5 Things To Consider Before Buying A Velvet Couch

Velvet sofas have a sort of whimsy about them. While they may appear a little out of place in a modern-designed area, they look fantastic in all sorts of other settings, from boho to Victorian. And although they offer an extremely unique and often vintage look to any room, that's not the only thing that makes people long for a velvet couch. According to Castlery, velvet furniture adds warmth to a space. The style of these pieces is timeless, and they're durable and comfortable as well. Though those are all excellent reasons to invest in a velvet couch, it can be an investment.

While velvet sofas are sometimes far more dainty — at least the vintage styles are — they don't have to be. If you take a look at this list from Living Cozy, you can see that there are a plethora of styles out there to choose from. Another thing you may notice is that, for a quality couch, you may be paying anywhere from $1,000 to over $2,000 for this one furniture piece, though there are cheaper options out there. You can find velvet sectionals, even, as seen in the photo above. The big thing, before you make the decision on adding velvet furniture to your home, is to consider the upkeep. Here are some things you should know before you buy.

While velvet is plush and gorgeous, Yorkshire Fabric Shop warns of this fabric's innate ability to attract all of the dust particles in your home. However, this shouldn't be a deal breaker if velvet is a fabric you want in your home — you will just need to offer some extra care to this piece of furniture. Fortunately, it's nothing that won't take more than a few minutes out of your day.

You'll want to consider cleaning your sofa daily to keep that dust content down, especially if anyone in your home has allergies. You can do this by using a soft brush or even your vacuum with a delicate brush attachment. Brushing not only removes surface dust but can also loosen up any that is down in the fibers. It's also gentle enough to not hurt the fabric, even doing a daily brushing (as long as the brush has soft and not stiff bristles).

Steam cleaning your velvet couch is a must, especially if you live in a busy home where things are likely to get spilled on it. Article's director of product development, Zoe Garrod, spoke with Martha Stewart about caring for velvet furniture and told the outlet that "Steaming velvet fabric is a great way to keep it clean and avoid velvet compression." Velvet compression happens when the taller fabric is squished down, making it look like there might be a stain where there isn't one, according to PureWow.

To get rid of velvet compression, Garrod says to "simply steam the creases out with a steamer or the steam setting on your iron, and gently brush in the opposite direction of the pile to release the wrinkles." Keep it on low to avoid scorching the fabric, though. She also mentions that you'll want to spot clean when needed and only use cleaners that are safe for this type of fabric.

Along with the dust that inadvertently finds its way to your velvet couch daily, if you have pets (even if they aren't allowed on the furniture), that pet hair is going to get all over your velvet as well, according to Yorkshire Fabric Shop. This can easily be cleaned in the same way you get rid of the dust. If you find that fur is sticking even when you vacuum, try using a lint roller after you loosen things up with a soft-bristled brush.

Lushes Curtains suggests trying another thing if you're struggling with clingy pet hair — rubber gloves or a rubber brush. These handy items can help attract that stuck-in cat or dog hair and won't hurt your velvet upholstery. You can find rubber brushes in the pet section, used to help get rid of shedding fur right off your pets!

Fading is a potential worry when it comes to velvet couches, but it takes a lot for this to happen. A well-cared-for sofa is going to look as bright and beautiful as the day you bought it for years, as long as it's not exposed to the sun. Unfortunately, according to Yorkshire Fabric Shop, the one thing that is sure to fade your precious velvet is direct sunlight. 

This means that if you want your couch to stay the color it is, you don't want to keep it in a space that is always getting shined on — don't put it in front of windows or keep it on the three- or four-season porch. Instead, keep each couch across from the windows and shut the shades during the brighter parts of the day (which will also help keep your home cooler when it's hot outside).

The more you sit on any couch or chair, the more it is going to start to lose some of that firmness and cushiony feeling. Modern Luxe suggests you fluff your seat cushions regularly to be sure to extend the life and comfort of your velvet couch. You may be able to treat them like a mattress as well by flipping the cushions every month to switch up where each person's butt-print is going.

To fluff those cushions, pull them off the couch and punch them like you do your bed pillows. It's a pretty easy task that you can do any time they seem to look like they need it. Of course, you can also hit them against the edges of your couch to help if punching them isn't doing the job! Either way, it's a chance to get out some aggression and make your couch comfy again.