It’s no secret that over the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all developed an extra close relationship with our sofa. Never have we spent so much time at home before. Not just over a cold winter, but pretty much through summer and then another winter!

However much we love our sofa and enjoy chilling, reading and laying around on it – we must keep it clean and germ-free.

It’s probably the most used piece of furniture in our homes and not being able to get a professional cleaner means that it’s crucial to know how to sanitise it ourselves. It will keep us safer and will block any possible contagious bacteria from attacking any family members.

As time passes, the pandemic appears to be getting under control, but in the meantime, read on to discover the steps you need to take to keep your sofa clean despite COVID-19.

Getting started with sofa cleaning for COVID

Being able to get down to where any germs might be lurking is your first step. Get the vacuum cleaner going and vacuum that sofa all over. Make sure you do it behind and under the cushions too. Remove the vacuum accessory on the end of the pipe so that you have a smaller one suitable for vacuuming effectively along the seams.

Cleaning corner Sofas for COVID-19

It’s vital that you also start with vacuuming the corner sofa. Removing dust, crumbs, and whatever else is lurking is essential so that germs are then exposed to be sanitised.

Cleaning Fabric Sofas

Once you’ve vacuumed your fabric sofa, then you might want to use a sanitiser. If you’re able to get hold of a Lysol sanitising spray, you can use this. Lysol can also be applied to other surfaces in your home, such as curtains, mattresses and carpets.

Otherwise, you may wish to source a UV Light Sanitiser from a store such as Amazon.

Cleaning Leather Sofas

Although Lysol spray might work for you, there is also a homemade solution that is very effective for cleaning leather sofas.

Add one cup of white vinegar to one cup of hot water. Fill a spray bottle and shake it. Then mist your leather sofa with it, and you will be killing all the covid 19 germs.

Recliner sofas and cupholders

A place that can harbour germs is the cupholders on recliner sofas. It’s essential to pay attention to that area. You can clean it with a microfibre cloth that has been dunked into the solution and wrung out. Afterwards, wipe the area with a dry cloth.

You can also dip a cloth into the solution and squeeze out the excess so that the loth is relatively dry. Now rub the cloth along where fingers or hands touch the reclining mechanism handle or controller. Now wipe the mechanism with a dry cloth.

How to remove stains

Most sofas will accrue some form of stain over time, with it being even more likely if you have children in the home. You can treat these stains successfully with stain remover products.

Besides, adding a teaspoon of vinegar to baking soda, washing up liquid, and warm water will formulate a very effective stain remover. To use this, apply it to the stains and allow it to dry for 10 minutes. When it’s dry, wipe it with a clean towel, and then the stain will have gone.

How to protect your leather sofa

Protecting your leather sofa against stains can keep it clean and durable. We recommend using a ‘leather protection cream’ to do this.

We think you’ll agree that’s there’s nothing nicer than a freshly cleaned home. Simple habits can help to keep us safe in this time of the pandemic. We also recommend airing out the room and allowing the sunshine in to freshen it.

Now you’ve got the skills of a professional cleaner and can sanitise your sofa against Covid 19.Congratulations!

No matter your style, there are so many ways to decorate any living room with a Grey Sofa. 

Grey sofas have been all the rage for a while, and being in the furnishings industry, we can let you know that’s not going to change any time soon. 

We’ve heard from some of our customers that they have wondered which colours they should pick for decorating their living room when they have a Grey Sofa. With this being the case, we thought we’d better share some of what we’ve learned about which colour schemes look best with grey so that you have some decorating ideas for your home. 

Some people feel that they can only go with various shades of grey wallpaper and carpet, but that’s certainly not true - a grey sofa opens all kinds of doors when it comes to colour. You can be very bold with colour, or if that’s not for you, you can go with something far more muted, such as white or dusty pink.

Discover what colours go with grey sofa

Please sit back and get comfortable as we delve into the world of all the different colours that look fabulous with a grey sofa, right here on this page. A Grey Sofa may sound like it could even be a boring piece of furnishing, but believe us, that is far from the truth! 

