A Velvet Care Guide – by Abide Interiors

There’s no doubt that velvet furniture is visually stunning. It’s also a unique material in that it requires special care and attention to retain its shape and beauty. All of us at Abide Interiors LOVE velvet! It’s beautiful, elegant, soft to touch, and extremely comfortable. And as it turns out – it’s not difficult to keep clean.

 

As the weather turns colder we’re seeing many people seeking heavier fabrics to keep their homes warm. Velvet is the perfect answer. As a cold-weather fabric, velvet is extremely popular; it’s fashionable and warm for clothing, furniture covers, and drapes.

 

Did you know that velvet was once restricted to royalty, like the French king? It’s not surprising, though, because velvet certainly has a royal appearance and feel to it.

 

What Is Velvet?

 

Velvet is made on a loom known as a ‘double cloth’ loom, which simultaneously creates two pieces of velvet. Velvet is unlike linen in that it’s not a flat-woven fabric. It requires more yarn and there are multiple steps required to produce the fabric. It’s first woven on a loom between two backing layers. It’s then split down the middle, creating two pieces, each with an up-raised pile.

Velvet was originally woven from silk; however, cotton, wool, linen, and synthetic fibres are often used today. A finish is then applied to the velvet to keep the pile secure, resilient, and full-bodied. One of the main characteristics of velvet is its even pile, which is typically less than half a centimetre.

 

When you choose velvet furnishings for your home, you’re choosing to make a bold statement. You simply can’t ignore its rich colour, soft sheen, and innate elegance. However, having velvet in your space means that any stains or discolourations will be noticeable. When the sunlight hits your velvet furnishings, there’s no hiding from stains, dust, and other allergy-inducing particles.

 

Velvet fabric has intricate fibres that make it difficult to clean, so before you despair of ever getting your velvet furnishings clean, have a look at our guide below on how to care for your velvet furniture. When you use tried and true cleaning methods, your velvet furnishings will retain their as-new condition, even though they may have received many a spill or potential stain.

 

Velvet Furniture and Pet Lovers

 

Anyone who has pets around their velvet furnishings obviously really loves their pets. But your pets can be your worst enemy when you’re trying to maintain the beautiful lustre of your velvet furniture. Pet lovers will be used to their dog or cat jumping onto an armchair or couch without notice, but now you don’t need to worry about the future of your velvet furniture. Why? Because there’s a very easy fix to this, and it’s called your vacuum cleaner!

 

Any accumulated hair, fuzz, and fur can be vacuumed up using a piece of pantyhose over the nozzle. This simple trick removes any hair that’s accumulated on the velvet fabric’s surface.

Accidental Spills

 

Accidents happen, and we know this. But now you’ve accidentally spilt liquid on your beautiful velvet couch. Not a problem! Panicking only makes things worse, and that’s something you simply can’t afford to do with your gorgeous velvet fabric.

 

Start by soaking up any excess liquid as soon as possible. Use a paper towel or other absorbent cloth. Don’t dab the spill! Dabbing pushes the spilt liquid even further into the velvet fibres. Leave the paper towel or cloth on top of the spill, allowing most of the liquid to be absorbed. When you’re happy that’s done, leave the damp area to air dry.

 

Persistent Stain? 

 

• Make a solution of dishwashing detergent and water and mix until suds fill the top.
• Using a soft cloth, apply the suds only onto the stained area.
• Blot the suds onto stains until the stains begin to fade.
• Once the stains have faded, use a clean cloth to remove both the suds residue and the remaining stain.
• Dry the area using a fan or hairdryer.

 

For Extra Sheen

 

Have you noticed that the beautiful sheen on your velvet furnishings has started to fade? We can help you fix that too! To re-instil the fluffy appearance we all love with our velvet pieces, position a steamer on the opposite side of the matted areas. When you’ve finished, dry-brush the area and ensure that all the pile is brushed in the same direction.

 

With just a little know-how and some tender loving care, you can preserve the lustre of your gorgeous velvet furnishings. If you have any queries at all about our velvet furniture items or how to care for them, please don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at Abide Interiors at sales@abideinteriors.com.au.