Care and Maintenance of your Derwent Sofa
At Derwent we pride ourselves on the quality of our craftsmanship. By choosing one of our products, you too have demonstrated your appreciation of quality upholstery. We are sure that you have made the right choice in selecting Derwent and are confident that your sofa, suite or chair will last long into the future. But to ensure the durability and long lasting comfort of your Derwent upholstery, we would recommend following some care and usage suggestions.
Fabric
General Usage and Care of Fabric Upholstery
To keep your new sofa or suite looking as good as new, for as long as possible, make sure you clean it regularly. Try to vacuum your upholstery at least once a week; pre-brushing it with a soft brush may help dust removal by the vacuum cleaner. If you allow dirt and dust to accumulate, the colours will begin to dull and wear can be accelerated. If you regularly use your furniture, try to turn your reversible cushions every day, switching positions where possible. This will prevent one side getting dirtier or more worn than the other. With a soft, loose, modern suite you should really try to have a daily routine of 'dressing' your furniture, including 'plumping up' all back, arm and seat cushions. Whilst it sounds like a chore, it will help maintain the shape and loft of your upholstery.
When considering the layout of your room, try to position your new upholstered furniture so it doesn't sit in prolonged direct sunlight. Extended exposure to sunshine may result in fabric fading or even rotting. If you have no choice, you can protect your furniture by drawing your curtains or blinds.
Try to protect your sofa from the family as most upholstery damage is the result of (unintentional) abuse by children or pets! Derwent upholstery is designed to be sat on in comfort, so encourage your children to use it for that purpose and not as a platform to show off their gymnastic abilities! Sitting on the edge of cushions or on the arms may cause permanent wear and distortion of the padding and fabric. Sharp edged toys, buckles, jewellery and pets can snag the fabric, so try and keep them apart. If you do get a snag in the fabric carefully cut it off with scissors; under no circumstances pull it!
Specialist Cleaning
With so many varieties of fibre and fabric, each of which require specialist cleaning techniques, it is impossible to instruct you on how best to keep clean your Derwent upholstery. Rather than run the risk of damage, we would recommend that you contact Chem-Dry, the professional upholstery cleaners. You will be able to find your local Chem-Dry operator in the 'carpet and upholstery cleaning section' of the Yellow Pages or by calling Chem-Dry UK on 0800 214545.
The effectiveness of any specialist cleaning treatment will depend on how dirty the upholstery has become. If the dirt becomes too ingrained, it will be harder to remove. Consequently we would advise that you have soiled upholstery cleaned sooner rather than later. But whilst all dry cleanable fabrics pass BS 1006 for colour fastness, it is inevitable that regular dry cleaning will cause a slight colour variation between the removable and fixed sections of the upholstery. Frequent vacuuming and the daily care regime that we outlined earlier should avoid the need for frequent specialist cleaning. But under no circumstances try to wash the fabric in a washing machine or use the dry cleaning machine at your local launderette.
For spots and spills, Chem-Dry Stain Extinguisher is suitable for use on your suite as well as carpets and is available from your local Chem-Dry operator. It's simple to use, is non-toxic and comes ready to use in a spray can. It is suitable for use on any colourfast fabric that can safely be dampened with water. As with all such stain removal products it is advisable to lightly dampen the entire cushion or arm, thus reducing the risk of any water marks appearing. Prompt action on any stain or spillage will always improve the likelihood of success!
There are some special notes to remember...
Viscose Velour - Under no circumstances must water be applied directly to this type of fabric. If in any doubt, seek professional advice.
Zips - Zips are often fitted to assist in the ease of manufacture. The presence of a zip does not necessarily mean that the cover is removable.
Front borders, decorative fringe and valances - these are the most fragile parts of your furniture. To maintain your upholstery's attractive appearance try to avoid damage by pets, vacuum cleaners and sharp objects such as toys, shoe buckles or heels. Should the border, valance or fringe become inadvertently damaged, contact the retailer where you purchased your suite. In most instances, they will be able to arrange for the border or fringe to be repaired or replaced for a charge.
Leather
Working with Leather
Real leather is a natural product. Comfortable and tactile, it breathes, is warm to the touch and is very durable. You will often find characteristics that prove it is natural - healed scars, natural wrinkle lines, vein marks, bites, scratches and scuff marks as well as areas of differing grain texture. These do not weaken the wearing properties of leather; in fact, they are considered to be attractive distinguishing marks of real leather. It is such marks that make real leather hard to imitate. Some or all of these types of natural imperfections may appear on your furniture. Any excessively marked areas will be placed where they will not detract from the appearance of the furniture.
At Derwent, we understand the importance of achieving consistency of colour, grain matching and the value of natural markings inherent to fine upholstery leather. However, due to its individual nature there may be variations in colour tones and grain effect. These variations will depend on the leather type and the intensity of colour. No two leathers are ever alike. When leather is dyed and finished, a natural shade variation may occur due to the varying grain structure in each piece of leather. Several leathers may be used to produce a unique piece for your order; and whilst upholsterers will try to match colours for joined panels this may not always be possible. Consequently colours may vary slightly from the colour sample or the display model.
General Usage and Care of Leather Upholstery
Modern upholstery leather has a soft suppleness that will last throughout the life of the furniture. On softer areas, such as cushions or soft upholstered arms, creases and wrinkles will naturally form and the leather may give a little over time on the seat areas. This is quite normal and gives a soft inviting look that you can only really get with quality leather upholstery.
A lining is used on the underside of leather cushions to allow them to breathe; consequently they are not reversible. But whilst you don't have to turn them, you still need to plump them up regularly to separate the fillings. This allows air in to retain the softness and comfort of the cushions, but some of the initial support will be lost during the first 6 months with slight softening of the foam.
Although your leather furniture will mature and age naturally there are many things that can damage it, all to the detriment of its appearance. Following some of our care tips will help to maintain the natural look and characteristics of quality leather upholstery.
Dust your furniture regularly with a soft cloth. Frequent cleaning will stop the accumulation of dirt and oily grime that may damage the transparent protective coating of the leather. Do not remove the covers. For dirty marks, dampen a cloth with cold clean water and rub gently. For more stubborn stains, soak the cloth first in soapy water. Only use natural soap e.g. Lux flakes, never use detergent and do not rub vigorously as you may remove the finish. A clean dry cloth will soak up most liquids and greasy spills, but again do not rub the leather.
As with fabric suites and sofas, try to protect your leather sofa from the family; most upholstery damage is the result of accidents involving kids or pets! Derwent leather, whilst durable, is designed to be sat on in comfort, so encourage your children to use it for that purpose. Never sit on the arms or the back of a sofa. Any sharp objects like keys, buckles or toys can damage leather, as will the placement of hot mugs or plates on the arms or the seats.
Keep your leather furniture out of direct and prolonged periods of sunlight; also keep them away from heat sources such as radiators or spot lamps. Prolonged exposure may alter the colour and overall appearance of the product. That's why we don't recommend leather sofas for use in conservatories!
Finally do not allow pets to climb up on leather upholstery. As well as the risk of scratching from their claws, the natural oils in their coat may be damaging to the pigment. In the same way, hair products such as hair sprays, oils and gels will affect the protective finish so try to avoid prolonged contact. Regular cleaning is essential to help avoid build up of these products on the surface.
