There’s a huge focus at the minute on sustainability in the fashion industry and discussions of how you can make your wardrobe last longer, however, we’re here to discuss what you can do to make your soft furnishings last too! When you invest in things for your home, you want them to last for years and also to remain in great condition, which you can achieve with our tips. When we’re talking about soft furnishings, we’re referring to your cushions, rugs, linens, blankets, bed throws, anything fabric basically when it comes to your homewear!
Buy Good Quality
The first thing you should bear in mind when it comes to choosing soft furnishings that will last for your home is to make sure you buy good quality. Whilst it does require investment, over the course of its lifetime, you will likely not spend anymore than you would have if you had to buy cheaper pieces a few times over because they easily got damaged. If you’re just starting out with home renovation, rather than buying everything cheap, we’d recommend starting with a room at a time and gradually buying better quality pieces that fit into your budget. This is an example of conscious consumption and will help the planet and your bank balance over time. This way, your home furnishings will look better and last longer, it’s a win-win!
Timeless
Whilst we’re on the topic of actually buying your soft furnishings, of course a great way to keep them looking wonderful in your home for a long time is to choose timeless pieces. Rather than following trends, focus on choosing pieces for your home that you absolutely love and you know you will appreciate for years to come. These are the pieces that are worth spending more on, such as cushion covers that are just effortlessly stylish or a more expensive rug that has been in style for years and years.
Hand Wash
When it comes to refreshing your soft furnishings, the best thing to do is hand wash them. Washing machines can be quite harsh on soft furnishings and can affect even the best quality materials. So, when it’s time to wash your soft furnishings, use a mixture of gentle detergent and warm water. For smaller items like cushion covers you can do this in the sink, for others like rugs or large blankets, you might need to do this in your bath. Wash really well and you can also leave to soak for a little while if needed, then rinse really well and allow to dry. Ideally, you do this on a warm day and dry them outside so that there aren’t any slightly damp smells left behind. This will help you to refresh your soft furnishings without damaging them in any way!
Reduce Exposure To Sunlight
If your soft furnishings are regularly exposed to sunlight, some materials can discolour over time, so this is important to note. This may not be noticeable short term, but it can quite significantly change things over time. So, when the weather is sunny, perhaps make sure that you close your blinds or curtains just to provide that bit of extra protection. You can get some window dressings like types of blinds that allow light into the room without the intense rays of the sun, so this could also be something to consider if you have a lot of expensive soft furnishings in your home as you get the best of both worlds!
Consider Fabric Shields
For most people, particularly those with children and pets, it’s impossible to prevent any kind of spill or messy mark on our soft furnishings. So, one option is to look into fabric shields, which are sprays that you can apply to your soft furnishings and if something is spilt, it helps to repel it and prevent it from absorbing into the material and staining. You do need to be careful with these sprays as they won’t be right to use on every soft furnishing, however, when it comes to your sofa and cushions where spills and stains seem to occur the most, it can be transformative.
