Everyone comes across an old sofa or two in their lifetime. Whether it’s a hand-me-down from a parent or relative, or a pickup from an online market or garage sale, an old sofa will live in your home at some point.
Not all old sofas are salvageable, but most can become something new and great again with a little bit of love and care. Discover what to do with your old sofa.
Clean it
The first thing you should do with an old sofa is clean it. People don’t tend to wash their furniture very often, so there may be years’ worth of dirt and oils stuck inside the cushions.
Look for any tags or scour the internet for manufacturer’s instructions on the best method of cleaning the specific couch or fabric you have. If you can’t find any information and you’re certain the fabric isn’t silk or leather, get a handheld shampooer and start cleaning.
Pro Tip: Check to see if the cushion cover comes off by looking for a small zipper before shampooing. If they come off, you can typically machine wash them instead.
Cover or Replace Fading Fabric
If the fabric is ripped or fading, as fabric tends to do over time, you can always cover it up or replace it. Weigh the benefits and disadvantages between reupholstery or slipcovers. Knowing what to choose can be difficult, but there are a few factors that can affect your decision.
- Budget
- Location of the sofa in a home
- How often the sofa is used
- If the home has kids or pets
Lean into its Vintage Style
An old sofa might possess a sort of old-world charm that’s hidden by the tears or fading of the fabric. If you’re not looking to do a full reupholstery or invest in fabrics to cover your old sofa, consider really embracing the vintage style and elements of it.
Leave the fabric as is and drape throw blankets over the most faded parts of the sofa. You can also adorn it with throw pillows for extra comfort and style. Many antique and vintage shops carry blankets and pillows from the same decade or in the same style as your sofa may be.
So, if you find yourself at your wits end unsure of what to do with your old sofa, remember there are many options out there to transform it into a piece you’ll love.