Frequently asked questions

Please see below for answers to our most frequently asked questions regarding the care of your Lorfords furniture.
If you do not see an answer to your question please give us a call on 01666 318953 and we would be happy to help.

CUSHIONS

My seat cushion isn’t sitting well, it seems too big and overhangs the front of the seat. Is there anything I can do?

If your sofa or chair has a fixed feather and down back cushion, it is important to place the seat cushion in correctly to allow it to sit flat and flush. The seat cushion needs to be inserted underneath the back cushion. Firstly, locate the front of the cushion along the front edge (and the ears located around the arm if applicable). Then, whilst maintaining this position, pull the back of the cushion up, then push it down under the back cushion all the way to the back. Some adjustment may be needed, if the front border isn’t sitting straight, push or pull the cushion, either on the top, or adjust underneath on the bottom of the cushion until it sits flat, and the border straight along the front edge.

How do I keep my feather and down cushions perfectly soft and fluffy?

All feather and down cushions require plumping from time to time to ensure that they stay soft and luxurious for years to come. To plump your cushions, firstly remove them from your chair or sofa. Vigorously hit the cushion from all sides to redistribute the filing, and introduce air. Be sure to move all compacted feather areas back into the centre of the cushion. To ensure the feather is evenly distributed, smooth out the cushion top and adjust the filling further if there’s any lumpy areas. We would recommend plumping your seat cushions at least once a week if you are regularly using them.

How do I keep my fixed cushions soft and perky?

If your sofa features fixed back cushions, they will occasionally need plumping. You may notice them looking flat or feeling less soft than they once were. This is exactly the same principle as plumping a seat cushion, but with a lighter touch. Firmly pat the sides and bottom of the cushion to move the feather back into the middle of the cushion, paying more attention to the bottom of the cushion, as this is where feathers will settle and compact the most. Hit up from the bottom to move the feather into the centre and top of the cushion, this will also introduce air, which revives the soft feather and down feeling.

FABRIC CARE

The patterning on my seat cushion seems not to match the pattern on the back or seat. Why is this?

Please do be aware that we will pattern match fabrics as much as possible, so if your cushions don’t seem to matchup to the pattern on your sofa, do try them every which way until the pattern lines up perfectly.

The skirt on my sofa is wrinkled, is there anything I can do to make it drape more smoothly?

If your piece has a skirt, there may be some small creases in it when it arrives at your home as we need to wrap everything securely to avoid damage during transit.
Some fabrics, such as linen are much more prone to wrinkling than others. These creases will always flatten out over time with the weight of the fabric pulling them down. If you want to try to soften the creases immediately, you may try lightly steaming the fabric. This is also a great way to refresh skirts that might not be hanging just right.

My velvet sofa has marks on it, what should i do?

Velvet is highly prone to marking, some more easily than others. Cotton velvets tend to mark very easily, whereas mixed fibre velvets can be incredibly robust. Marking is most often due to pressure from an object sitting on the fabric and pushing the nap in the wrong direction. Try to avoid placing heavy or sharp edged objects onto a velvet surface to reduce the chance of pressure marks.
You may try to remove pressure marks in a number of ways, but this does present an element of risk. It’s best to check with your fabric supplier for the best way to treat pressure marks as different fabric compositions act differently.

Can I wash my cushion covers?

Any cushion covers can be removed and dry cleaned, but we would caution against machine washing. The vigor and detergents associated with machine washing are not good for upholstery fabrics which are heavy and sometimes loosely woven. Handwashing with a detergent for wool or delicate fabrics is best for fabric that is noted as washable. Line dry covers completely before they are put back onto your furniture. Damp covers risk mold or mildew forming.

CLEANING AND STAIN REMOVAL

How should I clean my furniture to keep it looking fresh?

The best way to clean your furniture is using dry methods. It’s best to check with your fabric supplier however, as some delicate fabrics may be easily damaged. Many fabrics can be gently brushed with a clean soft bristled brush, or carefully vacuumed.

What’s the best way to remove any stains on my furniture?

It is difficult to remove stains on upholstered furniture without leaving marks, as any liquid is prone to leaving water marks, and many upholstery cleaning products contain bleach or other chemicals which may remove dyes in fabrics. Many stains require special treatment, the best option is to contact a professional furniture cleaning company for advice.

What’s the best way to remove any stains on my furniture?

CASTORS / TIMBER

Are there any special precautions that need to be taken with solid brass castors?

Our hand cast castors can be used to move furniture on smooth ground, but can be damaged if put under excessive stress. For this reason, we would not recommend rolling on castors as a means of moving any of our furniture, all pieces should be lifted into place. This is especially true for larger sofas.

How should I maintain a nice finish on the timber legs?

A good beeswax may be used to revive the finish and give more luster to the timber legs of our furniture. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s application directions.
If the timber finish on the legs of your furniture gets damaged or deeply marked, please contact us for advice.

GENERAL

Will sunlight damage my furniture?

Direct sunlight will most definitely fade fabric colouring, but won’t do any lasting damage to the furniture itself. If you are concerned about the sun fading your fabric, think about installing window treatments to control the amount of sunlight, or if possible move your sofa to a shadier spot.

What’s the best type of fabric to use for upholstery?

When choosing a covering fabric we would recommended something fairly thick and heavy, anything above 15,000 on the Martindale scale is appropriate for upholstery. Generally, the heavier and higher rub count a fabric is, the longer it will last. Linens and wools are some of our favourite fabrics to work with, these look excellent on most types of furniture. We have written a guide to upholstery fabrics on the notes section of our website, because there are numerous considerations.

I’m concerned that my sofa will get stained and need recovering quickly as I have dogs and children, are there any fabrics that are more durable or stain repellant?

We would not recommend using a covering fabric that has had a stain repellant treatment as these often contain nasty chemicals. A great solution if you have a slightly more messy household is to invest in loose covers, these can be easily removed for drycleaning if they get soiled or stained, and you could even get more than one set to freshen up your design scheme from time to time. We can make a loose cover out of almost any upholstery fabric, just make sure the fabric is washable. Check the Martindale rub count to get an idea of durability, anything above 30,000 is considered heavy duty and will be very long lasting. It might be wise to steer clear of velvet if you’re concerned about fabric damage.