Velvet sofas look stunning in every household and can be a real statement piece in what could be a lackluster room.
However, what puts people off from buying velvet sofas is the excessive care and maintenance required to keep them in good condition, which does ring some truth, however, they can be pretty simple to keep clean as long as you’re willing to put in a tiny bit of effort.
We’ll be taking you through the best ways to clean a velvet sofa so you can enjoy lounging around on it without worrying that you’ll ruin it.
Are velvet sofas hard to keep clean?
Velvet sofas are ideal if you have pets or young children who like to climb around all over your home as the material has no raised weaves making it more difficult to snag, even with pet claws.
Pet hair is also easy to brush off the material of the sofa, making it easier to keep in good condition even when dogs or cats malt a lot.
The easiest way to keep your velvet sofa clean and in top condition is by acting immediately if any spillages or accidents happen on it, to prevent any staining from happening.
If you spill something on the sofa, get an absorbent paper towel or cloth to soak up the excess liquid so that it doesn’t sink through the layers of the fabric and become difficult, if not impossible to remove.
Then once you think you’ve absorbed as much of the spillage as possible, you should get some warm soapy water and another clean soapy and gently rub the affected area in a circular motion until you feel that the stain has been removed as much as possible.
Make sure not to use too much water on the furniture as you don’t want it to take too long to dry otherwise it could begin to smell. Once you’ve cleaned the sofa you can allow it to air dry, or to speed up the process you can use an air dryer on a cool setting.
If you’re worried about the fabric being damaged from any cleaning solution you can use, you can try doing a spot test on a hidden area (like underneath the sofa, or if it’s against a wall on the back) to make sure it doesn’t stain or get damaged.
Some sofas come with slip covers that can be removed and put in the washer. However, don’t wash your covers with your usual washing detergent, you’ll want to find a specialized velvet detergent that is delicate enough to not damage the material but still make it come out clean.
There are even some polyester velvet sofas which are stains resistant and simple to keep clean as any stains or food marks can be rubbed or brushed off.
Each velvet sofa may differ from another, so you’ll want to check on the labels of your sofa what is required when cleaning and how to keep it in good condition.
Some velvet sofas will be treated with fabric protectors before they’re sold, so you should double-check with the manufacturer before adding any of your fabric protectors.
If your sofa has not been treated before you bought it, then consider getting a fabric protector to prevent it from getting ruined from spillages or stains.
A waterproof velvet protector will prevent liquids from soaking into your fabric, however, it may change the feeling of your velvet sofa and make it feel rougher than it was originally.
If you want the sofa to stay soft, then we recommend using a non-waterproof protector as it’ll make it slightly easier to clean the sofa as well.
It’s not just pets, food, or children who can leave your sofa looking a bit worse for wear, but it’s also affected by sunlight, which causes velvet fabric to discolor easily and to fade, making it look older than it is.
How to keep a velvet sofa looking new?
There are some everyday things you can do to keep your sofa looking like it’s just arrived from the store and they’ll only take you a few minutes each time.
Every time you get up from the sofa for the evening, try plumping and shaking out the pillows and rotating them to make sure the wrinkles don’t settle and become harder to remove. This way you’ll also be able to spot any stains that could’ve been hidden more easily.
You can also lightly brush your sofa to make sure the fabric is in the direction of the pile to lift it so the velvet material returns to normal.
Can I steam clean a velvet sofa?
Yes, you can steam clean a velvet sofa, and doing so will bring back the sheen that the sofa had when you bought it.
Steaming your sofa is an effective way of removing stains, odors, and dirt from your sofa as well as being ideal for removing grease, allergens, and dust mites that may be lurking on the surface.
If you’re worried about steaming the sofa yourself, or maybe you don’t own a handheld fabric steamer, then consider hiring a professional company to come do it for you as they’ll have years of experience dealing with all sorts of materials and fabrics.
Can you Hoover a velvet sofa?
Yes, hoovering a velvet sofa is an easy way to keep it in good condition. Before you begin hoovering remove all the pillows and blankets from the sofa so you can make sure to target the base of it.
Regularly hoovering your sofa with an upholstery attachment or with the hose attachment. Make sure to target the crevices down the side and back of the sofa where crumbs and particles can get stuck.
To make it easier and to ensure your sofa doesn’t get damaged, try using a handheld hoover with fabric bristles on the lowest setting to make sure you don’t pull any fabric up from the sofa. Make sure to go over each pillow before replacing them on the sofa.
You should ideally spend 5-10 minutes hoovering your sofa and plan to do it at least once a month, or more if you have a full household that spends a lot of time eating, drinking, or lounging on the sofa.
How do you brush a velvet couch?
Every time you’ve cleared with the velvet couch with either a steam cleaner or by using a cloth and warm soapy water, leave it to dry fully, and then make sure to gently brush it out afterward to restore the natural direction of the fabric and make it look like it’s new again.
Make sure to use a soft fabric brush and not a rough brush you’d use on your floors as this could damage the velvet material.
