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Sofa 'wear and care' should come hand in hand.

You will have taken great care to choose the design of your sofas, and will probably have based the colour scheme of the sitting room around it. If you have children you know that it will be subject to a lot of wear and care, and also, that, despite being asked not to family members will eat and drink whilst sitting on it, and, for this reason, it’s a good idea to be armed with the correct cleaning procedures should anything be spilled on it

For leather upholstery, light spills and splashes may respond to a damp cloth; other, deeper spills, may need different solutions. The best thing to try first is some warm water, to which has been added a little detergent such as washing-up liquid. Test the solution on an inconspicuous area first and, even if it seems to be effective without causing damage, proceed with care. For more persistent stains, your furniture supplier will be able to recommend a proprietary cleaner; this will be formulated in such a way as to be effective but not damaging to the leather itself. If even this doesn’t solve the problem, your supplier will be able to recommend a specialist leather-cleaning service. If in any doubt, seek professional advice before trying anything.

Sofas are made from a vast range of different materials and fabrics. Some have machine-washable, removable covers; in such cases, it is a simple matter of removing the covers, washing them by hand or machine (depending on the instructions) and, when they are dry placing back on the sofa frame. This is the easiest option of all and may well influence those who are about to buy a new sofa.

Upholstery fabrics vary a great deal. Some of the heavier materials may need specialist cleaning; others can easily be cleaned easily at home.

For light spills on a fabric sofa, make up a spot-cleaning solution with water and mild detergent. If the stain is fresh, try blotting it first to remove the excess fluid. Do not rub the fabric; simply dab with a blotting motion, using a clean, dry, white cloth. Next, take a cloth that has been soaked in the solution, wring it almost dry and, again, dab the stain gently.

Deeper stains, especially those that occurred some time ago and appear ‘set’, will need a more robust solution. There are solvent cleaners available from furniture retailers, as well as some supermarkets. Although made specifically for the purpose, it is still essential to proceed with care; read the instructions carefully, use the product in a well-ventilated room to keep harmful fumes at bay and again, test on a small unseen area first.

Solvent cleaners can be used to spot clean and for larger areas. In such cases, it is essential to take care; dab gently, work from the outside of the stain inwards, to avoid spreading it, and use clean white cloths for every stage. The last thing you want to do is make a cream sofa look even worse because you have used a coloured cloth on it.

Taking care of your sofa, and using the right techniques for cleaning it, will ensure that it lasts a lifetime.