But before we get started, here are some ways that you can add the colours that we’re going to share with you. Here’s how to introduce other colours to the room whilst retaining your sofa as the focal point: 

• Repaint or wallpaper the living room walls, or repaint just one wall as a feature wall
• Use scatter cushions
• Add a cosy throw
• Roll out an area rug
• Repaint furniture 

A grey sofa can be so complementary to rooms with most colours; you’d be surprised. We’ve added a few images to give you some inspiration. However, if you really want to do serious research, you might want to browse our favourite sites to decorate ideas – Instagram and Pinterest. While you’re there, we invite you to follow us for all the latest furniture deals.

So let’s get started. Keep in mind that your grey sofa should last for you years – particularly if you sourced it from us as it’s well made and durable. It’s a solid investment and can be used as the foundational statement piece to change the room to suit. This is a piece that will be the centre of attention in your room as you alter the colours and adapt the environment to showcase your sofa.  

Now it’s time to delve into the different colours that go well with a grey sofa. 

• Royal blue

 There’s nothing like royal blue with grey. It’s got an air of sophistication about it. Pair your grey sofa with a painted wall, throw cushions and a rug with blue in it. It looks classy and cosy, and you’ll get top marks on your excellent taste in colour. 

• Teal

Adding teal accents to a room with a grey sofa gives a living room that glam and modern look. Friends and family will look to you for your design advice if you get this right. 

• Dusty Pink

If the feminine is your thing, team grey with dusty pink to get a warm and inviting look. Add a few matching accessories to bring out the warmth.  

• Orange 

If you’re a fan of bold colours, something is so compelling about orange cushions on a grey sofa. The contrast is explosive and memorable. You can work out from the pillows by adding other accent pieces. This is going to look particularly good in an office environment or a more contemporary home.

• Lime green

Throw on a few scatter cushions and add a few accents to the room, and lime with your grey sofa will be a natural winning combination. Clean and fresh, lime goes very well with grey. 

• White

White and grey is a gorgeous combination reminiscent of Scandinavia, and it’s going to look good in any room. This is a colour scheme that you can use as the foundation and build up by adding other colours over time.

• Bright red

 Bright red with grey is a classic. Add a little texture with a few different fabrics and accessories, and you’ll be creating a room with a fabulous colour design that is cosy and warm.

Bonus living room ideas for a grey sofa 

It’s not just the colours that we’ve shown you in the images, but many more go very well with grey. For example, how about gold, yellow, hunter green, mint and a blend of pastel colours. We using a colour wheel to check whether what you choose will work or check the colour palettes available on Pinterest. Some genuinely fabulous combinations such as grey, pink and teal can be used to transform your living room into something special. 

Follow us on social media to get all the latest special offers and more about colours that go with other ideas on styling your living room with a grey sofa.

At Sofas & Beds we can always answer the famous question '' What colours go with grey sofa?''

Considerations in deciding which sofa is for you

Who can put a price on comfort?

If you've had a long day on your feet, then the answer to that is nobody.

Sofas offer the ultimate in comfort, but are the tastes of the nation-changing? At one time, leather sofas were 'it'. Everybody wanted to make their design statement with the epitome of style – the leather sofa.

Now with a vast collection of fabric sofa options on the market, it seems that many are opting for what they may consider to be more of a cosy style.

Of course, both leather and fabric have their pros and cons. However, some people are opting for cloth due to the broader range of choices available. Leathers typically come in block colours as they aren't easy to dye without pushing the price up substantially.

Let's look at some of the reasons why fabric sofas are more suited to their lifestyle and home.

When it comes to selecting a sofa, the first vital consideration is to ask yourself how you will use it. Of course, we each have our preferences when it comes to style too. Seeing as a well-made sofa can last for years, it's essential to ensure you pick the right one; ideally, one that is good quality will support you and stay the course.

Before we look at the benefits of fabric over leather, let's just run through some basic questions that any sofa buyer should ask themselves before committing.

How Will You Use Your Sofa?

Determining how you are likely to use your sofa will help with ensuring you get the right one through the door.

• Are you going to use it for watching tv in the evenings, along with maybe some occasional reading, welcoming guests to your home and general relaxing?
• Consider the person who will be using it. Do you need a sofa that will make it easier for somebody to get up, for example, with some strong arms to provide support?

What shape sofa is right for you?

Now that you know how you're going to use your sofa, it's vital to decide which shape you should get.

• If your primary driver is relaxed, you might want something profound and luxurious with plenty of cushions and pillows. Maybe a rolled arm sofa or a reclining option is the right choice for getting relaxed.
• Choosing something like a camel-back style is not so comfortable if you're more of a lounger; it's better suited to a more formal setting such as an accountant's waiting room where a person needs to stay alert.
• Sectionals or corner sofas can be great for lounging, and they can come in reclining models so you can get laid back.

What size sofa?

The size of your room typically guides the size of your sofa.

• No sofa should be so large that it stops the flow of traffic. Be sure to measure where it will go before you make your purchase. Some people like to lay down pieces of newspaper in the same shape and size as the sofa's profile to check how much space it will need.
• If you have a particularly large room, a sectional will likely work well.

Choosing the Fabric

Sorrento Black Leather Recliner Sofa Set - Part of our Leather Sofas Collection

Now we are getting down to the nitty-gritty.

 Although some fabrics are gorgeous and visually stunning, they are typically not designed to be long-lasting such as silk. If you are keen to get silk, then a sofa like this would need to be placed in a room where it's not going to get a lot of use.

High-quality fabric that is textured can hide wear and tear better than smooth materials.

Leather is useful if you are looking for something durable. So is the latest advanced fabric, which has a look and feels of leather – leathaire or air leather as it's known.

Choosing the Colors or Patterns

If you've already decorated your room and aren't willing to make a change, then you'll need to consider which colours and patterns you already have there. Keep these points in mind as you make your selection.

Neutrals will work with a lot of room; in particular, they forgive in small spaces. You can always add pillows and throws to it to give it more colour.

Using a patterned fabric can work well with hiding stains or marks.

If you want to make a bold and sassy statement, go with intense colour. Sofas that have simple lines look best with bolder colours.

Chingford Textured Fabric Corner Sofa- Part of our Fabric Sofas Collection

How to judge the quality

The way to judge a sofa is to know how it's put together.

• The best quality sofas have a sturdy frame that is designed for resilience.
• When you sit down, the cushion should still be somewhat firm.
• The frame should not be felt through the padding.

There's no doubt that sofa shopping can be very time consuming and somewhat confusing. In a sense, it's a little like floor shopping. Have you ever walked into a shop and had to walk out again as the choice was just overwhelming? Well, that's a bit like sofa shopping.

If you're drawn to fabric and leather, then you may want to consider what you'll get from each one. For example, how long will it last, what does it need regarding care, how it looks, and how comfortable it will be. Finally, what's the financial cost?

Consider that you'll be using that sofa pretty much every day for years, so be sure to choose the right one. If you're using it for your rented properties, then you need to consider comfort and whether it's going to stand up to heavy use from your tenants.

Spending time thinking about how your new sofa will fit into your life won't be wasted.

How comfortable fabric sofas are isn't just down to the fabric itself but the frame and design of the couch. Many believe that fabric sofas are more comfortable and cosy than leather sofas. For example, the material can be warmer in the winter and won't make you feel hot and sticky in the summer, like a car seat.

When it comes to caring, you may be able to remove the covers and wash them or even replace them with a spare set – one for summer and one for winter. Fabric doesn't get scratched like leather can.

Fabric typically gives you more bang for your buck than you get with leather.

Some people prefer leather as it's more rigid, more substantial looking and therefore likely to be more durable than the fabric sofa. It can also be hypoallergenic for those who don't do well with dust. It won't harbor dust mites, pet dander or other allergens.

 So the final decision is yours: what’s better, leather or fabric sofas? As you probably figured out by now, there is no one definite winner. It all depends on personal preference! That's why we have chosen a collection of fabric and leather sofas to pick what suits you the most.