care for your upholstery

Good upholstery, properly looked after, will last twenty years or more. A ten-minute weekly routine and a handful of sensible habits make more difference than any specialist product. ## Weekly: keep dust out of the fibres Vacuum your upholstery once a week using the soft brush attachment. Dust and grit work their way into the weave and act like sandpaper every time someone sits down — it's the number one cause of premature wear. Pay attention to the crevices between cushions and along the base, where crumbs and pet hair collect. ## Monthly: rotate and plump - **Rotate loose cushions** so they wear evenly — swap seat cushions left-to-right, and flip them top-to-bottom - **Plump feather and fibre cushions** by holding them by the corners and shaking, then karate-chopping the top edge back into shape - **Check the sun.** Rotate the whole piece 180° every few months if one end catches direct sunlight — UV fades fabric surprisingly quickly ## Deal with spills immediately The first sixty seconds matter more than any product you use. 1. **Blot, don't rub.** A clean white cloth or kitchen paper, pressed straight down. 2. **Work from the outside in** so you don't spread the stain. 3. **Use cool water first.** Warm or hot water can set protein stains (milk, egg, blood). 4. **Test any cleaner** on a hidden area before using it on the visible fabric. Avoid supermarket upholstery sprays on wool, silk, viscose or performance fabrics — they can leave rings or damage the finish. When in doubt, cool water and a clean cloth. ## Annually: professional refresh Book a professional upholstery clean once a year, or every 18 months if the room sees less use. A specialist uses low-moisture extraction that lifts embedded soil without soaking the fillings. Expect to pay £80–£180 for a three-seater sofa. ## Small habits that add years - **No shoes on the sofa** — grit from the street is upholstery's worst enemy - **Keep pets on a throw** you can wash weekly - **Move it away from radiators** — direct heat dries out leather and weakens fibres - **Draw curtains** at midday in sunny rooms during summer - **Deal with pilling** gently, with a fabric shaver or a battery pill remover — never scissors ## Leather needs different care Wipe with a barely-damp cloth weekly. Every 6–12 months, apply a proper leather conditioner (not silicone spray) to keep the hide supple. Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators — dried-out leather cracks and can't easily be repaired. Look after your upholstery like this and it will still be doing its job long after most flat-pack sofas have gone to landfill — and it'll be ready for a fresh cover when you eventually fancy a change.