How to clean velvet curtains or clothes

bertiebots

I have a velvet throw that I have just washed in the machine despite it saying dry clean only...not the first time I have done it either. It hasnt shrunk at all and has come out like new , got hung on the line today in the lovely sunshine!. As the skirt is crushed velvet washing it on a delicate cool wash in the machine it should be fine. Or you could hand wash it ? I have washed a few things with dry clean labels on cool (30') with no problems.

Little_Chicken

I've washed velvet lots of times and it's been fine. Just do it on a handwash or wool wash setting if you have one...

rachbc

it depends on what the velvet is made of - I wouldn't risk silk velvet or viscose as both shrink like mad, cotton or polyester should be ok on a delicates

mrs_baggins

thanks both. it was only cheap so when the time comes I think I shall risk hand washing very gently and see what happens. Hope its ok as I really like it! I remember that it has to be ironed pile down on a fluffy towel!Not that I have any fluffy towels. Mine are like bits of board LOL!

babyshoes

Or hang it in a steamy bathroom instead of ironing - I remember doing that with a velvet skirt I nicked from my gran when I was a teenager!

Gingernutmeg

Be careful washing it - I'd definitely be wary of washing with anything else. I've had a couple of cheap cotton velvet skirts in the past and they've run like anything whenever I've washed them. That was probably more to do with the fact that they weren't the most expensive skirts than because they were velvet though However, they didn't shrink and they washed well overall.

littlesnuggy

Help!
My dog (old enough to know better) decided this morning not to go out the wide open patio doors to the garden but instead to pee up the floor-length velvet curtains and get a patch on the cream extra-deep pile 100% wool rug :doh:

I didn't notice the curtains at first and thought it was just the rug, which I have steam cleaned and treated with 1001 Trouble Shooter spray. When doing that, I noticed the smell coming from the curtain and then realised he'd got that too, to quite a large extent -it's soaked through the velvet and to lining.

The curtains are plain pinky/maroon colured.

Is there any thing I could try rather than running straight to the dry cleaners? I'm thinking of unpicking the lining and soaking that in a bucket with bio washing powder solution, but what about the velvet?

Any suggestions?

McKneff

To be honest, Ive never had a problem washing my velvet door curtains.
If you feel you cant do this, treat it the same way you treat your rug, If it hasnt damaged a 100% wool carpet it wont damage velvet.

littlesnuggy

McKneff wrote: »

To be honest, Ive never had a problem washing my velvet door curtains.
If you feel you cant do this, treat it the same way you treat your rug, If it hasnt damaged a 100% wool carpet it wont damage velvet.

Oh, fantastic, thank you! I wasn't sure what was 'special' about velvet that meant it couldn't be washed normally. Think I'll try doing it with the cleaner in-situ, but if not I'll put them through the machine on a gentle wash.

short_bird

And, if it's not too late, a slow spin:D