Cushions are like potatoes. They can never go wrong. You can use them in your home anywhere you wish and the way you wish to. They are small, they are cute and most importantly, they’ve got your back, whenever you need them. On the sofa, on the floor, on your bed and also during the most critical sibling war at your home. And guess what, not just the cushion, your cushion covers can add a lot of character to your home too. They have the power to act as a reflection of your personality just like the other aspects of home décor like the furniture, the paint, the collectibles,accentuating the overall vibe with colours, patterns, textures and shapes. Cushions and cushion covers can also greatly influence the mood in your home. And it is only right that you give the respect and care that your cushions and cushion coversdeserve.

How to care for your cushion covers?

So technically, caring just for the cushion cover is out of question. You’ve got to take care of the cushion too and thus, read the following tips with caution.

• Squish and fluff that cushion

Think of your cushions as your favorite soft toy, give them a squish, fluff them by pushing the edges towards each other. Do this almost every day. This will evenly distribute the cushion filling and help in maintain the cushion’s health in the longer run

• Weekly Vacuum

Vacuuming your cushion every week with an upholstery cleaning attachment, helps to keep your cushion free of the fine dust particles and dirt that seep through your cushion cover and settle down on them

• Wash your cush!

Yes. You can wash your cushions. But before you throw them into that drum, read the care label first. Understand how to go about washing your cushions as most of them come with a care label, with instructions on how to wash the cushions. You may use a mild soap with water to remove stains if any. Most times, dry cleaning does the trick too

• Give the covers a shower

Give those cushion covers a monthly shower. It’s always good to clean those dry and liquid stains that you or your pet must have added to your cushion cover thinking of it as an art canvas. Having spare cushion covers is always a great investment because you never know which of your visitors would ‘spill some tea’. And yes, read the care label before you wash your cushion covers too

• No bleach please!

Not very complex to understand, bleach can and most certainly will damage the texture, fabric and overall appearance of your cushion cover. So kindly keep that bleach out of reach

• Stop and spot

You accidently spilt something on your cushion? Stop everything that you were doing and get down to spot cleaning. Spot cleaning is your cushion and cushion cover’s CPR, Cushion Protection & Resuscitation. So, save your cushion and cushion covers before any of those stains settle down, with spot cleaning

• Store-age!

Like we said earlier, it’s always great to have a separate set of cushion covers that match your home décor. This would help you in rotating your set of cushion covers each time you wash them. Once air dried, store them in a cool and dry place, away from dust and damage, and watch them age well, with you.

Bonus tip

No, this isn’t going to be about cushions or cushion covers. This is about pillows and pillow covers, their close cousins. Are you really so heartless to just care for your cush? What about pill? Remember the times when you secretly cried at night and soaked your pillow covers without letting them dry. They put you to sleep each night. They stand by your side in every pillow fight. They support you in getting your bedroom aesthetic right. You may not feel an emotional attachment towards them, but seeing your cushions and cushion covers getting pampered, your pillows and pillow covers just might. Care for them in the same way too.