How To Protect Your Couch From Stains
Oops! I spilt again
We have all had that unfortunate chill time-ruining incident. You get your dinner or snacks ready as you sit to watch your favourite show. Then boom; you spill everything on the couch and what was a moment of pure bliss turns into a living nightmare.
For as long as a couch is used, such accidents are more or less inevitable. The worst part is that if not addressed promptly and professionally, you might end up with an eyesore of a stain that just ruins the whole aesthetic of your couch. In the sections below, you will learn all you need to about dealing with upholstery stains. That way, whether it is pizza sauce that escaped your bite or your child’s spilt juice box you will know exactly how to deal with the issue.
Why stains are an even bigger problem than you can imagine
More often than not, whenever there is a stain on upholstery it goes ignored for a long time. The most anyone is willing to do is mop some up with paper towels and throw a pillow over it to hide the mess. On the contrary, you should treat it like an actual emergency and have the couch professionally cleaned as soon as possible. Here are 5 reasons why.
- The stain will get harder to remove with time.
- It could compromise the upholstery fabric and cause tears and fabric pulling.
- Some stains turn into faded spots.
- It may attract dust and other particles making the surface dirtier.
- Liquid stains may cause to water damage including mold formation.
How can you protect your upholstery?
Clearly, stains are way worse than just inconvenient eyesores. They can ruin your couch and even put your health at risk. Fortunately, there is a lot that you can do to protect your couch from these consequences. After all, prevention is better than cure, right?
Well, here are 6 simple steps you can take to protect your couch from the more or less inevitable accidents.
- Choose stain-resistant fabric for your couch
Some upholstery fabrics are designed to resist staining and one of the most common options here is polyester. The fibres in these materials do not have pores for dyes to seep into and bind so you do not have to worry about that wine you spilled being a permanent addition to your couch.
- Use pet mats for your furry little buddy
Pets are among the biggest culprits when it comes to staining upholstery fabrics. One way they do this is through their dirty paws. Your furry best friend will go our playing in the dirt and just trudge all that mud and nastiness on their paws and fur right onto your couch.
One of the best ways to deal with this is by investing in pet mats for upholstery and carpets. These are stain resistant units that you can place on whatever surface you want to protect to keep pets from getting the fabric dirty. All you have to do then is train the animal to only sit on surfaces where the mat is and you should be good to go.
- Teach your pet how to go potty
Another way pets contribute to the couch stain load is through toilet accidents. This happens a lot with puppies and kittens before they are properly trained. The solution here is pretty straight forward. Just teach your pet how to use a litter box or get them on a routine and you shouldn’t have to deal with the stinky stains anymore.
- Invest in fabric protectors
Fabric protectors are compounds used to prevent staining on both natural and non-stain-resistant synthetic fibres. One of the most popular options out there is scotch guard and this is perfect if you are trying to protect bright and/or easily stained fabrics. However, it is important to note that upholstery protectors are not a substitute for cleaning so you will still have to get your couch cleaned on a regular basis.
- Get removable upholstery fabric covers
These are meant to go over the entire couch, pouffe or whatever other upholstered pieces of furniture you may have. You can easily get one that matches your décor theme so that you do not completely lose the flow. These are very useful when it comes to preventing stains from things like mud and solid food. However, when it comes to liquids they may not do a lot for you.
- Invest in regular professional upholstery cleaning
Finally, professional cleaning will help you not only manage but also prevent stains. A lot of these stains are as a result of improper care. These include stains from water damage, mold and even accumulated dirt. By regularly having your couch cleaned, you get to prevent these causes from ruining your upholstery. You also get help dealing with existing stains which prevents them from getting worse.
Perks of working with professional cleaners
So why exactly should you go out of your way to work with professional upholstery cleaners? Can’t you just do it yourself and do just a good job?
Yes; you can do it yourself but it is highly unlikely that you will get the same quality of results. In fact, there is a higher chance of you making things worse for your couch and your wallet by turning it into a DIY project. Then there is the fact that you will be missing out on all the awesome benefits of working with professional crews. These include:
- Efficiency and high quality results.
- They have a lot of experience in dealing with different couches.
- They have an understanding of unique upholstery needs.
- You get access to high tech cleaning equipment.
- They offer quick results to you can use your couch again in no time.
- Professionalism is guaranteed.
- They are worth the investment.
Bottom line
Stains on your upholstery don’t have to be permanently there. You just have to take a few steps to protect your couch. The most important of this is investing in professional cleaning. They know exactly what they are doing and will offer you full value for your money. Just take your time identifying the best crew near you and you should be in safe hands.
