Is a velvet sofa a nightmare to keep clean?

[Gimmeashake]

Hello all, I'm looking to buy a new sofa and saw a lovely velvet fabric. I'm choosing between that or a plain weave. I don't want it to look crap after a few weeks and I'm too lazy to clean weekly . We've a ten year old child and no pets although TTC so may have to factor in a baby! Anyone have a velvet sofa and can advise? TIA.

Do the sofa ship offer to scotch guard it? That would help reduce stains.

We have a sage coloured velvet sofa with scotch guard. It’s easy to spot clean my cat’s paw prints, but I wish I’d gone for a darker colour.

Thank you for your replies. Yes they offer guardsman protection so I'd definitely shell out. I think the colour I like is too pale for velvet @AnneJeanne - would be lovely in a rich navy etc but that wouldn't suit the room. Think I'll go for the safer option...

I’ve got 2 velvet sofas and I find them easy to keep clean because I find the pile more forgiving. One of them is a bit more crushed velvet (not the very shiny Mrs Hinch crushed velvet, a lot more matte) and the variety of texture means a bit of splodging doesn’t show. The other is smooth-textured mid-green and things bounce off. The first day I got it I dropped a plate of biriyani on it and it cleaned up beautifully. The instructions said do not rub but it’s been very easy to keep clean. I have 2 small children and a cat.

Real velvet is very easy but polyester and the shiny stuff can be hard to keep clean in lighter colours.

Stainguard is great but I've had velvet for years now and will be recovering another sofa in velvet next year. Love the look, feel and how easy to keep clean it is.

Go for cotton velvet and not the shiny faux stuff .

My velvet fabric sofa ripped apart where the sunlight hit it. Ruined.
I've had to cover a large part of it with another piece iof fabric as Tetrad didn't want to know.
We had it a number of years but it wasn't used very often- it was in the "good" sittingroom.
I wouldn't buy a sofa in velvet if you are looking for longevity/ hard wearing.

Look into the stain protection before you get it. It's highly toxic, gives off lots of volitile compounds etc.

I have a Designers Guild velvet sofa which I wish I had never had!!! Apart from brushing and vacuuming every mark on it is permanent. Even a slightly damp cloth leaves a water mark. Avoid at all costs

We have two velvet sofas and they are fab though we saved to buy from sofa.com. Easy to keep clean. We don’t let the kids eat or drink on them!

I have a red velvet sofa and it never looks stained or grubby but I think that has to do with the fact it is red rather than being velvet.