After months of drooling over that brand new couch on the sales floor, it has finally made its way home to your living room. Congratulations – you worked hard to be able to afford that big purchase; now's the time to enjoy it! Except for some reason you can't – instead of elation, you are filled with anxiety.
Just the mere thought of having small children or careless guests on or anywhere near your new sofa can cause you to break into a cold sweat. While you could protect your investment by wrapping it in bubble wrap or plastic, it's not going to be all that comfortable or pleasing to the eye. In fact, your friends and family will probably think you're acting a little loony – and who can blame them?
Forget that nonsense; who can blame you for wanting to keep your new purchase in tip-top condition? Let's be real – a stain is a huge pain. Unfortunately, potential couch catastrophe could happen at any given time, which is why it's important to identify any threats to keep them at bay.
Here are 6 ways you can ruin your new sofa.
Red Wine
Red red wine, it will make you feel so fine – that is until you or a guest spills the ruby red liquid on your brand new beige fabric sofa. It's situations like this where you'll be kicking yourself if you failed to protect your big purchase with Scotch Guard.
Pets
Go ahead and let Fido jump up on the couch with muddy paws; it's only dirt, right? And scratching post, what scratching post? Just let Felix sharpen her claws on your expensive new Italian leather sofa. You also won't need to worry about keeping warm on those cold nights when your couch is filled with fur. If the perils of pet-related disasters don't appeal to you, protect your couch as soon as you bring it home and consider training your four-legged friends to sit on their own designated lounge area. Nowadays you can find all kinds of pet beds, even couches for them to relax on. Scratching tape is also a must for claw-happy kitties.
Small Children
Little kids love couches– especially if they can turn them into a fort, trampoline or canvas for their mucky fingerprints. Even older children and teens can be pretty careless when it comes to couch surfing. If your child or one who is visiting your home is headed for your new furniture addition, make sure you lay the ground rules down first to avoid any mayhem and mess.
Direct Sunlight
Just because you love basking in the sunshine and turning your skin into leather doesn't mean your couch enjoys it as much - even if it already is made of leather. Direct sunlight can cause your new leather couch to fade and crack. Unless you want your new purchase to look like the lady from 'There's Something About Mary,' you're advised to choose a safer spot in your abode.
Sharp Objects
Scissors, knives, protruding keys out of your pocket - pretty much anything that can rip or tear your new couch are a huge threat. Unless you want a good, hard look at your couches' stuffing, it's best to keep these dangerous objects out of harm's way.
Smoking
Forget what cigarette smoking will do to your looks and your health – just one little fallen ash can destroy your beloved sofa.If burn marks or small holes don't concern you, a potential house fire might motivate you to butt-out.
As you can tell, there is no shortage of ways to ruin your brand new couch... the list goes on and on and -– you get the picture? While you can't foresee every possible threat, you can take measures now to protect your investment before it's too late. The last thing you want is to have your beautiful purchase become an eyesore or a donation to the dump.