Wouldn’t it be great if we could just go out and buy a new sofa as soon as they become worn? Truth is, in reality that is simply not an option for most because sofas do not come cheap. So what can we do instead, to revive our old grubby sofas?Here are some hints and tips to help! Take cover!Let’s begin with the cheapest and easiest option, simply do what most people do and go out and buy some lovely throw-over’s for your sofa, it’s cheap, it does the trick and it doesn’t take much effort to do.The only downside to this is that they do become rather annoying after a while when you find yourself forever straightening them out, because let’s face it, throws never stay where they are supposed to do they? They may look nice, but are not very practical and after a while people tend to give up on this idea, but, if it’s a short term plan you are after, go for it!If you are willing to spend a little more, your other option would be to get your sofa measured for a tailor made fitted cover, these tend to stay in place as they are made to slot directly over your sofa but they do cost considerably more than your regular throw. What is great about these slip covers is that you can choose any design and fabric you like and most are machine washable so this may be a the cheaper option for changing the look of your sofa without having to buy new. Get scrubbing!You could have a go at cleaning your sofa yourself and this could make a remarkable difference to appearance of it. Start by unzipping all the covers which can be removed and wash these in the washing machine, but, good luck putting them back on as this is by no means easy and certainly not as easy as getting them off, that’s for sure. However if you can do this, you will get a better result by washing the covers in the washing machine. Tip/ be aware not to break the zips when putting the covers back on, get a second helping hand to help squash those sponge pads back in, as they are usually quite tight. Once you are left with a shell, you can start to see clearly how much work this sofa requires. If stains are particularly bad or have been there for some time, it’s probably better to use upholstery cleaner because it is more effective for cleaning fabrics and stubborn stains. Leave the fabric cleaning solution on the sofas for at least 30 minutes, prior to cleaning, as this will work its magic alone and will reduce the amount of scrubbing time that follows. Next roll up those sleeves and get those muscles working, depending on the condition of the sofa this is going to be rather tiresome and long or it could be a quick job, if you are lucky! Scrub in circular motions paying particular attention to those more needy areas, use a light bristle brush and a scouring sponge. Finally rinse as much detergent off as you can, dry as much moisture as you can and allow to air dry afterwards.Pro clean your way to success! If all that seems like a little too much effort, then you could always go for this option instead. Why not hire professional upholstery cleaners to come and clean your sofa, it’s not that expensive and it’s certainly a lot cheaper than buying new, also domestic cleaning companies are more than likely going to give the most impressive results, as they are trained and specialised at doing this.