There is nothing better than velvet to cover your furniture. This soft-to-touch and elegant-looking fabric adds to the visual appeal of any interior decor. Velvet furniture upholstery, with its textured make and vibrant colors, is the perfect way to decorate your sofas, chairs, and bed headboards. The problem comes in the maintenance of velvet upholstery. The fabric is delicate by nature and needs special caring for.
So, if you are worried about how to clean velvet upholstery for stains, spills, and other maintenance issues, this guide is for you.
Velvet: What This Upholstery Fabric Truly Is?
Don’t just scroll down to learn how to clean velvet upholstery. First, learn a bit about the fabric itself. Velvet is a woven fabric featuring cut threads distributed evenly. This even distribution of fine threads is what gives velvet its plush texture. You can buy velvet made from different textile fibers, natural and synthetic. The fiber used for your velvet upholstery will also affect the cleaning method.
Different Methods To Clean Velvet Upholstery
Cleaning the velvet upholstery the right way and with the right cleaners is essential to maintain its long-lasting appeal. Below are some cleaning methods for velvet sofa upholstery.
Daily Cleaning
The best way to keep your velvet upholstery in good condition is to perform regular cleaning. There are two methods for it.
Regular Vacuuming
If you have a vacuum cleaner at home, you need to use it to remove dust and debris. Specialized upholstery vacuum attachments are available for effective dust and debris removal. Vacuum the entire velvet upholstery carefully. Start from one side and work your way towards the center to prevent crushing the fibers.
Brushing The Velvet Upholstery
Another method, in case you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, is to do brushing. For this, take a soft-bristle brush, as it will not crush the velvet fibers. Perform brushing towards the direction of the thread cut to effectively remove any trapped dirt. With brushing, the velvet will also have an even appearance.
Spot Cleaning For Spills And Stains
Accidents, such as liquid spills or stains from pets and children, will happen to your luxury velvet upholstery. This is indeed worrisome, but the right way is to effectively treat these stains before they set in. Below are the steps for handling sudden stains and spills.
You have spilled something on your velvet upholstery. Instead of rubbing the fabric, try blotting it with a clean, dry cloth. Press it firmly on the spill to absorb as much of the liquid as you can. When you rub, the liquid will set faster and deeper within the fibers.
For most common spills and stains, a mixture made of warm water and detergent works like a charm. Use a clean cloth and dampen it with this mixture. Dab this damp cloth onto the stained part, working your way toward the center of the stain. Take care not to oversoak the velvet, as it will get more damaged.
Once the stain is clean, take a cloth and dampen it with clean water. Use the blotting technique to remove any leftover soapy residue, and once more, avoid oversoaking the velvet.
Once the soapy residue is all cleaned up, let the velvet upholstery air dry. Do not use a hairdryer to speed up drying, as the hot air from it can damage the velvet.
Performing Deep Cleaning
Most of the velvet cleaning needs are fulfilled by daily cleaning or spot cleaning. However, if you wish for a long-lasting velvety appearance, you need to perform deep fabric cleaning of your velvet upholstery. There are generally two ways to go about it.
Steam Cleaning The Velvet
The best way to deep clean your velvet upholstery is to perform steam cleaning.
- There are many high-end handheld steam cleaners available in the market. If not, you can also use a steam iron if it has a vertical steam function.
- Take your steamer and keep it a few inches away from the upholstery fabric. Now, let the steam pass slowly across the fabric.
- Steaming it will start to lift away the dirt trapped within the fabric and freshen up those tangled fibers.
- Once you are done steaming, let the upholstery air dry. Perform brushing to even the fibers to restore the original texture.
Professional Service
There are cases when the velvet upholstery is heavily stained with dirt, debris, or spills, and you cannot take care of cleaning yourself. For this, there are professional upholstery cleaning services available. These professionals have the necessary expertise and the right cleaning tools to handle delicate fabrics.
Homemade Cleaner For Velvet Upholstery Cleaning
If you wish to take care of the velvet upholstery cleaning at home, we have the perfect recipe for an effective cleaner. For this, you will need the following ingredients.
- Warm Water: 1 Cup
- Dish Soap: 1 tsp
- White Vinegar: 1 tsp
How To Use The Velvet Upholstery Cleaner
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl well.
- Dampen a piece of clean cloth in this solution.
- Dab the stain on the velvet with this damp cloth
- Perform blotting instead of rubbing and scrubbing
- Rinse off the velvet upholstery with a clean damp cloth
- Let the fabric air dry and brush it to restore its even surface
Preventive Measures For Velvet Upholstery
The best way to keep your velvet upholstery looking pristine is prevention. These are some tips on effective protection of your velvet upholstery.
Keep the furniture near windows away from sunlight to protect the color and texture of your velvet upholstery.
Make a habit of rotating the cushions, as doing this will prevent wear and tear from sitting.
Add slipcovers on your upholstery for an extra protective layer, especially if there are kids and pets in the house.
Enforce a rule of no eating or drinking on your custom made furniture with velvet upholstery. This reduces the risk of spills and stains happening by accident.
Conclusion
So, we hope you get the answer to the question of how to clean velvet upholstery. Effective velvet upholstery cleaning requires extra care and attention. It might be a bit hard at times, but the results are totally worth it. Regular cleaning, prompt spot cleaning, and occasional professional cleaning will keep the velvet in optimal condition for many years.
