Can you put sofa covers in the washing machine

At Cover My Furniture, we believe a sofa should be somewhere you can properly relax. Somewhere to settle down with a cup of tea, stretch out with a good book or squeeze everyone in for a film night. When a piece of furniture is used that much, the occasional spill or mark is almost inevitable!

That’s one of the reasons we love removable sofa covers. Being able to take them off for cleaning makes looking after your furniture much more manageable, especially in a busy family home. However, removable doesn’t always mean machine washable, so it’s worth checking before putting your covers in the drum.

Our own fitted sofa covers are all machine washable, so easy care comes as part of the package. For covers you already have, the fabric, finish and manufacturer’s instructions will determine how they should be cleaned. Here’s how we’d approach washing them to keep your sofa looking fresh and your covers fitting comfortably.

1. Start with the care label

If you’ve found yourself wondering, “can I wash my sofa covers?”, the best place to start is the label. It might be tucked inside a cushion cover or along a seam, but it’s worth finding before you do anything else. Look for instructions covering the washing method, temperature, drying and ironing, rather than checking the wash temperature alone.

A wash-tub symbol generally indicates that washing is permitted, with the number inside showing the maximum temperature. A hand symbol means hand washing, while a crossed-out wash tub means the cover shouldn’t be washed. Any lines underneath the wash-tub symbol indicate that a gentler process is needed, so those little details matter too.

It’s also worth remembering that a zip doesn’t necessarily mean a cover is designed to come off for cleaning. Some upholstery covers have zips to help with fitting during manufacture, rather than for washing at home. Check the manufacturer’s guidance before removing anything, especially if the cover feels difficult to take off.

If your removable covers aren’t suitable for washing, it’s best to speak to a professional dry cleaner and show them the care label. They can confirm whether dry cleaning is appropriate and advise on the best way to tackle any marks. If the label is missing or unclear, ask the sofa manufacturer before experimenting, as a little checking now can save plenty of frustration later.

2. Give your covers a little attention before washing

Once you’ve confirmed that your covers can be machine washed, a little preparation will help you get the best result. Start by hoovering the sofa with an upholstery attachment, paying particular attention to seams, cushion edges and the places where crumbs seem to collect. Removing loose dust, pet hair and debris before taking the covers off makes the whole job easier.

Next, check for any marks that need attention. Washing sofa covers without treating an obvious stain first may leave you with a cleaner cover that still has the same stubborn spot. Follow the fabric’s care instructions when choosing a treatment, and test any suitable cleaning product on a hidden area before applying it somewhere more visible.

Blot gently rather than scrubbing, especially on fabrics with a textured surface or pile. It can be tempting to keep rubbing when a mark won’t budge, but that may affect the appearance of the fabric. Working carefully and following the recommended treatment is a better approach than adding more product or using more pressure.

Before removing everything, take a quick photograph of how the covers fit. If several cushions look almost identical, knowing which belongs where can make putting the sofa back together much simpler. It’s a small job that you’ll be glad you did when you’re trying to work out which way round that final cushion belongs!

3. Check what your fabric needs

The care label should always take priority, even when you’re familiar with the fabric. Two covers made from similar materials can have different cleaning requirements depending on their construction and finish. Knowing a little about the main fabric types can still help you understand why some covers need a gentler approach than others.

Cotton sofa covers

Cotton is a lovely choice for a relaxed, comfortable living room, which helps explain its popularity. That said, heat can cause it to shrink, and even a small change in size can make sofa covers difficult to fit back onto your furniture. Whether cotton sofa covers can go in the washing machine depends on the fabric and how they’ve been made, so it’s always worth checking the care label first. If machine washing is possible, stick to the temperature and settings specified rather than automatically choosing your usual cotton programme.

At Cover My Furniture, we’ve taken the guesswork out of cleaning our cotton sofa covers. We’ve designed them with regular washing in mind, and every cotton fabric in our range is machine washable, so you can freshen up your covers whenever they need it. Simply follow the care instructions supplied to help them keep their fit, leaving you free to enjoy the look and feel of cotton without wondering how you’ll tackle the next spill.

Polyester sofa covers

Many polyester covers can be machine washed, but the fabric name alone doesn’t tell you everything. Blends, backing materials and finishes can affect how a cover should be cleaned. Check the label for the permitted temperature and programme, rather than assuming that all polyester covers can be treated in the same way.

Resist the temptation to turn up the heat when you’re dealing with a noticeable mark. A hotter wash than the manufacturer recommends may affect the fabric without solving the stain. Treating the mark appropriately before washing is a better starting point, followed by the cycle specified on the label.

Wool sofa covers

Wool needs a little more care, as unsuitable washing and agitation can cause shrinkage or change its texture. A wool setting on your washing machine doesn’t automatically mean your wool sofa covers can go in it. Only use that programme if the cover’s label allows machine washing, and follow the stated temperature and drying instructions.

