Sofa Stress

Sunlight

• Sunlight causes fading of upholstered sofas. Furniture placed in front of windows develops faded spots in the exposed areas. Avoid setting the sofa directly in front of a window. If you must place the sofa near a window, flip the cushions weekly to slow down fading. Hang a blanket over the back of the sofa if the back faces the window to protect it from sun fade. Some fabrics resist sun stress and fading. Look for those with colorfast upholstery if you plan to place the sofa in direct sunlight.

Dirt and Soil

• Sofas become soiled through normal use. Cleaning depends on the material. Leather upholstery wipes clean with a damp cloth, while fabric upholstered sofas have differing cleaning requirements depending on the material. Treating the sofa with a stain-resistant protector minimizes staining and simplifies cleaning. Stain protectors require periodic reapplication. Blot up stains as soon as they occur, before they can soak deeply into the cushions. Clean the remaining stain using the method indicated on the sofa's fabric care label.

Upholstery Damage

• Torn fabric and missing buttons ruin the look of the sofa. Minor tears are sometimes fixable with an upholstery needle and thread. Upholstery needles are curved so you can sew easily against the frame of the sofa. These needles also work well for sewing buttons back on. Avoid stress on the fabric by keeping shoes and sharp objects away from the sofa. Stress and tearing sometimes occurs around cushion zippers or around the edges of armrests. Inspect the zippers regularly and repair as soon as they appear to weaken. Use armrest covers to keep this fabric from wearing out prematurely. Leather requires special repair kits or a professional to fix punctures and tears.

Sagging

• Sagging can indicate a major problem with the structure of a sofa, such as a broken or weakened frame, or damaged springs. Don't stand or jump on sofas to minimize the stress on the frame. If your sofa has removable cushions, flip and rotate them regularly so they all receive equal wear. Choose well-built sofas with sturdy wood or metal frames. Cheap materials are more prone to break and sag.