4 min readWhile cleaning your sofa cushions is important, what you do after cleaning is equally as important. After all, the last thing you want to happen after spending a lot of time, resources, and money cleaning your sofa cushions is to ruin them or reverse all of your hard work. That’s why we turned to cleaning experts for their insights on the biggest mistake you can make once you’re done cleaning your sofa cushions, so you know to avoid it moving forward.
While our experts all agreed on one major mistake you should avoid after cleaning your sofa cushions, they also shared five additional mistakes to avoid—and you’ll be glad you listened.
Keep Your Distance After Cleaning
Even though it may seem obvious or intuitive, our experts note that many people often sit on their sofa cushions too soon after cleaning. Sofia Martinez, a cleaning expert and CEO at Sparkly Maid Austin, explains that many people mistakenly think that a dry cushion surface means that the entire cushion is dry. “Cushion foam holds onto water far longer than the fabric covering it does, so the surface can feel bone dry to the touch while the inside is still fully saturated,” she says.
While this mistake is often unintentional, it can cause major problems for your sofa. “If you put the cushions back too early, and especially if you sit on them too soon, you risk humidity building, which can lead to mildew and odors,” says Michael Silva-Nash, president of Molly Maid. If you do this, your sofa cushions can become dirtier than they were before cleaning, which is not the result you want.
Adam Ziegelman, owner of San Diego County Maid Brigade, notes that, contrary to popular thought, sitting on damp sofa cushions to “squeeze out” water will not help them dry faster. “In reality, body weight compresses the fill, reduces airflow, and can push moisture farther into the cushion,” says Ziegelman.
Kadi Dulude, professional cleaner and owner of Wizard of Homes, adds that wet cushions are also more easily stained, which adds to the importance of allowing your sofa cushions to fully dry before enjoying them again.
4 Other Post-Cleaning Perils to Avoid
In addition to sitting on your sofa cushions too early, our experts also advise not making the following mistakes to keep your sofa in the best shape possible:
Applying Direct Heat
While it might be tempting to take a hair dryer to your freshly cleaned sofa, you really shouldn’t. “Concentrated heat can shrink certain fabrics, warp the fibers, or in some cases actually damage the foam structure itself rather than just drying it,” says Martinez.
If that wasn’t enough to convince you not to put a blow dryer on your cleaned sofa cushions, Dulude also notes that you risk causing the fabric to lose its shape or causing localized damage in certain areas. Even though some sofa covers can be put in the dryer for a faster dry, Silva-Nash notes that air-drying is still the best option to avoid shrinking and damage.
Ignoring Ventilation
Our experts note that overlooking ventilation is another mistake that you’ll never want to make after cleaning your sofa cushions. “If you close the room off or if there isn’t air actively being circulated near the cushions, the drying process will take longer and might not be as successful,” says Silva-Nash.
While having airflow towards the cushions is important, so is having space for it to circulate. “Moisture needs somewhere to go, and a closed room with no airflow just raises the humidity in that space until the air itself is too saturated to pull any more water out of the cushion,” says Martinez. Not to mention that you will likely increase the amount of mold and mildew that develop on your sofa cushions, too.
Skipping Routine Cleaning
Just because your sofa cushions don’t appear dirty doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be cleaned.
“The dirtier you let the cushions get, the more work it will be to clean them later,” says Dulude. “If you wait too long, it may be too late to restore their appearance.”
Consider making sofa cushion cleaning a regular part of your cleaning routine (and stick to it). A physical reminder or a phone notification can help you stay on track and avoid any stubborn sofa cushion stains that won’t budge.
Chemically Treating Cushions While Wet
Even though your intention might be to keep your sofa cushions as clean (and nice-smelling) for as long as possible, Ziegelman notes that you should hold off on chemically treating them until they have completely dried.
“Additional products introduce more moisture and residue just as the cushion is trying to dry,” says Ziegelman. “Some can interact with remaining cleaning solution, alter the fabric’s appearance, or leave a coating that attracts soil.”
He adds that these treatments can also potentially cause discoloration, foul odors, and stickiness when applied to wet sofa cushions.
