4 Good Habits to Care for Your Couch Cushions

Like all the fabrics present in a house, couch cushions and throw rugs, which are elements that perfect the decor and provide comfort and warmth to a space, have to be cared for. Traditional cleaning, steam cleaning, as well as good regular habits – here are our tips to not give up and take care of your sofa cushions for a healthy interior.

1. Wash each couch cushion three to four times per year

Because couch cushions are elements that are victims of numerous daily adventures, it’s your duty to clean and care for them regularly. Indeed, they’re subjected to sweat, perfume, hair, splashes, spills, and many other things every day. To preserve their beauty and freshness and to make sure that they’re always comfortable and hygienic, they should be completely cleaned at least three to four times per year.

2. Dust and air out your cushions regularly

Regularly, and ideally once a day if you have a little time, consider dusting and airing out your couch cushions. To do this, you can tap your cushions against each other for a few seconds, only outside your house or by a window, to liberate them from the dust accumulated on them, to get rid of this, and to air them out to refresh them. In the winter, you can also use this method to remove some microbes, which don’t appreciate the sudden coldness.

3. Repel pests and eliminate bad smells

To repel pests such as dust mites or any other small creatures, you can spray a mixture of hot water, essential oil of lavender, and mint leaves on your couch cushions. This mixture also lets you obtain a mild and pleasant spring fragrance in your living room, on the edges of your sofa.

4. Choose the right cleaning method according to the type of fabric

• In the washing machine: Generally speaking, for the fabric and cover of your couch cushion and for the cushion itself, it’s appropriate to use the washing machine to wash it. Simple to carry out but also highly effective for a good cleaning, the washing machine – programmed on the delicate cycle only – lets you clean the cushion covers and the cushions themselves without damaging them. To preserve the plump shape of your cushions, the trick is to put one or two tennis balls in the drum of the washing machine. After the cleaning cycle, dry the couch cushions in the sun and open air, and above all, don’t put them in the dryer, or they’ll be dry, but in very poor condition.
• With a steam cleaner: For the most fragile and delicate fabrics, such as feather-filled cushions, machine washing should be avoided; instead, you can carry out a steam cleaning using a professional steam cleaner. Steam cleaners allow for an impeccable cleaning of fragile materials, respect the delicate household linens, don’t cause any damage, and clean fast.

To choose the right cleaning method, you should in all cases read the label on each of your cushions to choose the best possible form of cleaning. If you don’t have a steam cleaner but need to use one to care for your couch cushions, rely on a professional cleaning company for a spring cleaning, for example, and breathe new life into your fabrics and your interior.