Do you clean your fabric sofa?

[askingalways]

This is a new thing that has come to my attention. I've been on this earth for over 30 years and I've only ever cleaned a sofa if something has been spilt on it.

Apparently it is a regular part of some people's cleaning routines.

Do you? If so...... How? & How often?

Oh by the way I hoover it on a regular basis but not wash/clean the material. I don't fancy taking the covers off to put in the washing machine 🙈

Oh, I machine the covers early summar and end of summer (basically when I can get them on the line to dry) but that's it. is more often a thing? oh dear.

*summer

I know Mrs Hinch cleans hers, I think with a mix of washing powder and fabric softener in a bowl of water and a brush! I got an upholstery cleaning firm in to do the whole suite in one morning for about £120. Will probab ly do that every year or two when I get the carpets deep cleaned.

I stick all the covers in the washing machine on a hand wash cycle about 3 times a year. My toddler can get them quite dirty!

@enervator whereabouts are you? My quote was closer to £300 (we’re east anglia) - was so shocked!

Sorry, just checked invoice and upholstery was £180. Will pm you.

I got a firm to do mine - £50 for two sofas! It's not a regular thing though..

Blimey, chicken, I need to move to your neck of the woods.

I wash my covers every couple of months and have throws over which get washed once a week but this is because my dogs lie on it!!! I’d still do it couple times a year I reckon though as have messy younger children too!

No I cover it in blankets and wash the blankets.

Don’t the covers shrink? I’d love to wash ours but I’m completely paranoid that I’d never get them back on again! X

Oh god ignore the X - perils of typing and texting at the same time! 🙈

I’ve got a pair of 2 seaters - one of which ( ‘cough’ DH’s perching place ‘cough’) is distinctly grubby, especially along the top of the back cushions. They are zip off , fitted ( multiyork) not washable fabric and deep red. Quote is £37 including the extra arm caps. Thinking of actioning soon.

Quite for send away dry cleaning, it should have said

i do my cushion covers twice a year stick them in the washing machine

Quote. I hate my phone.

I bung the fabric covers through the washing machine whenever they look a bit tired or grubby. Mine are pale cream and I tend to get newsprint on them, plus the cat sometimes jumps up with wet paws from her hunting expeditions.
They’ve never shrunk in the wash and come up nicely. I’ve always had removable washable covers since the kids were wee - so much more practical.

Yes, will either use a steam cleaner or will us bucket of ŵater with laundry detergent and a cloth.

Did machine the once - NEVER AGAIN!!! They shrunk/tightened up a bit and took MONTHS of using them for them to stretch them back to as close as right as they will ever be (thankfully they’re now very very near to what they were) they were also a nightmare to get back on. I did a cool wash, no dryer with colour detergent and it was still a nightmare.

Believe it or not, a lot of the time when a sofa has zips to “remove” the covers on all the cushions, this isn’t to allow the covers to be washed, but rather to allow the foam padding/cushion to be changed out if they become worn/flat. The only time covers should be removed for cleaning is if your sofa specifically allows it, otherwise they’re meant to be cleaned in-situ.

I put the removable covers in the machine from time to time, and waft the steam cleaner over the other bits.

I used vanish spray (upholstery and carpet version) on the arms of my sofa recently as they were a bit grubby. Came up well. I did check it on a spot behind the sofa first though.

i do take the covers off to wash them. it says not to put in the machine but I cannot afford to pay someone to come and clean them everytime my kids get them dirty. They go on a "handwash" cycle and come up fine. I was pretty nervous the first though!

What do you do if the covers can't be removed. I've got a spot cleaner but need to do the whole thing.

Covers don't come off mice, so we have throws on them which get bunged in the wash every week. From time to time I sprinkle bicarbonate mixed with ground cloves over the sofa and leave it overnight nbefore hoovering.

Mine, not mice, obviously.

Ours are cream. We take the covers off and pop,in washing machine about monthly or when dog has sneaked on them with muddy paws.