Velvet sofas: 7 useful tips to clean velvet and keep it in good condition
Ever since the minimal style has fallen out of favor, a velvet sofa is no longer something which is rare to find in the center of living rooms in modern homes.
Velvet was considered to be a luxurious material, and used to adorn the homes of only the wealthiest individuals in the past. But velvet - and especially velvet upholstery - also has the reputation of being a difficult to keep in good condition: dust, animal hair or human hair easily get trapped in it, and liquid or oily dirt stains penetrate velvet fibers more easily than many other fabrics. However, there are ways to deal with this.
Before buying velvet-upholstered furniture, it is always a good idea to find out what type of velvet has been used: some velvet is organic in origin (for example, made from silk or mohair), while other versions are synthetic. The latter is a little more robust and is therefore suitable for high-traffic environments. Also make sure you know the exact cleaning and washing instructions (which you can usually find on the labels on the underside of velvet-clad furniture).
Some types of velvet upholstery can only be dry cleaned experts. Depending on the type of velvet, it may be possible to to use a vacuum cleaner on it, or to treat any stains topically, without resorting to experts.
Vacuuming is the key:
Routine, frequent maintenance can be done with a vacuum cleaner (to remove dirt, crumbs and similar). If this is done regularly, expert cleaning of the velvet can be significantly delayed.
Stains and dirt on velvet
Contrary to popular belief, velvet does not immediately absorb all of a liquid that is poured on it. So by acting promptly, a stain forming can be avoided. Absorbent paper will help you do this.
Treating single stains:
Use a spoonful of delicate dishwashing detergent or laundry detergent for delicates, and dilute it in a small bowl of warm water, mixing well. Then take a non-colored cloth (or one which is the same color as the sofa), moisten it slightly with this solution and gently dab the stain, rubbing very lightly and always following the direction of the fibres. Have another clean, damp cloth ready to finish the job.
Then there is the issue of restoring the softness to the surface of the velvet (as cleaning will compress the fibres). For this,you can use a steam cleaner set on minimum power.
Deep cleaning:
Unfortunately, deep cleaning of a velvet sofa cannot be done easily at home unless you have an upholstery cleaning machine. The good news is that you can hire one of these machines pretty easily, and it's a quick job to do.
Do you like furniture upholstered in velvet?