If the label specifies dry cleaning, leave the job to a professional. It might feel easier to try a gentle wash at home, but a fitted cover needs to keep its shape to sit comfortably on your furniture. Getting the cleaning method right is far less frustrating than trying to stretch a shrunken cover back into place.

Can you wash velvet sofa covers?

Velvet is one of those fabrics that instantly makes a sofa feel more luxurious, with a beautiful sheen and a softness that’s hard to resist. It can, however, be temperamental when it comes to cleaning, and the last thing anyone wants is to spoil a gorgeous velvet sofa. Different types of velvet need different care, so whether your covers can be machine washed depends on their fibre composition, finish and the manufacturer’s instructions.

Velvet has a bit of a reputation for not washing very well, and even washable varieties need careful handling to protect the plush pile that gives them their distinctive look and feel. Scrubbing marks or using unsuitable washing and drying methods can crush or disturb that surface, changing how the fabric catches the light. Always check the care label before doing anything, and if you’re unsure, speak to the manufacturer rather than risking a wash that your covers weren’t designed for.

We created our range of velvet sofa covers to remove that uncertainty and make having a velvet sofa that much easier. Every velvet fabric in our range is machine washable, so an accidental spill doesn’t have to mean an expensive trip to the dry cleaners. You can properly relax on the sofa, knowing that if a drink gets knocked over or a mucky paw leaves its mark, your covers can come off and go in the wash.

Aquaclean sofa covers

If you have children or pets, you’ll know how quickly a freshly cleaned sofa can acquire another mark. Having washable covers certainly helps, but you probably don’t want to be taking them off every time something gets spilled! This is where Aquaclean is worth considering, as its built-in technology allows many everyday stains to be removed using just water.

What we love about our aquaclean sofa covers is how much easier this can make the little clean-ups in between washes. You can often treat the affected area while leaving the cover in place, rather than washing an otherwise clean cover for the sake of one stain. They’re machine washable too, so when it’s time to give the whole sofa a refresh, you can take them off and wash them like all of our other covers.

4. Choose the right washing machine settings

Knowing what setting to wash sofa covers on comes back to the care label. There’s no single sofa cover washing machine mode that suits every fabric, and programme names vary between machines. Check the temperature, the type of cycle and any spin instructions separately, rather than assuming one programme will take care of everything.

Selecting “delicates” doesn’t necessarily mean your machine has chosen the correct temperature, so have a look before pressing start. At Cover My Furniture, all the fabrics in our range are machine washable, with most suited to a 30°C wash using a liquid non-bio detergent. Individual fabric instructions still apply, so it’s always best to double-check those before washing.

You also want to make sure you give the covers enough room to move freely in the drum, too. Cramming everything into one load can prevent proper washing and rinsing, even if you manage to close the door. If all of your cover don’t fit comfortably within your machine’s capacity, work in batches. 

Another top tip is to wash matching pieces together, as it helps keep their appearance consistent. If they need separate loads, use the same permitted settings and detergent each time. It sounds insignificant, but it’s worthwhile when all the pieces need to come back together on the same sofa.

5. Take just as much care with drying

It’s easy to focus on the wash itself, but drying deserves the same attention. A cover can come out of the machine looking lovely and still lose its fit if it’s dried incorrectly. Check whether tumble drying is recommended rather than assuming it will be fine on a low setting.

If the label says to air dry, arrange the covers so they’re well supported, with air able to circulate around them. Avoid placing them directly on radiators, and follow any guidance about reshaping the fabric. It’s worth planning the wash for a time when you have enough space to dry everything properly, rather than rushing to get the sofa back together.

Some manufacturers recommend putting covers back on while slightly damp, while others advise waiting until they’re dry. Use the instructions for your particular covers rather than treating either approach as a universal rule. Once everything is back in place, give the covers and any remaining moisture time to dry fully before settling down on the sofa.

A sofa you love, with covers you can wash

If your sofa could do with a good clean, but checking your care label has revealed that your current covers can’t be machine washed, it might be time to consider a change. Our made-to-measure sofa covers are bespoke to your existing furniture, with machine-washable fabrics across the whole range. You can keep the sofa you already love, give it a completely different look and take the covers off for washing whenever they need a refresh.

Practicality doesn’t have to mean choosing a fabric purely for how easy it is to clean, either. Whether you love the relaxed feel of cotton, the softness of velvet or the convenience of Aquaclean for everyday spills, there’s plenty to explore. Better still, you can order up to five free fabric samples to feel the difference for yourself and see which colours work best in your room before making a decision.

Once you’ve found a favourite, take a look at our How it Works page to see how we create fitted covers for your furniture. If you’re weighing up a couple of fabrics, we’re happy to talk through their care requirements as well as their look and feel. Just get in touch or give our friendly team a call on 01772 901507.