In a holiday let rented by the week, the sofa sees far more people than one in a family home: suncream, damp swimwear, a spilt glass, a suitcase put down on the seat. It wears faster, and it’s often what guests look at in the listing photos. A cover doesn’t make it invulnerable: it takes the knocks instead, and it can be washed between stays.
What a holiday let needs from a cover
- comes off and goes back on quickly, on changeover day;
- goes in the washing machine and dries without ironing;
- gives you time to react to a spilt glass;
- still looks good in the listing photos, season after season.
Which fabric to choose
Water-repellent jacquard is a natural choice for a holiday let. Liquids bead on the surface: a spilt glass can be blotted before it soaks in, as long as you act fast, because a forgotten puddle will eventually go through. It’s machine washable at 30°C.
The EasyCover™ Waterproof cover goes further: its surface is sealed, and liquids stay on top even when they’re forgotten. It’s fitted in flat pieces on the seat, back and arms, and its non-slip underside grips the furniture. It’s the most suitable for properties that welcome children or pets. It’s machine washable at 30°C too.
→ EasyCover Waterproof Sofa Cover
Stretch covers offer the widest choice of colours, wash at 30°C and fit in two minutes: a good choice if you change the cover after every stay.
Velvet, very soft, is less suited to a holiday let: it holds on to marks and pet hair. Faux leather wipes clean with a sponge but can’t go in the washing machine: keep it for the dining chairs.
Have a spare cover ready
The real time-saver is having two covers per sofa. On changeover day, you take off the one that’s been used and put on the clean one: the sofa is ready for the next guests, and the first one can be washed and air dried without any rush. Choose both in the same colour, so the listing photos stay accurate.
Same idea for cushions: cushion covers are sold singly, and on orders of £85 or more you get two free cushion covers, as well as free delivery.
A click-clack sofa bed for extra sleeping space
Many holiday lets rely on a click-clack or fold-out sofa bed to sleep two more people. Its cover is cut to fit it: short at the sides, open at the back, it follows the sofa bed as it opens. If the mechanism still moves freely with the cover on, guests can unfold the bed without removing it; if not, it comes off in a few seconds. Either way, use a sheet: the cover protects the furniture, it doesn’t replace bedding.
→ Click-clack and fold-out sofa bed covers
The changeover-day routine
- Take the cover off and shake it outside: sand and crumbs come off before washing.
- Treat visible stains by blotting, without rubbing.
- Machine wash at 30°C, without fabric conditioner; air dry, never in the tumble dryer, which wears out the stretch in the fabric.
- Put on the spare cover: about two minutes, no tools.
- Put the first one away once it’s dry: it’s ready for the next changeover.
Stain-by-stain tips are in our guide everyday stains, and washing details in how to care for and wash your sofa cover.
A throw for the most exposed seat
On the seat facing the TV or near the patio door, a throw laid over the cover adds a layer that washes separately. It comes off in a second for the listing photos.
Kitting out one or more properties
Measure each sofa from one arm to the other following its shape, arms included: the method is in our guide how to measure your sofa. A corner sofa takes one cover per section. If you’re kitting out several properties, email a photo of each sofa to contact@thesofacoverhouse.com: we’ll tell you which size to choose for each one. You have 30 days from delivery to change your mind; return postage is at your own cost.
