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How to stop sofa covers from slipping

At Plumbs, we’re experts at keeping sofa covers in place. However, we know that not all sofa covers are as sturdy as ours, and, as such, have a nasty habit of bunching, sliding, and looking worn. 

If this sounds like you, then don’t worry – we’re here to lend a hand. Take a look at our top tips for keeping slip covers in place and get that “fresh from the workshop” look in no time.

For sofa cushions

To help you keep your slipcovers in place, we’ve found two impressive hacks that will keep your favourite spot looking good as new.

The sticky tape trick

What you need:

  • High-quality velcro

How to do the 'sticky tape trick':

Step 1: Remove your sofa cover from its cushion (if it isn’t already) and fasten velcro to the slipcover. If your fabric is thin and prone to slipping, add several pieces of velcro in the middle, as well as the edges (if you have thick fabric, you may only need to add just one strip in the middle).

Step 2: You now need to line the arms, back and bottom of the sofa (the three areas most prone to slipping) with a few lines of velcro.

Step 3: Place the slipcover onto the sofa – if you’ve added velcro along the edges it should slot into place fairly easily.

TOP TIP: When it comes to removing the velcro, simply pull it away from the fabric. High-quality velcro shouldn’t leave harmful residue (although you may want to check the packaging before you purchase, just in case). 

White non-slip sofa covers (1)

For the rest of the sofa

To cover the rest of your sofa, you will need to work with a larger piece of material which, as you may have discovered already, can be quite fiddly to work with. But don’t worry – we’ve found two useful hacks which tighten up sofa covers in a jiffy.

The wooden spoon trick

What you need:

  • A wooden spoon

How to do the 'wooden spoon trick':

Step 1: Hang the material over your sofa and push excess fabric at the arms and along the back so that the seams align with the sofa’s structure.

Step 2: Next, you’ll want to grab a wooden spoon and press the bunched fabric as deep into the creases as possible (a wooden spoon is ideal for this as the fabric won’t pull out with the spoon). Similarly, you can smooth out the middle sections using the back of the spoon, before pushing the edges into the creases.

Step 3: Finally, tighten the drawstring around the base of your sofa to secure the entire cover in place. Easy!

TOP TIP: Try to adjust the material by hand, only using the wooden spoon to smooth and push into hard-to-reach places.

Floral sofa with anti-slip sofa covers (1)

The magazine trick

What you need:

  • A handful of old magazines
  • Elastic bands/hair bobble

How to do the 'magazine trick':

Step 1: Follow Step 1 from the “wooden spoon trick”.

Step 2: Next, roll up several old magazines (don’t use newspapers - the ink will mark your fabric) and tie them into a tube with elastic bands or a hair bobble.

Step 3: Press the tied magazines into the creases to adjust the fabric into place (the rolling action is ideal as it won’t stretch the fabric).

Step 4: Keep pressing the tube down until the seams line up and are tightly secured (remember, the tighter the tuck, the less likely it is to slip).

Now you know how to keep your sofa covers from slipping, you can do away with furniture fury. Take a look at our sofa covers and reupholstery options to see how you can freshen up your favourite sofa.

Sophie Page
Sophie Page

Sophie is a great granddaughter of the founders of the business - so fabrics and furniture are almost part of her DNA! Her interests include home interiors and upcycling, and her favourite show to watch after work is The Repair Shop. Some of the topics she covers on the Plumbs blog include sofa reupholstery and furniture protection.

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UK-wide service
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Over 800 fabrics
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