The couch cops a lot. You flop on it after a swim, your dog dries off on it, and that Tuesday night spaghetti somehow left a small tomato crime scene. Stuff piles up, quietly and fast. Before long, the cushions start giving off a weird smell, and you’re not sure if that’s from last month’s barbecue or wet sneakers from the kids. Check this out!

If your home’s more “Netflix and crumbs” than “look but don’t touch,” once a year is a decent baseline for a full clean. But that’s not gospel. Some people barely sit in the living room. If your space is more display than daily use, you might stretch the gap to 18 months. That’s assuming no pets, no toddlers, and no rogue bowls of cereal.

Now, if you’ve got a dog that believes the armrest is theirs, or a cat that’s turned the back cushion into a scratching post, all bets are off. Fur gets into the weirdest places. Smells linger. A six-month cycle is safer. More if your pet’s a repeat offender.

Add kids into the picture, and things escalate. Sticky hands, rogue banana smudges, juice surprise in the seams—suddenly, the couch tells a whole story you didn’t ask for. Three to four times a year won’t feel like overkill.

Then there’s allergies. The silent sofa snipers: dust, pollen, pet dander. You breathe them in without knowing. If someone in the house gets sneezy, clean more often. Every few months isn’t excessive. It’s just smart breathing insurance.

In between the deep cleans, don’t go on autopilot. Vacuum the seats. Flip the cushions before they develop that one squished, sad spot. And if something spills, attack it like it’s an emergency. Because it kind of is.

No strict calendar needed. Look at your life. If it’s chaotic, messy, joyful, and full of beach sand, clean more. If it’s calm and low-traffic, you can wait. Just don’t ignore the couch. It holds your whole story—might as well keep it from smelling like it.

Carpet Cleaners North Shore
119 Fiddens Wharf Rd, Killara NSW 2071
(02) 8310 7640