Cleaning couch cushions

Is it alright to clean couch cushions using washing machine? If the pillowcase is removable and the fabric is much like those of your clothes, then yes you can clean it using your washing machine. However, if you couch pillow is made from expensive fur or has been embedded with jewels and sequins, you might want to think about dry cleaning it instead as the tumbling process of the washer, especially if you are using one with an agitator can damage the design and the fabric of the pillow.

If it does not have any zipper and you intend to wash it with the stuffing and all, you should be using a front loader as it has more gentle tumbling system compared to the top load washers.

Okay, for those with removable couch cushions, just do the following steps:

Step 1: Remove the pillowcase and make sure no decorative things will come off the fabric. This will not only damage the fabric design, it will also damage your washer if the beads or those small decors come off.

Step 2: Place it in your washer's tub. Put fabric conditioner and detergent in their compartments and run it using gentle wash only. Dry it halfway and then get it from the washer and hang it some place sunny to dry completely.

As for those who wish to clean their whole couch cushion, here are the things you should do:

Step 1: You are not actually washing it per se, but you are cleaning it in a different manner. If there are spots in the fabric, you might want to spot clean it first using detergent or any cleaner.

Step 2: Use your dryer to clean it completely. Now place the pillows one at a time. This will take time so you have to be patient. Spray it with a little Febreeze first so it will smell fresh and clean. Use the lowest drying cycle and allow it to stay there for about 15 minutes. Afterwards, get it out of the dryer and fluff it.

It is not recommended to wash it using the washing machine as it can damage the foams inside and can lead lumpy couch cushions. Also, soaking the foams through can make it difficult to dry it completely. It also depends on the washer you are using. Some have more gentle features and some have features that can specifically cater to this cleaning need.