Fixing the covers every time you leave the couch can be very annoying.
Couch covers are a good and cost-effective way to refurbish old seats or protect them from spills, dirt, and pet hair.
However, sometimes the cover slides or moves around, leaving the couch, sofa, or armrest looking untidy. To keep your couch and space comfy yet well-kept, we have listed five tricks to help you.
The tricks we have provided in this article are simple DIY ideas that you can do easily at home. You don’t have to use all the tricks. Just go with the ones that will work best to keep the slipcover in place.
6 Simple Tricks to Keep Couch Covers in Place
There are several easy and effective ways to keep couch covers in place and stop slipping. Some of the best ways to keep couch covers in place are as follows:
- Foam Inserts
- Non-Skid Rug Padding
- Slipcover Straps
- Upholstery Clear Head Twist Pins
- Cardboard Tubes/Magazine/Rubber Non-Adhesive Shelf Liner
- Slipcover Tuck Grips or Sofa Tuckers
1. Foam Inserts
Some seat covers come with foam inserts, which you place in the crack between the arm of the sofa or the back and the seating cushion.
You simply stuff the form insert deep into the crack and it will ensure the cover stays in place quite well.
If you don’t have the foam inserts, you can try these MO&SU slipcover foam strips which come in a set of 30 strips.
2. Non-Skid Rug Padding
It is hard for slipcovers to stay in place on leather seats because they are quite slippery.
But in our previous review, we researched and found this couch covers for leather seats are guaranteed to stay put without sliding.
However, if you already have slipcovers that keep sliding, you may need to place non-skid padding on the cushions similar to what is used under a rug. This will help to hold the covers in place and prevent them from moving around.
3. Slipcover Straps
Some brands include slipcover straps in the package. Check to see whether yours come with the straps if not you may need to purchase the straps such as this sofa slipcover holder.
The straps are usually elastic and adjustable and hold the seat covers at the back and underneath the couch to keep them in place.
See also: Best color restoration balm for leather furniture
4. Upholstery Clear Head Twist Pins
Upholstery twist pins such as this Dritz Home Twist Pins are small with a clear head. They are strong enough to hold the slipcovers on a couch, sofa, or armchair.
Despite being twisted, these pins are very easy to fix by applying little pressure to ensure they are well secured.
You can use them on bed skirts or any other baggy upholstery that you would like to fit perfectly and stay in place.
5. Cardboard Tubes/Magazine/Rubber Non-Adhesive Shelf Liner
Anything that is rolled into a tube such as a cardboard or a rubber non-adhesive shelf liner can be used to hold the seat covers in place.
You can also use a magazine or newspaper. Simply roll it up and use duct tape or masking tape to hold it into a tube. Push the rolled magazine tube between the back and the cushions and sides of the couch as indicated earlier and the cover will stay in place.
6. Slipcover Tuck Grips Or Sofa Tuckers
The slipcover strips are also known as sofa tuckers and work similarly to the foam inserts except that they are made of PVC.
They help to easily secure seat covers or any other furniture covers in place and prevent them from slipping. This reduces loose folds and messy wrinkles that make the seats look untidy.
The slipcover tuckers come in different shapes and sizes and in a set such as the Great Bay Home Sofa Tuckers, which are made of flexible PVC and come in a set of 5 or 15 strips.
5 Best Slipcover Grips To Make Covers Fit Better
1. IMPRESA Sofa Slipcover Tucks
These tuck grips are designed to ensure couch covers stay in place in most sofas and armchairs.
They are particularly great for pet owners and people with children to help keep the sofa neat and tidy.
The tucks come in a set of 3 long pieces measuring 13 inches and extra 4 strips measuring 7 inches. So in a pack, you get 7 slipcover grips to ensure a heavy-duty tight grip for all your covers.
2. WYBB Stretch Sofa Slipcover Tucker Grips
These are foam strips that are designed to be inserted into the gap between the cushion and the arm or the back of the couch to hold the cover in place.
They come in a pack of 7 or 14 sofa tuckers and cab be used on any size of the loveseat, sofa, recliner, or chair.
In addition, the strips are long-lasting and can be reused several times.
3. SureFit Tuck Tight For Chair And Recliner Covers
These slipcover tuck grips are made from 100% PVC and are a perfect solution for chairs, sofas, and recliners.
They are also great for keeping covers in place on leather furniture.
Each pack contains 3 tuck grips measuring 8 inches long so you can slide two on each arm and one at the back for better support.
4. Tuck Grips
These sofa cover grips are designed to fit snugly between the sofa or couch cushions and hold the slipcovers in place.
They come in a set of 3 with two clear strips measuring 18.11 inches and one measuring 23.62 inches long.
Since the cover grips are made of PVC, they are very flexible and can hold couch covers securely in place without slipping or shifting.
5. Trenton Gifts Slipcover Tuck Grips
These are flexible PVC sofa grips that help to keep furniture covers in place.
They are 5 in a pack with 3 long strips and two short ones so you can use them with multiple covers.
Simply insert them between the seat cushions and enjoy sitting on your sofa without the covers slipping or getting wrinkles.
See also: Best couch cushion support
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To fit a slipcover on the couch, place it in the center, glide it over the arms and back of the sofa, and tuck in the extra cloth on the back by folding it into pleats.
You can use a spoon to erase the creases to ensure a smooth finish. You can keep smoothing it out using the spoon until you are happy with how the cover fits.
2. How to fit a sofa cover?
Measure your sofa accurately first, and open up the slipcover. You can identify the cover using a tag attached to it. Ensure that the cover is proper.
Please start at the upper corner on one side and place the cover on it. Next, cover the backside of the sofa. After that, pull the sofa over each arm.
Finally, tuck the cover in the frame and pull the cloth tightly over it. Smooth out any creases that show.
3. How to keep sofa covers in place on leather?
You can use grip strips to secure the cover from slipping off on leather. You can also use other solutions, such as batting foam with similar dimensions.
Some couch covers also have a sticky coat that fixes themselves on the couch.
4. How to fix the sofa cover from slipping?
A foolproof way to ensure that your sofa cover does not slip is to create one on your own.
If that is not possible, you can use other methods such as elastic straps, inserts, or adhesive slipcovers to secure your sofa cover.
5. How to keep recliner covers in place?
Since recliners move more than a sofa and are differently made, there are some steps you can take to keep your recliner covers in place.
You can use sofa tuckers, slipcover strips, and upholstery attachments. You can also try putting non-slip padding on the cushions so they can hold the slipcovers well.
Conclusion
The above six tricks to keep couch covers in place are very simple. You don’t have to change your couch covers because they keep sliding.
You can use anything that can be rolled into a tube such as a newspaper or a magazine. Alternatively, specially made foam inserts or sofa tuckers also work perfectly.
For covers to stay in place on leather seats, use a non-skid rug padding similar to what is used under your carpet to prevent it from moving around.
I’ve done all these and my slip covers still slide around
Hi Patricia, could it be the slipcovers are small for your couch or too big?
I know your pain and all I can think of is using elastic. Match the colour to your lounge and or the seat. Sew in 2-3 lengths depending on the size of your lounge, so the protector will be firmly held in place.
There is one drawback as you will need help after you have sewn the elastic on to slide over your lounge.
If someone else has a better suggestion please please let me know.
Thanks for the suggestion Jill, that might also work since slipcover straps work the same too.