If your sofa has started the New Year looking a little lacklustre and weary, you might be tempted to call in the dry cleaners for an intervention. But, before you do, why not try out these simple tips instead. With just a few strategic shakes, a bit of carefully considered massaging, and your trusty vacuum, you can perform a full resuscitation of your beloved sofa, without setting foot outside the front door.
Plump it up
Over time, especially given excessive use, sofa cushions can start to sag, causing the filling to spread unevenly, and lose their rounded shape. Plumping is the antidote to a sad looking saggy cushion. And because it requires some physical intervention on your part to get right, it doubles up as a great way to work up a sweat too. See, who says you need a gym in January?
Once you've followed our plumping technique to a T, it's a good idea to get in the habit of doing this daily to maintain your sofa's youthful looking appearance.
Spin it around
Quick show of hands…who has a favourite seat on the sofa they always sit on? So, that's everyone then. Like it or not, us Brits are a creature of habit, particularly when it comes to where we choose to sit down on our settees. But always sitting in the same spot leads to your cushions aging at different rates and looking uneven. To counter this, you should always rotate your cushions, and turn them over once a week, in addition to plumping them daily.
Brush it down
You don't need to go to the extreme of brushing your sofa daily, like you would do your hair, but brushing it at least once a week offers the best way to keep the pile looking fresh and free from shading and pressure marks. This is especially important to keep on top of if you've opted for a velvet sofa, which bears distinguishing marks more easily. The one exception to the brushing rule is leather, which should be wiped down using a clean, product-free, duster instead.
Product featured: The Buttermere sofa/sofa bed
Vacuum it clean
Dust particles really do get everywhere in our homes, but while we're obsessive about vacuuming our floors, and dusting down surfaces, our sofa never gets a look-in when it comes to our dust busting regime. Vacuuming your sofa on a low setting, and utilising the upholstery brush attachment (yes that's what that thing is) at least once a month, will literally breathe new life into your cushion covers while also helping prevent any natural piling. Helping your sofa stay sanitary, fresh for longer, and looking its best too.
Follow these steps and you'll be amazed at the difference it makes to the appearance and feel of your sofa. Especially if you keep them up in the long-term. You can always offer yourself an extra incentive to stick to it, by making caring for your sofa one of your New Year’s resolutions too…
For advice on how to care for any of your Willow & Hall goodies, visit our care guide on our website, or speak to our friendly Customer Service team on 020 8939 3800.
Kind regards,
The Willow & Hall team