How to Clean Velvet Upholstery

Velvet is a luxury fabric, which has been mainly used by royalty throughout the ages. Choosing it for your home furniture is a bold move, showing you enjoy lavishness and class.

The negative side of having lustrous velvet furniture is that it can become easily discoloured and wrinkled, requiring extra care and attention. But fear not, in this article we will discuss useful and easy-to-follow ways of how to clean and maintain your velvet furniture.

Let’s begin.

What velvet is made of and how easy is to clean it

This is the first question that comes to mind to anyone who has or is about to purchase velvet upholstery. First of all, you should know that velvet can be made of many different materials.
Back in the day, velvet was made of woven tufted silk, which was, and still is, quite expensive. Today, it comes in more budget-friendly variations, being made of materials, such as cotton, linen, mohair and wool, as well as of synthetic fibres like polyester.
To find out what materials your velvet furniture is made of, inspect its wash care label. Velvet made of synthetic materials can be easily steam-cleaned at home, as it is much more durable compared to natural fibre velvets.
Velvet made of silk, cotton or linen should be cleaned by professionals with the right tools and equipment, as these fabrics can get easily damaged, creased or become faded.
Here is an example routine of how you can maintain and clean your velvet upholstery, in order to keep it shiny and opulent-looking for as long as possible.

How to clean velvet – cleaning routine and maintenance tips

Clean your velvet weekly by completing the following tasks:

1. To clean dust off velvet furniture, vacuum clean your velvet upholstery, in order to remove all the dust, fuzz and hairs;
2. Identify in which direction the velvet fibres are woven and brush following those lines;
3. While vacuuming your furniture, if you find creases, unnatural lines or old stains, you might want to clean it with a steam cleaner, but only if the velvet is made of polyester or other synthetic material. If you don’t have a steam cleaning function on your vacuum cleaner or are unsure whether cleaning the velvet yourself might damage it, you can always book our professional upholstery cleaning service. The technicians will clean your furniture with a dry cleaning machine, designed especially for gentle fabrics, such as velvet.

Protect your velvet furniture

As we’ve mentioned above, velvet is easily damaged. So, here are two simple ways to protect the fabric from discolouration or untimely wear and tear:

• Place protective covers on your velvet furniture to reduce the effects of everyday use;
• Make sure that no direct sunlight shines upon the velvet, as this will cause your furniture to fade prematurely. You can use traditional curtains or blinds or apply a UV protection film to your windows.

How to clean a velvet sofa – removing stains

The most commonly used velvet furniture is the velvet sofa. Still, the method below also works for other velvet furniture, such as armchairs, dining chairs, curtains etc. It is suitable for removing water, tea, wine, coffee, food and other organic stains.
The cleaning steps below might not work for hard-to-remove stains, such as ink, blood, nail polish, paint, machine oil, etc. We advise you to consult with a professional before attempting to clean such stains.

Before we begin, a few quick reminders:

• Always treat stains as soon as you can, as the longer they stay on the couch, the more they will set in and become difficult to remove. Cleaning dry stains is much harder and often, it may be even impossible to scrub them off.
• Read the wash care label before attempting to clean any stains. Velvet is a delicate fabric and cleaning it improperly may result in permanent damage. Always test on an invisible area, first.

What you’ll need to clean stains off velvet fabric

• Vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment;
• White absorbent cloth;
• A soft brush;
• Homemade cleaning solution or upholstery cleaner (suitable for velvet).

How to make a homemade cleaning solution to clean your velvet couch

Here are two easy-to-make cleaning solutions. For the first one, you’ll need to:

1. Have lemon juice, baking soda (soda bicarbonate), a dry towel and a bowl at hand;
2. Pour 100 ml of lemon juice in the bowl and add a tablespoon of baking soda. The substance will create foam on top;
3. Dip a towel or cloth in the foam and apply on the stain.

The second homemade cleaning solution is even easier to make. All you need to do is:

1. Pour 50 ml of water in a cup and add a few drops of mild dish soap;
2. Stir to create foam. Use only the foam to clean the stain.

Now that you know how to prepare a DIY cleaner, here’s how to clean stains from velvet:

1. First, if the stain is fresh, you need to remove as much of the liquid or food as you can. Use a white dry absorbent cloth and gently blot the affected area;
2. Then, mix a homemade cleaning solution or use an upholstery cleaner. To make a homemade solution, choose one of the two methods, we’ve described above. As for the upholstery cleaner, make sure it is suitable for your type of velvet fabric by testing it on an inconspicuous area, first, such as the bottom of the furniture;
3. Using the cleaning solution and a white dry cloth, gently blot the affected area until the stain is removed;
4. Let the velvet dry and then, vacuum the surface a few times by following its lines to make it look smooth. Your furniture is now clean and ready to use!

How often should I get professional velvet cleaning?

We advise that you get your velvet furniture professionally cleaned every six to nine months, so you can ensure that the fabric keeps its colour and softness for longer. When it comes to cleaning stains, it is best to trust the help of professional upholstery cleaners who know how to treat each stain properly.

How does Fantastic Services clean velvet furniture?

The skilled technicians use the optimal cleaning method for velvet, called dry cleaning. The experienced professional follows these cleaning steps:

1. He/she will inspect the specific type of velvet fabric and the type of stain(s) , in order to determine which stain remover should be used;
2. An effective dry solvent is, then, applied under pressure with industry-grade machine, so it can penetrate deep into the fabric;
3. The equipment is, then, used to vacuum up the solvent, together with all the dirt and debris that the cleaning solution has dissolved;
4. The technician will prompt you to inspect the results of your fresh-cleaned upholstery.

If you want to have your velvet professionally cleaned with the right tools and experience, give us a call or book online anytime!

If you found this article useful, don’t forget to share it with friends and family. And you can always leave a comment below if you have any questions or want to share your experience.

Image source: Depositphotos: by VadimVasenin

• Last update: February 15, 2019

Posted in Cleaning Guides