How Do You Clean Velvet?

How Do You Clean Velvet?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get asked is ‘how should I look after my velvet cushions and cushion covers?’

So we've put together a quick blog post with all the Do’s and Don’ts of velvet care to help keep your velvet cushions looking and feeling fantastic for years and years.

What is velvet and why does it need special care?

There are many different types of velvet on the market and the differing fabric qualities and thread types need different care.  However, the one thing that all velvet does have in common is the manufacture process. 

Firstly, velvet is manufactured with two pieces of fabric facing each other and threads are woven between them.  When these are cut apart the result is two sheets of fabric with a short, soft pile.  It is this pile which gives velvet its unique, luxurious appearance and its super soft feel. 

However, the pile can trap dust and dirt giving some cleaning challenges. Similarly, the exposed pile of the fabric can act like a sponge, with spills quickly soaking into the fibres making it difficult to wipe off.

Added to these challenges is that fact that the nap can easily be crushed or compressed by overly aggressive cleaning methods, affecting the lux or shine of the fabric. 

What type of velvet fabric do LUXE 39 use in their cushion covers?

The main thing which sets LUXE 39 cushions apart from most other velvet cushions on the market is the amazing quality of the cotton velvet fabric we use in the manufacture of the cushion covers.

Above all, we use only the highest quality, upholstery grade velvet in all our cushion covers. 

Most importantly the pile is 100% cotton, a natural fibre which gives our cushions their amazing lux (which means illuminance and led to our name LUXE 39!)  

Further, the fabric is woven in small batches in the UK using only the highest quality threads and dies. So, our cushions last for years without deteriorating or fading.

How to care for your cotton velvet cushion covers

For everyday care of our velvet cushion covers we recommend a little brushing and regular careful vacuuming with an upholstery attachment or hand held vacuum cleaner. 

Additionally, it is beneficial to regularly plump and turn your velvet cushions to avoid long term creases which can become embedded and hard to remove.

However, for small spills on your cushions we recommend gently blotting the affected area immediately with a soft lint free cloth. As a result of being lint free it will not transfer any fibres to the velvet which could clog the pile. Similarly, ensure the cloth is colour fast so colour isn’t transferred to the velvet fabric. Once most of the liquid has been removed you can dry the area with a hairdryer used from a distance to avoid damaging the fabric with heat. After that simply brush the fabric to restore the pile.

Importantly, do not apply much pressure when cleaning velvet as this could crush the pile.  Likewise, do not rub as this could also crush the pile. 

We don't recommend washing our velvet cushion covers in either a washing machine or a hand wash.  To clarify, the covers are totally colour fast (and in fact they don't fade even in the brightest of rooms) but the pile of the fabric doesn’t respond well to the motion of a washing machine or to total submersion in a hand wash.

Additionally we don't recommend using upholstery cleaners on our cushion covers.  This is because, from experience any patch cleaning results in an altered lay to the nap and will affect the overall appearance of your velvet cushions.

Finally, if the spill is more extensive then, as stated on our care labels, we recommend our covers are dry clean only to maintain the best appearance of the pile.

In conclusion, if you follow these simple steps to looking after your velvet cushions and covers then they will last you for years and years. We actually think they get better over time!