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25 June 2021How to have a clean sofa even with children? Tips for removing stains
Keeping a sofa clean when you have children in the house is a tough job. Which covers should you choose and how can you remove the most common stains? We’ll try to help you out in this article!
New sofas and children – and how living together is possible (with the right tips)
‘How do you clean a sofa?’ It’s always a good question but it becomes even more important if you have children in the house. After all, children love sitting on the sofa, sleeping on it and perhaps even playing on it, while they have a snack, paint with colours or drink milk or a fizzy drink. In short, the danger of getting stains on your sofa is always just around the corner, which is why it is essential to know how to choose the most resistant and child-proof coverings and how to intervene in case of accidents.
Sofas with children in the house: the best stain-proof covers
The first rule for a child-proof sofa is to choose a durable, stain-resistant and if possible water-repellent covering. Let’s take a look in detail at which are the most recommended.
Recommended fabric coverings
Fabric covers are among the most recommended when you have one or more children in your home. In fact, many fabric sofas have a removable cover, which can be washed directly in the washing machine, making it very easy to clean your sofa. When thinking about the type of fabric to choose, we recommend microfibre and alcantara, which are very durable and don’t create any particular problems when cleaning stains.
If you are looking for a good example of a child-proof sofa, we recommend the Toby Wing by Calia Italia. Available with removable covers, this sofa also offers an unprecedented comfort experience for the whole family. Indeed, thanks to its sliding backrests and armrests that allow the seat to be extended considerably, the Toby Wingcan even become an actual day-bed.
Childproof leather and velvet sofas: what you need to know
If you have a beautiful leather sofa in your home, such as the Genius Loci model by Calia Italia, you must be really careful with it. Although they are very resistant to wear and tear (and age beautifully), leather sofas will get ruined if scratched. Moreover, if you get a stain on it you may often require specialised assistance. For this reason, it is a good idea to get yourself a slipcover for when the children are using the sofa or be prepared to immediately clean any sudden stains that might occur. Cleaning velvet sofas can be even more difficult as they must be brushed frequently (to avoid the accumulation of dust mites) and cleaned with natural remedies (such as white vinegar or dish soap).
How to clean the most common stains when you have a child in the house
After seeing which are the best childproof covers for your sofa, let’s take a look at how to remove the most common stains that can happen – even if you are very careful.
- Food stains. To remove food stains from your sofa, start by vacuuming any crumbs and residues with a hoover. Then, if you have a fabric or micro-fibre sofa, you can use white vinegar with methylated spirits to wipe the stain with a sponge (and then dry with a dry cloth). With untreated leather sofas, you can use bicarbonate of soda or a cloth/absorbent paper. For oil stains, use a cloth soaked in a solution of water and neutral soap. Food stains on velvet sofas can be treated with fine salt.
- Stains from fizzy drinks or milk. For fabric upholstery, you can use Marseille soap or a mixture of dishwashing liquid soap and white vinegar – if the specific material allows it (always check the label). To clean stains on a leather sofa, you can use a cloth or absorbent paper soaked in water. Finally, for velvet upholstery, you can try using sparkling water and Marseille soap, taking care not to scrub too hard. You can even try using alcohol and lemon juice.
- Markers and pens. Forink stains, fabric can be treated with a cotton pad soaked in methylated spirits. Alternatively, you can try a solution of one litre of water and two tablespoons of ammonia. Hot water with white vinegar is another option. With leather sofas, however, you can remove biro stains with a soft rubber (such as a bread rubber), taking care not to rub too vigorously so as not to damage the colour. For velvet sofas, you can try using salt, though you must let it work for at least half an hour before removing it.
Stains and coatings: a complete guide
For detailed instructions on how to remove stains from all types of coatings, check out our guides here:
