Are You Vacuuming Your Couch Enough? Here's How Often You Really Should

Couches and sofas are the center stage of all living rooms. Apart from being the main aesthetic of the decor, the couch is also the workhorse of your house. From kids bouncing on them to pets snuggling up (and even you taking an occasional nap), these comfy creatures seem indispensable for everyone around them. But couches can easily be some of the most ignored pieces of furniture in your house, as well. Given the amount of work they do, how often do they get some love back? If you think an occasional swipe of your vacuum keeps them clean, you are mistaken. Ideally, you should be vacuuming your couch at least once a week. Skimping on these weekly cleaning sessions can result in quicker degradation of the couch's fabric and more expenses later on. 

Vacuuming your couch once a week is not just recommended from an aesthetic point of view, but also for maintaining good health and hygiene. This is because couches may be secretly attracting dust mites to your living space. In fact, since dust mites like hanging out in dark, warm, and moist environments, the crevices and upholstery of your couch make the perfect habitat for them. Furthermore, the enormous amount of dead skin cells and debris accumulated in the couch ensures that these mites have a constant food source available. These mites can cause allergies and reactions, such as runny nose, watery eyes, wheezing, and coughing. Vacuuming once a week helps reduce these problems.

While weekly sessions are the norm, vacuuming frequency also depends on the type of couch you have. Leather couches are usually better at repelling dirt and don't allow dust and debris to accumulate on their surfaces, so you may not need to vacuum them as religiously. Leather is also among sofa materials that are easiest to clean. A quick wipe with a damp cloth often does the trick in keeping them clean. Fabric couches, on the other hand, can be quite different. It is very easy for dirt and stains to get meshed up in their upholstery, so they'll need at least weekly vacuuming. 

Vacuuming regularly is even more important if you have pets in your house. Pets, particularly those that shed a lot, can introduce elements like pet dander and airborne allergens into your house. Giving your couch a deep suction vacuum every week or so helps in getting rid of them.

With regular vacuuming, another crucial thing to keep in mind is the type of vacuum you use, especially for the air quality of your house during the cleaning process. Using a vacuum with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters is important, as it traps nearly 99.7% of all particles present on your couch. This keeps the indoor particulate matter levels in check. When cleaning your upholstered furniture, make sure you use a soft-brush attachment that is delicate on the upholstery. Do not forget to vacuum the crevices as well as the area between the cushions. In fact, it is a good idea to vacuum under the cushions and the base of the couch as well.