Care Guides

You’ve spent precious time carefully selecting and investing in high-quality furniture – caring for them properly will make sure they look good for years to come. Use our detailed care guides to find out exactly how to maintain your new furniture. Each guide includes essential care and useful advice for fabrics like marble, wood and leather.

How to care for wood

Solid wood furniture looks great in every room of the house, in particular the dining room where there is a real nostalgic appeal to gathering around a real wood table. Wooden furniture looks great, ages beautifully and, if you look after it, lasts forever.

Common wood types

Oak: Oak furniture when new and unstained will naturally appear quite light, with a slightly yellowed hue. All woods however can have significant colour variation, from one piece to another, as with any natural product.
Ash: Ash behaves in all respects nearly identically to oak, the main difference is ash has a slight narrower grain. Again, as with oak, Ash will darken over time. In all other respects Ash will behave in much the same way as oak.

General wood care

Finish: Unless otherwise specified, Furnish Bliss wood furniture is usually finished in a durable clear matt lacquer. This provides an easy to care for durable finish that doesn't compromise the natural beauty of the wood grain. Some of our wood furniture has an oiled finish - please see oiled wood care guide below.

Care: Solid woods, which are used in the making of Furnish Bliss furniture, may expand and shrink with differences in temperature and humidity. Take care not place your furniture next to radiators or anywhere subject to any excessive changes in temperature or moisture content. We recommend that all kitchenware and beverages should be placed on mats and any spillages should be wiped up immediately.

Cleaning: To clean the wood finish, wipe with a damp cloth and buff with a dry cloth. In the event of more stubborn marks, a solution of mild detergent should be used on the cloth. Silicone based polishes should not be used on the wood as they will build up and leave a sticky residue on the surface.

Oiled wood care

Finish: Unless otherwise specified, Furnish Bliss wood furniture is usually finished in a durable clear matt lacquer. This provides an easy to care for durable finish that doesn't compromise the natural beauty of the wood grain. Some of our wood furniture has an oiled finish - please see oiled wood care guide below.

Care: Solid woods, which are used in the making of Furnish Bliss furniture, may expand and shrink with differences in temperature and humidity. Take care not place your furniture next to radiators or anywhere subject to any excessive changes in temperature or moisture content. We recommend that all kitchenware and beverages should be placed on mats and any spillages should be wiped up immediately.

Cleaning: To clean the wood finish, wipe with a damp cloth and buff with a dry cloth. In the event of more stubborn marks, a solution of mild detergent should be used on the cloth. Silicone based polishes should not be used on the wood as they will build up and leave a sticky residue on the surface.

Caring For Leather

Whether it’s a traditional setting, opulent interior or modern space, the diversity of leather fits right in. A hardwearing choice of upholstery, caring for your leather furniture is fuss free.

Our guide to caring for leather

Sumptuously soft yet highly durable, leather hides provide a smooth finish to furniture. Even with minimal care, leather’s durable properties mean it will often last a lifetime. However, there are a few things to look out for to ensure your leather sofa stays as good as new. Read our guide to caring for your leather sofa.

  • General Care

    Leather is incredibly durable and can last a lifetime with minimal care, but there are a few tips and tricks to keeping your piece of furniture as fresh as the day it arrived. We suggest incorporating it into your weekly cleaning routine with a few simple steps:

    Keep the surface free of dirt and grit, which can have an abrasive effect. Regular dusting with a soft lint-free cloth is all that is usually required. To get into the tighter areas, you can use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment.

    For a more thorough clean, use a damp cloth to gently wipe your sofa. Be careful not to soak the leather and use distilled water if possible to prevent damage from the chlorine in tap water. Never use detergent.

    Leave your sofa to dry naturally and avoid sitting on it until it is fully dry. This will prevent creases or looseness of material developing.

    Try to use a specialised leather care kit once a month to treat and cleanse your leather sofa.

    Leather furniture should not be placed in direct sunlight or in very warm areas, i.e. next to radiators.

    If more severely soiled we recommend you consult a specialist leather upholstery cleaner who can carry out simple refurbishment treatments in the home.

  • How to prevent your leather sofa from peeling

    Real leather upholstery won’t peel over time under normal conditions. If your sofa begins to peel or crack on the surface, it is likely your sofa has been upholstered in bonded leather. If damage is minimal, buy a leather repair kit to minimise the effect but if in doubt consult a specialist leather upholstery cleaner.

    What is bonded leather?

    Bonded leather is made from the left-over pieces of hide which are blended together and applied to a man-made material to form one seamless piece of leather material. Once formed, it is often very hard to tell the difference between bonded leather and natural leather. However, the big difference lies in their durability – bonded leather is much more likely to peel and crack without very much use whilst natural leather should never peel.

