Picture the scene: you’ve finally taken the plunge and forked out for the sofa of your dreams. You get all your friends round to look at it, beaming with pride as they nod approvingly at your purchase. And then, after they leave, you see it. A small, but no doubt accidental, stain, tainting your precious new buy. No amount of strategic cushion placement can erase it from your mind. Ruined.
Dramatic, yes but a scenario that must happen up and down the country in the homes of sofa-buyers. Ghosting messy mates is an option, but let’s face it; your fancy new sofa was bound to rack up a stain at some point. Keep your friendship circle and your sanity intact by buying smart and getting a sofa with an anti-stain finish.
Developments in fabric tech means that a simple spillage no longer means having to throw out your sofa or live forever in the sullied shame. A quick dab with a wet cloth, or wiping down dust with a microfibre cloth is often all it takes to restore it to showroom-levels of new.
We’ve rounded up the nicest looking fabric sofas covered in stain-repellent finishes for your consideration.
From sofa beds to corner designs, shop the best below - and never worry about having that second glass of red on it again.
Best leather sofas for quality and comfort
Best corner and L-shaped sofas for comfort and style
Best coffee tables: Stylish wood and glass models to fit your living room
Best bean bag chairs for spending lazy days in comfort
Best sofa brands UK: stylish and comfortable seats to lounge on
Best loveseats for the bedroom, living room and small spaces
M&S Mia Scatterback 4 Seater Sofa
Gather the whole family for movie night without quietly worrying about drinks spilling or share boxes of chocolate staining. M&S proudly presents its Mia Scatterback four-seater sofa, which has more than enough room for everyone.
Beautifully plump with impressive bounceback (so no need to worry about body grooves either), there are 73 fabric choices available, with textures from classive weave to brushed herringbone and vintage velvet.
All offer stain-defence, which makes it sound like a Government office is involved, but really just means that it’s perfect for busy households with pets and children.
Delivery in eight weeks.
Buy now £1099.00, M&S
Dunelm Salisbury Luxury Velvet Right Hand Corner Sofa
There’s something so decidedly luxe about a green sofa, and this corner model from Dunelm incorporates a chaise too, widening the possibilities for lounging opportunities. It doesn’t just look great, it’s so easy to care for too with a velvet effect fabric that’s made from 100 per cent recycled materials. Care instructions are limited to "wipe clean with a soft cloth" and the company also promises that the pile will not crush, which means you can keep enjoying that brand new feeling for even longer.
Buy now £1679.20, Dunelm
Love Your Home Bloomsbury Sofa
Designed in collaboration with Homes & Gardens magazine, the Bloomsbury sofa is as well-heeled and oozing in elegance as the London area that shares its name. All gentle flowing lines with a hint of midcentury style, the legs are set on castors to make it easier to move around to the optimum position (that's bang in front of the telly, then). It's available in a range of fabric choices, but not all of them are stain-repellent: choose the velvet or linen to guard against accidents and wear and tear, like this option in a searing clementine colour. The perfect statement piece that'll stay looking as lovely as when you first got it.
Buy now £2566.00, Love Your Home
M&S Rochester Button Large 2 Seater Sofa
A stylish option to bring luxury B&B vibes to your bedroom or dining room, this opulent two-seater sofa looks high maintenance but it’s anything but. Play with fabric types, colours and leg finishes to get the ultimate look for you, safe in the knowledge it will stay looking like new thanks to the anti-stain finish. Eight week delivery time.
Buy now £1199.00, M&S
Love Your Home Disraeli - Chesterfield Loveseat
Ideal for homes where space is scarce, a loveseat is the perfect option if you're looking for a comfy perch to stretch out on, or a cosy nook for two. The buttoned back gives it all the classic charm of a Chesterfield but in a range of anti-stain fabrics like velvet and linen. Try the lilac for an easy way to inject a cherry pop of colour into your interiors.
Buy now £1965.00, Love Your Home
Darlings of Chelsea Launceston 3.5 Seater no arm sofa bed
We’ve said it once; we’ll say it ‘til the cows come home. If you’re in the market for a sofa, make it a sofa bed. Even if it doesn’t get opened out often, for the times you do need an extra bed it will prove itself highly useful.
Darlings by Chelsea’s design comes without arms, and the benefits are multifold. The sofa can slide into your existing furniture set up, sandwiched between armchairs or used to extend a corner design. And, it’s more comfortable for tall sleepers who will enjoy the freedom to move without the obstruction of arms.
The Launceston model comes in a range of fabric types with the House Fabric and Chenille falling under the stain resistant category.
Buy now £961.00, Darlings of Chelsea
Swyft Model 06 - 3 seater left corner sofa in pumice
No need to wait endlessly for your brand new sofa to be delivered: sofa-in-a-box brand Swyft lives up to its name and can have it to you in just a few days (or even 24 hours).
No tools are required for construction: instead it comes together through a variety of clever interlocking systems, no tool kit necessary.
Model 06 is the latest design to join the Swyft family and you could argue it’s the most sumptuous of the lot with blissfully deep seats and squishy cushions filled with a mix of feathers and foam for support.
It’s offered in linen and velvet, and while the colours and textures may vary, the one thing they all share is stain resistant technology. It shields your sofa from the effects of everything, from a blurry wine-and-cheese night with your pals to melted chocolate from your little one’s teatime treat. Wipe the offending stain with a damp cloth and it’ll be like it never happened.
Buy now £3400.00, Swyft
Snug The Small Biggie Daybed
Fine you caught us: this isn’t strictly a sofa, but who cares when you’ve got this much legroom to luxuriate on? Another no-tool assembly design, this daybed is so plush you can practically hear angels playing on harps as you lounge - it really is that heavenly. It comes in a range of longwearing, spill-proof fabrics with vegan seat pillows that lift up to reveal ample storage for pillows, bedding and throws underneath.
As for the spill resistancy, one customer whose child heaved up their mango/peanut butter snack on the seat found they came up clean with nothing more than water and a cloth: “my gorgeous Snug is now as good as new. It is really living up to its stain resistant/easy clean promise.” Really, you can’t say fairer than that.
Buy now £2539.00, Snug
