How to photograph a sofa to get a price

Three shots you need and two that help

1. Overall view Photograph the whole sofa from the front, from the other end of the room. This shows the size and shape: two-seater, three-seater, corner or U-shaped.
2. Label It is often hidden under the seat cushions or on the underside of the furniture. Photograph it so that the letters can be read. If you cannot find a code, say so. Codes are voluntary, so some furniture does not have one.
3. Each stain in two shots One from half a metre away, to show where the stain is, and one close up. Put a coin or a pen next to it to give an idea of the size.
4. Extra: the most used area This is usually the seat, the armrests and the place where you rest your head. That is where you can see how dirty the fabric is and whether it is worn.
5. Extra: shape and mechanism If it is a sofa bed, photograph it open. If the cushions are removable, show those as well: removable cushions have their own price.

How to take a photo that tells us something

• Shoot in daylight, with the window behind you or to the side.
• Do not use the flash: it makes a stain less visible and changes the shade of the fabric.
• Remove blankets, toys and decorative cushions so that the whole surface can be seen.
• For close-ups, hold the phone steady and wait until the image is sharp.
• If the stain is dark on dark fabric, shoot it from the side, in slanting light.

You do not need an expensive phone. It matters more that the picture shows the whole problem, not just the best side. There is no need to show the room's interior.

What to describe in words

A photo shows the surface, but not the history. A few lines in the form often say more than ten pictures.

• What it is: wine, coffee, urine, blood, grease or an unknown stain.
• How old it is: a few days or several years, roughly.
• What has already been tried: which substances, and whether hot water, a hairdryer or an iron were used.
• Whether there is a smell, and what kind: urine, smoke, damp.
• Whether the liquid could have reached the upholstery: how much of it there was.
• Where you are: the town or the Riga neighbourhood, so that we can tell you the travel price.

Earlier attempts matter, because hot water can set a stain, and strong substances change the colour or can harm the upholstery. This cannot be seen in a picture, and what you can expect depends on it.

What the price takes into account

Prices: two-seater sofa from €35, three-seater from €45, corner from €50, large corner from €60, U-shaped from €65, sofa bed from €40. Leather two-seater from €40, leather corner from €50. Velour and faux leather have no separate prices; they cost the same as fabric sofas. The minimum order is €45: if the total is lower, you pay €45. Travel is included in Riga and up to about 15 km outside Riga; further out it is from €10. The full list is in the price list.

What a photo does not show

A photo does not show the smell, how deep liquid has gone into the foam or how the fabric will behave when damp. So from a photo the specialist will give you the price and tell you what you can usually expect, but some things can only be judged on the spot.

The fabric itself can mislead in a picture. With use, velour and chenille can develop pressure marks and shade changes that look like a stain but are a property of the fabric. If you are not sure, say whether the spot also feels different to the touch. More detail: what comes out and what may stay.

If it is not a sofa

More detail: sofa cleaning, mattress cleaning, chair cleaning and where to clean a sofa in Riga.