Care & stains
Furniture care and stains: your furniture, beautiful for years longer
A fine interior deserves good care. How to look after an upholstered or leather sofa — and what to do the moment a stain lands on it. Two questions, one answer: attention at the right moment.
From more than a century of upholstery, leather and restoration work, we know one thing for certain: most damage can be prevented. Not with a miracle product, but with attention — and with knowing what not to do. Below you will find it in two parts: the routine that keeps your sofa, armchair or chair beautiful, and the first aid for the moment something does go wrong. Beneath that are the guides for each material.
Is there a stain on it right now? Go straight to first aid for a stain.
Part 1 · The routine
Everyday care
- Vacuum weekly. With a clean upholstery nozzle, on low suction. Dirt you lift out never wears into the fibre.
- Turn and plump your cushions. Turning and rotating loose seat and back cushions regularly keeps the wear even. Softly filled cushions need plumping more often to hold their shape.
- Keep the sun at a distance. Prolonged direct sunlight fades colour — in fabric and in leather alike. It happens slowly, and it does not come back.
- Not right against the heating. The dry heat of a radiator or fireplace discolours fabric and dries out leather.
- Watch for anything sharp. Buckles, rivets and zips are the most underestimated cause of damage. For a cat that scratches there is no guarantee; the only thing that works is a more attractive alternative.
- Feed leather once or twice a year. Very thinly, with a colourless wax or a neutral cream. More is not needed, and too much does harm.
Part 2 · First aid
There is a stain on it
- Act immediately. A fresh stain is a different task from a dried one — every day counts.
- First lift away whatever is sitting on top. Solid remains carefully with a spoon or the blunt side of a knife; spilled liquid absorbed straight away with a clean, absorbent cloth. Whatever you take out never becomes a stain.
- Blot, never rub. Rubbing works a stain deeper into the fibre; blotting draws it out.
- Read the label. Every material asks for its own approach; the manufacturer’s instructions come first.
- Test somewhere out of sight. Always try a product first on a spot no one sees.
- Keep it mild. No bleach, no chlorine, no all-purpose cleaner, no steam cleaner, no ‘universal’ stain removers — these often make the damage irreversible.
- In doubt? Do not experiment. Acting wrongly usually cannot be undone. Look up the instructions or put it to a craftsman — but do not leave it.
We advise against washing covers yourself. Upholstery fabric is not made for a washing machine: shrinkage and distortion cannot be undone. If a washing instruction is given, follow it to the letter — or put it to us.
Which stain it is determines the approach. For each one — wine, coffee, grease, ink, blood — you will find it in the guides below.
The guides
By material, in depth
Leather · Care
Caring for a leather sofa
Aniline, pigmented, suede or nubuck — each asks for something different. Recognise your leather and care for it properly.
Read the guideLeather · Stains
Removing stains from leather
Protected or open leather makes all the difference. What you can do — and when to keep your hands off.
Read the guideThe guides for upholstered furniture — care and stain removal from upholstery fabric — will follow shortly.
Craftsmanship
When to call in a craftsman
Some fabrics — silk, viscose, aniline, suede, nubuck — are too precious or too delicate to experiment on. A stubborn stain, a much-loved piece ready for repair, or simply doubt: those are the moments to call us. We reupholster, restore and advise — with the same eye for detail with which we design an interior.