    Never be fooled into buying a sofa that has been upholstered in bonded leather. All Furnish Bliss leather sofas are upholstered in 100% natural leather, ensuring their durability and finish for years to come.

Looking After Your Sofa

Buying a sofa is like falling in love - find the right one and you'll be together for life. To help your sofa to continue to look it's best, use our upholstery care guide for hints and tips.

Looking after your sofa

At Furnish Bliss, expert craftsmanship, superior materials and exquisite design come together to create sofas that last a lifetime. Discover how to look after yours so it looks its best for years to come with our expert upholstery guide. 

Sustainable style 

As one of the most-used pieces of furniture in your home, from relaxing to entertaining and sleeping, our sofas are designed to stand the test of time. Here, we reveal expert tips and tricks to caring for yours to ensure it remains the focal point of your living space.   

  • General Care

    Our craftspeople build to the highest standards of durability, comfort and safety with all Furnish Bliss furniture complying with current regulations on flammability.

    Unless otherwise stated Furnish Bliss upholstery is designed for general domestic use only.

    All cushions, whether foam, fibre or feather filled, should be plumped up regularly, especially fibre or feather filled. Plumping is vital to best maintain upholstery on an ongoing basis, to help retain softness, comfort and appearance. Where cushions are reversible they should be turned regularly to prolong the life of both filling and fabric. Leather cushions may not be reversible as it is sometimes necessary to use fabric on the reverse to allow the cushions to breathe. Occasionally it may be necessary to undo the zip and slide your arm inside to re-adjust the edges of cushion in relation to the piping on the cushion cover during use.

    We do not advise placing upholstery in your home where it might receive prolonged exposure to sunlight, as this can cause fabric to fade.

    If you have pets then bear in mind that claws can be particularly damaging to upholstered furniture – as can any kind of sharp object.

  • Fabric Care

    Use a vacuum cleaner or soft brush to remove surface dust on a weekly basis. Non-removable covers should not be washed or dry-cleaned.

    We do not recommend the use of spirit cleaner to remove spots and stains. If however, you choose to spot clean please be careful to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

    We recommend that furniture with non-removable covers should be fully cleaned once a year by a specialist cleaning company. It may be possible to wash or dry clean removable covers in accordance with the manufacturers cleaning instructions label. However Furnish Bliss would recommend that all upholstery cleaning be carried out in situ even for removable covers. This will give a better-finished result.

    Some marks can be removed using a cloth moistened with mild soapy water-but never detergent.

Velvet Care Guide

Beautifully soft and sumptuous, it’s easy to see why velvet is a popular choice for interiors and upholstery. Read our guide to choosing and caring for this luxurious material.

Our guide to choosing and caring for velvet

Despite its beauty, velvet is often plagued by the misconception of being high maintenance. While it’s not be the most hard-wearing of fabrics, velvet isn’t all that delicate and can last for decades if properly cared for.

What’s more, different types of velvets have different properties meaning some are a better choice for upholstery whilst others are more suited to decorative accents such as cushions or throws.

  • Is velvet a good fabric for a sofa?

    Velvet is a great choice for sofa upholstery – its richness of colour and soft texture make it undeniably stylish. It’s important, however, to choose a velvet that will suit your needs.

    If your sofa only sees occasional use, you can opt for cotton or cotton blend velvets that are durable but have a lustrous pile as well.

    If you are considering investing in a family corner unit that will see a lot of use, for example, we recommend choosing a 100% polyester velvet. These still retain the soft feel of velvet but tend to be more resistant to stains and spills. The delicate fibres are also less likely to become crushed or displaced over time.

  • How to care for velvet

    General Care

    To get the most out of your velvet sofa or accessories, we recommend incorporating it into your cleaning routine. We suggest gently vacuuming with a special upholstery attachment or using a soft hand brush once a week. This will remove any dust or fuzz that has formed on the surface of the fabric and prevent displacement of the pile over time. If you don’t have an attachment, place a pair of tights over the nozzle – this will work just as well. When vacuuming or brushing, make sure you are doing so in the direction of the pile.

    Spillages

    If you spill something on your velvet sofa or cushion, DO NOT attempt to clean it with water or rub it with a cloth. Liquids can stain velvet easily and rubbing may force the spill deeper into the fibres. Simply blot the surface with a dry, highly absorbent cloth, taking care to avoid rubbing or putting pressure on the fabric.

    Once you’ve blotted the surface, simply air dry the fabric or use a hairdryer without heat at a safe distance to lightly dry the area.

    If your spill is more severe, we recommend taking the fabric to a dry cleaner. Research a dry cleaner with expert knowledge of velvet to ensure it is returned in its best condition.

    Maintaining Sheen

    Over time, a velvet’s pile is likely to move and experience wear due to its delicate weave. If possible, you can try using a steamer on the reverse side to fluff up the fibres. Then gently brush in the direction of the pile.