Are white couches a bad idea?

Today we look at the most common reasons that people have told us they would never consider getting a white sofa…and lay all their demons to rest. Plus we touch on how FibreGuard's high-performance upholstery is the best choice for people buying white couches and living seating.

White upholstery isn't a risky choice

You're probably asking yourself: “Let's face it: white couches are pretty, but are they practical?” We disagree that you need to compromise on interior décor style just because your family now includes a dog or a toddler or both.

If you want a white sofa, get one! Just upholster it with love and care.

White couches deserve a much-needed PR boost. They’ve been treated unfairly everywhere online, from articles with headlines like ‘The Ugly Truth About Owning a White Couch’ to people being downright unkind about them on Twitter.

Not only do white couches endure unfair discrimination as a whole, it gets worse: if they are made from fabric it seems like there’s nothing they can ever do right.

Say it with us: white couches are aesthetically delicious, and they can be practical too. I deserve a white couch. Everyone does.

Dear readers, FibreGuard will not stand for it. There are so many things to love about white couches! Especially fabric ones! Here are three reasons:

1. They can add a mischievous boho touch to any space, or they can even be formal if you want them to be.
2. They go with everything.
3. They brighten up your living space.

Related read: What fabrics are best for when you have a dog?

A white couch can make a room brighter

Interior designers know that sometimes the tried and trusted ways are best, and that white really is the best solution to brighten a dark room. White sends light bouncing around your living room, reflecting onto hard surfaces and amplified in mirrors, making the space appear to be much larger than it is.

FibreGuard upholstery is the easily cleanable answer that your white couch needs

A lot of people think that white fabric is only suitable for showhouses because it requires a lot of cleaning and maintenance to stay clean. Of course, build-up of accidental spills, watermarks, or upholstery stains are really unappealing over time.

However! We've designed our collections to answer this concern. Our upholstery fabric is so high performance that it’s actually still easily cleanable if the stain has set in.

All accidental stains can be removed using only water, but should you have a tougher stain, a small amount of standard, white, household soap, can be used. Keep in mind that immediate stain removal will ensure the best result. Related read: How to clean a fabric sofa at home

White upholstery: what about when you have children and pets?

Cleanability is a major concern when it comes to the main living space in a busy home. We understand – we have busy homes too!

Low maintenance, stylish living in busy spaces is the driving concept behind FibreGuard fabric. To us, it doesn’t matter if those spaces are residential or commercial. It doesn’t even matter if they’re on land or at sea, indoors or outdoors. What matters to us is that our upholstery fabrics are easy to clean: especially our white fabric on your white sofa.

Extra tips on how to keep a light coloured couch clean

Our performance fabrics have simple, no-bleach cleaing instructions. Here are our other top tips to maintaining your white couch, regardless of whether you're using FibreGuard upholstery or not:

1. Prevent stains from happening as much as possible during the normal course of your days. This can be pretty simple: got a dog who comes in with mucky paws? Don't let them on the couch. Got a toddler? Don't leave them to their own devices with crayons.
2. Vaccuum your sofa regularly. Vacuum-clean your sofas frequently to prevent dirt and dust from settling or creating a build-up. Find more: Cleaning hacks and FibreGuard fabrics: your questions answered
3. Act quickly. If you do spill something on your sofa, act immediately.

Fading and discolouration: (preventable) enemies of beautiful white upholstery

At FibreGuard, we deeply understand that fabrics that fade in sunlight coming through the windows, or turn yellow as time goes by, ruin the entire look of a living room. Scary! This is why you need to find white upholstery fabric that's durable enough to resist pilling, wear, and abrasion. Look for a fabric that is light-resistant too, so that it can hold on to its original colour for years.

Ideally it will also keep its original dimension, aspect, stability, colour, and beauty, wash after wash. Find, well, we’re biased here, but FibreGuard fabrics tick all these boxes so: find FibreGuard.