If the fabric doesn’t have a care tag, you may want to hand wash it just to be safe.
If you don’t have a laundry bag, use a clean cotton pillowcase as a protective cover for the item.
Try to avoid pouring laundry detergent directly onto the velour, especially if the detergent is blue or green colored. The detergent can stick to the fabric and leave a mark.
For heavier fabrics, like curtains, you can use the normal cycle to ensure that they are thoroughly washed.
Alternatively, you can hang the item in indirect sunlight to dry. This process takes longer, but is also safe for the fabric.
If you end up making the water too cold, add a bit of warm water to heat it up quickly without having to drain the tub.
If the fabric is visibly dirty or dusty, swirl it around in the tub for 1-2 minutes before letting it soak. This will help to remove most of the dirt!
For a larger item, you may need 2-3 pieces of muslin to pick up all of the dirt and lint from the fabric.
It’s best to use an older towel because velour can sometimes bleed dye from its fibers when the fabric is wet.
After 6 hours, touch the fibers to make sure they’re completely dry on the front and back of the fabric.
Many cars are upholstered with velour, and even some couches. It’s easiest to use the brush attachment to reach crevices in these areas before cleaning the fabric.
When you’re spraying, hold the bottle close to the stain to make sure it’s concentrated in the one area. Make sure you’re using regular dry shampoo, which should look white when you spray it. Remember to work the dry shampoo into the fabric before applying upholstery cleaner to the area if you plan on doing a deeper clean.
If there are any stains, make sure they’re treated first. Then, you can apply the general upholstery cleaner over the stain remover.
If you’re cleaning a larger area, you may want to spray small areas at a time to prevent the cleaner from drying before you get to that area.
If you’re using the brush from the vacuum, make sure the vacuum is off during this process. Depending on the type of cleaner you use, it might damage the inside of the vacuum.
Air drying can take up to 12 hours in humid weather, so be patient! Check the fabric with your hand to make sure it’s dry before sitting on the upholstery.
