If you’ve ever been furniture shopping, you might know that you can take samples of upholstery fabric you’re considering home with you before you make a final decision on whether to buy. Much like you would with paint samples from a hardware store, these swatches can better help you envision how your new chair or couch might look in your space. But they have another use, too: They can help you tackle future stains. Here’s why you should stock up on samples before you buy that new couch.
You can test stain-removal capabilities
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Next time you’re shopping for a new couch—especially one that is marketed as being “stain-resistant”—request some fabric samples from the retailer, take them home, and stain them on purpose to see which ones would be easiest to clean. Soil them on purpose with chocolate, fruit juice, dirt, or red wine. Next, try to get those stains out. (Here’s a guide for removing chocolate, here’s a tip for red wine, and here’s a list of the hardest-to-clean fabrics and how to treat them.)
Any fabrics that give you struggles should be disregarded for their couch-covering potential, especially if you have kids or host a lot of parties or holiday dinners in your home.
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You can patch test
You should also keep some fabric samples for your existing upholstery on hand somewhere in the house. (If you can’t get samples, cut some fabric from a hidden part of the couch or chair, such as the dust flaps on the back side.) When your cushions become overly dirty or stained, replicate the stain to the best of your ability on your scrap or swatch and then practice removing it using whatever methods you think are appropriate.
Like with new skin care products or hair dye, it’s best to patch test before going all in on the real thing so you can avoid making big, permanent mistakes in the middle of your couch.