How To Wash Velvet Pillows?
Velvet is a lush, luxurious, beautiful and high quality material used in clothing, furniture and other items like pillows.
Velvet pillows, besides they are a real trend these days can give your home a special allure and a bright and unique appearance. They are not only beautiful to look at, but they also convey the warmth which is often the result of the clever matching of color and types of velvet.
However, velvet is often expensive and delicate and it can be tricky to wash it or remove stains.
Washing Your Velvet Pillows
Read the Labels
Before you even consider washing your velvet pillows, make sure to read their labels. If their labels say “dry clean only,” then you should take them to a dry cleaner to avoid damaging them by cleaning them on your own.
But, if the labels say “dry clean” then you can clean them in the other ways as well although dry cleaning is a preferred way.
Consider washing your velvet pillows with labels that say “dry clean”. They may not be made of a pure velvet and can be hand-washed or in a machine on a gentle cycle.
Washing Your Velvet Pillows in a Machine or by Hand
If your velvet pillows are polyester or crushed velvet, you can try to wash them by hand in a sink or a tub or throw them in the washing machine.
Avoid washing them in a hot water, because this can shrink the fine velvet and cause it to lose elasticity. Use only a mild detergent or specifically for velvet, and if you decide to wash your pillows in a machine, set it to either the “gentle” or “hand wash” cycle to ensure that it won’t damage your pillows.
If you decide to wash your velvet pillows by hand, do this in a tub or sink with a cold or lukewarm water and a small amount of mild detergent for hand washing.
Use gently movements to soak your pillows in water and detergent and clean them from dust and dirt. Do this until they are clean. Avoid twisting or scrubbing them because in this way you can stretch and damage the velvet.
Gently rinse the pillows in clean cool water until you don’t see any more soap or residue.
Spot Cleaning
If your pillows have several stains but are otherwise clean you can consider spot cleaning them.
Do this by mixing one teaspoon of delicate detergent with two cups of cold water and dip a clean, soft white cloth or a towel into it. Wring it out well and dab the stains until they are done. Avoid rubbing them because this can damage the fine velvet.
Remoisten the cloth if it is necessary, and once you remove all the stains, repeat the same process but this time dip the cloth only in clean cold water so you can remove any remaining soap from your pillows.
Spot Cleaning Your Velvet Pillows With Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
Squeeze a lemon juice into a bowl with two tablespoons of baking soda, mix a paste and dilute it with water. Dip a clean soft white cloth or towel into it, wring it out and gently dab the solution on the spots until they are gone.
Don’t rub the mixture into a fabric because this may cause stains to go deeper into the velvet and damage your pillows.
Be aware that lemon juice and baking soda is a very potent combination and it can damage your velvet pillows if you do not dilute the mixture enough.
Therefore, it is best to test the solution before you begin cleaning the pillows. Do this by applying a small amount of mixture to a spot on your pillow that is not so visible and you will see how the velvet will react to it.
Use Steam To Freshen Up Your Velvet Pillows
If your pillows are not so much dirty and you just would like to make them fresh, all you need is a hand held steamer. It will remove the dust from your pillows as well as any wrinkles and make the velvet appear clean and fresh again.
However, if you don’t have a hand held steamer, you can try hanging the pillows or just their velvet covers in a steamy bathroom. This can have the same effective as a steamer.
How To Dry Your Velvet Pillows?
Don’t dry your velvet pillows in a dryer because the excessive heat and tumbling can shrink the soft velvet covers and ruin their luxurious texture.
Hang them outside or in a well ventilated room by using specially designed hangers for pillows or placing them on a flat surface and let them dry naturally.
If you decide to place them on a flat surface, make sure you put a clean white towel under them to prevent discoloration and allow them to dry thoroughly. If the towel becomes soaked, replace it with a dry white towel.
