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Sofa Lost & Found – What’s hidden inside the average Brit’s sofa?

Whether you call it the couch, sofa, or settee, it’s undeniable that our living room furniture has to go through a lot on a daily basis to keep up with the average UK family.

It’s also widely contested that the sofa is one of the most important and focal pieces of furniture for any home. It plays a key role in setting the mood and atmosphere of every living room and acts as centre stage for many memorable moments in the home.

Due to the sofa taking such a starring role in our everyday lives, it’s inevitable that things are going to be lost over time despite best intentions.With this in mind, we surveyed 2,000 Brits to uncover their sofa discoveries as well as to understand how protective we are of our sofas – delving into the household rules and regulations when it comes to maintaining the most important seats in the house.

So, grab a cuppa (if that’s allowed), take a seat, and put up your feet whilst we get started.

The UK’s sofa trends: what is the most popular colour?

The sofa is undoubtedly the focal point of any living room with it being one the largest and most used pieces of furniture in the home. But when it comes to the most popular colourways and upholstery of our sofas, most Brits like to keep it neutral to help keep it clean.

Grey was voted as the UK’s most popular sofa colour, with just under a quarter (23%) of UK households opting for a grey tone, followed by black (15%), cream (13%), and brown (10%).

On the other hand, many Brits are adopting bolder colour choices in their homes, with blue (6%), red (5%), and green (4%) being the go-to colours. For brave 3% of the population, white is the colour of choice while patterned sofas follow suit with anther 3% of UK households.

When it comes to choosing a sofa colour, many Brits choose practicality over visual appeal. Darker sofas colours such as grey, black, or brown hide dirt and stains much better than lighter toned sofas.

Our results showed that while 62% of Brits chose the colour they most wanted, 12% settled on a different colour because it was more practical. Once more, almost one in ten Brits (9%) valued the sofas appearance over its comfort when choosing it.

When it comes to sofa etiquette, more than one in fie Brits (215) admit to letting their inner Sheldon Copper out by enforcing assigned seats on the sofa. A further 4% of households have sofas dedicated to their kids' or pet use.

How protective are Brits over their sofas?

With so many of us frequently losing items down the back of our sofas, we asked Brits how protective they are over their sofas, including what rules and regulations they enforce to help keep them squeaky clean and damage free.

Many of us are familiar with that feeling that comes with purchasing a brand new piece of furniture or homeware, whether it’s as small as a cushion or throw or as large as a new sofa, we become fiercely protective of our new investment and want it to stay looking brand new for as long as possible.

A further fifth of Brits (19%) have declared their sofas a "fake-tan-free zone" including the banning of any cosmetic makeup. Despite the number of Brits finding pens inside their sofas, 15% have instigated a "no pen" rule when sitting on their sofas.

As we all know, rules can be hard to stick to in the long term, and our data reveals that the average Brit relaxes their stance on the above rules after only six months once the novelty of our new purchase has worn off.

Unsurprisingly, the weak spot when it comes to the sofa rules and regulations is the nation’s beloved pets, pulling at many Brits’ heartstrings as 17% of pet owners abandon the ‘no pet rule’ within the first week of owning a new sofa. A tenth of Brits admitted to going even further and giving up their seat on the sofa to accommodate their pet.

As for how often we should be cleaning our sofas, the general rule of thumb is to remove all the cushions and give it a good vacuum once a week. The reality however is much different with the data showing that almost three quarters of Brits (72%) are leaving it longer than recommended to clean their sofa. Furthermore, 8% of Brits have pulled a Phoebe (of ‘Friends’ fame) and have simply flipped a cushion over to hide a sofa stain – out of sight, out of mind.

One in five Brits (19%) stay on top of sofa maintenance, opting to clean their sofas at least once a month, whilst 4% are leaving it at least a year before delving into the sofa to give it a clean, but most shockingly, almost one in ten (9%) Brits stated they have never cleaned their sofa.

The most common items found inside of Brits’ sofas

Misplaced your purse or wallet? Chances are, it’s probably been claimed by the sofa. With 37% of Brits admitting to finding their purse or wallet wedged in the creases of their sofa. This is followed by just under a third of Brits (30%) discovering pens and a quarter of Brits (25%) finding food down their sofas – hello ink and food stains.

Aside from the somewhat expected items, a few unusual possessions have made it into the top 10, with 3% of Brits having found a passport down the back of their sofa, becoming even more likely for 16-34-year-olds as this number rises to 7%.

A further 2% of Brits have also located a small, furry friend, such as a hamster or gerbil, burrowing inside the warmth of their sofa.

Other notable mentions included a hearing aid, false teeth, a wedding ring, a child’s tooth, a love letter, and even an Encyclopedia Britannica – ouch.

Ever wondered how any of these items are relocated to the depths of the sofa cushions? We asked parents and pet owners if to their knowledge, their respective kids or pets have ever hidden anything down the sofa and these were the findings.

The top items kids have smuggled into the sofa include food that they didn’t want to eat, homework that they didn’t want to complete, and the TV remote control, in the hope this would remove their parents’ ability to turn off their favourite show.

As for the top items our furry friends have hidden in our sofas, the most common include pet treats, food, and bones to save them for later, stuffed toys and balls to keep them in a safe place, and owners possessions including hairbands and slippers.

Are you sitting on a fortune? How much money is lost down Brits’ sofas?

Have you ever pulled back the sofa cushions in the hope of finding some extra loose change? If the answer is no, then perhaps you should.

Our research shows that the average Brit finds £17.03 inside their sofas across its lifetime, with one in ten Brits (10%) finding over £50 in their sofa.

Not all cities in the UK are so lucky however, residents of Edinburgh on average will find £6.50 down the back of their sofas, while Nottingham residents will find £22.75.

Those in Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester, London, and Sheffield on average find the largest amounts of money down the back of their sofas while residents in Edinburgh, Belfast, Plymouth, Liverpool, and Newcastle on average find the least.

When it comes to sofas in other people’s houses such as friends or family members, 16% of Brits admitted they would keep any found money while sitting on the sofa, while 13% would hand it over.

When it comes to bolder colour choices, blue came out on top with 6% of UK households owning a sofa in a shade of blue, followed by red (5%) and green (4%). For a brave 3% of the population, white is the colour of choice and patterned sofas follow suit with another 3% of UK households.

Summary

It’s clear that for many British households the sofa often becomes the dumping ground for many lost items and possessions despite our best intentions. If you think it’s time to give your living room an overhaul with a brand-new sofa, why not check out our own the sofa shop?

For tips and advice on how to care for your sofa, head over to our home and furniture care guides.

Methodology

Next surveyed 2,053 UK adults in January 2023. The overall monetary find costs have been calculated using the average number of monies found per UK city.