Introduction:
People frequently wonder, “How to wash sofa covers without shrinking?” since couch covers often become dirty, and they generally believe they are challenging to clean.
Sofa covers can shrink quickly when placed in the washing due to the machine’s intense pressure, making them challenging to wash.
Despite the frightening size of sofa covers, there are several ways to wash them without having them shrink. In this article, we’ll go through all of these techniques.
How To Wash Sofa Covers Without Shrinking Using a Washing Machine
Washing in a washing machine without worrying about shrinkage is feasible, but you must take some safety measures.
For instance, if you intend to wash your covers in the washing machine, they must be pre-shrunk and colourfast.
Pre-shrinking involves shrinking the fabric before using an industrial washer and dryer. This procedure aids in reducing the amount of stretching, shrinking, or wrinkling that occurs to your fabric after laundering.
Contrarily, a colourfast test determines whether your fabric’s colour won’t deteriorate after laundering.
It is regarded as colourfast if a swatch of cloth placed into a glass of water does not bleed or change colours.
Use your washing machine’s cold wash cycles
After confirming that your couch covers can be washed, you’ll need to know how to do it correctly so that they come out clean, fresh-smelling, and stain-free.
This is how you do it:
Step 1: To prevent the covers from sticking to the washing machine’s agitator, be sure you first vacuum off any loose debris and pet hair from them before placing them in the washer.
Step 2: Fill your washing machine’s drum with a light detergent, then start the cold wash cycle. To avoid leaving residue and stickiness on your covers, be careful not to apply too much laundry detergent.
Step 3: Finish the entire cycle in the washing machine before removing your laundry. Avoid drying your covers in the dryer, as this increases the possibility of shrinking.
You may still prevent shrinking your sofa covers even though the washing machine is known to shrink clothing.
We demonstrated how to use your washing machine correctly in this section and the safety measures that must be taken.
Vinegar and Baking Soda Hand washing
Washing sofa textiles by hand is better since it gives you more control and reduces the possibility of shrinkage.
Because baking soda is a natural fabric softener, vinegar and baking soda are excellent natural stain removers for couch coverings. In contrast, vinegar is an oxidant and absorbent that breaks down stains and releases an unpleasant stench.
Start by taking notice of the following actions:
Start adding one part baking soda to a small tub of water.
Stir it until bubbles start to appear everywhere.
Add 3–4 drops of vinegar next.
After that, carefully wash your blankets by dipping them in the mixture.
Once finished, all you need to do is let it air dry.
Pro tip: If you have the time to ensure the surfaces are fully cleaned, leave the covers to soak overnight.
We have shown why hand washing is a much better way in this part.
We learned that vinegar acts as an oxidant and absorbent to remove odor-causing stains, while baking soda acts as a natural fabric softener to lift stains and grime.
Cleaning Hard-to-Remove Stains From a Sofa Cover
Accidents and spills frequently leave stains on cushion covers, and if you can’t remove the stained areas from the cushions to clean them, you could get annoyed.
Fortunately, you may clean covers that contain stains that won’t go away without shrinking by using one of the three techniques listed below.
Technique 1: Blotting
Blotting, as opposed to sponges, does not spread the stain and makes it more noticeable. Thus, it absorbs as much of the stain as possible. The steps listed here can be used to blot:
Start by scraping any leftover material from the stain with a spoon.
The stain should then be blotted using a dry white towel.
Pro Tip: Use a second white towel wet with cold water to blot if the stain is still present after blotting.
Detergent is used in Method 2 to remove stains.
Water could remove certain stains, but a complete cleaning would be needed for others. Make a detergent and water mixture for people who do this. Your fabric’s stains will be permanently eliminated by the detergent’s breakdown of the stains.
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Make sure to do the following:
Just a very small amount of detergent can be added to water to dilute it.
Next, apply the solution to the contaminated area with a white towel.
Wait for it to dry for 5–10 minutes.
Third Approach: Baking Soda Paste
Even after they disappear, certain stains continue to smell or odor. Therefore, you’ll need to come up with a solution to remove the aroma from the cushion cover. Make a paste out of baking soda and water if this occurs.
Because baking soda has antibacterial characteristics that eliminate the invisible microbes that produce the foul odor, it works well as a deodorizer.
This is how you do it:
Add 3 teaspoons of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
These ingredients should be combined in a bowl to form a paste.
Wherever there are stains and bad odors, use the paste.
10 minutes should pass before wiping off and drying.
Now that you’re informed, you may clean your materials using techniques that eliminate odors, stains, and even pathogens.
Restoring Sofa Covers to Their Natural State after Shrinkage
Couch cushions severely shrunk and won’t return to their original size. On the other hand, fabrics that have shrunk or lost their original form may be pushed back into suitable dimensions.
To prevent shrinking in the first place, it’s essential to adhere to the fabric care guidelines.
Knowing the fabric composition and how materials should be cleaned may be helpful when attempting to make sense of alternative cleaning techniques.
Make sure to de-shrink sofa covers.
Before attempting to unshrink your cushion cover, be aware of its fabric composition. Polyester, nylon, and acrylic are examples of synthetic materials that are designed to be easy to maintain and do not shrink.
Although they are typically easier to pull back into form once on the cushion, cotton and wool blends can also shrink.
The fibers in a textile can be stretched and loosened in various ways. When you apply a wrinkle remover to a wet couch cover, the cloth relaxes and lengthens.
Try combining one part vinegar with three parts water as an eco-friendly substitute, spritz it on the fabric, and then stretch it.
Elongate the material
Returning to your original shape is never simple, but a little hand stretch can help. See how you can do it by taking the following actions:
Step 1: Combine cold water and fabric softener to soak the sofa cushion cover for several hours. Take the object out and lay it flat to dry.
Step 2: Pull opposing corners and edges while working your way around the cushion cover.
Step 3: Continue doing this consistently while the cover cures. Be aware that the wool will continue to shrink if you rub or otherwise disturb it.
Conclusion:
In summary, the difficulties associated with washing sofa covers without them shrinking can be successfully overcome by combining the methods described in this article.
These techniques provide people the power to maintain the cleanliness and longevity of their sofa covers, whether it is by hand washing with vinegar and baking soda, using a washing machine with caution, or taking on tough stains.
De-shrinking techniques and an understanding of fabric composition can also aid in returning covers to their previous size.
By according to these recommendations, you can enjoy tidy, spotless, and stain-free sofa coverings without having to worry about them shrinking.
