Slipcover Cleaning Guide
Learn how to clean your Homeleon Slipcover Set
How do you wash your Homeleon Slipcovers?
If you check the tag, you’ll see these instructions:
Machine Wash Cold Gentle Cycle Wash Separately Do Not Bleach Tumble Dry Low Do Not IronLet’s walk through this list step by step.
Machine Wash Cold
Homeleon slipcovers are completely machine-washable on a cold water setting. 86 degrees Fahrenheit would be just fine, and less is even better when it comes to more vivid colors. We also recommend cold water because we’ve included a little spandex in the fabric blend, in order to get you the best fit for your sofa. Spandex (a.k.a. Lycra or elastane) is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional, rubber-like elasticity. Have you ever seen broken pieces of rubber threads on worn-out clothing? That’s the reason why Spandex shouldn’t interact with high temperatures (in both the washing machine and dryer).
But how often can slipcovers be washed?
That’s a tricky one. You’re the boss and you’re welcome to wash your slipcover as often as you please, taking our care instructions into consideration. But if you want the fabric’s color vibrancy and elasticity to last, we’d suggest that one time a season should work just fine.
Gentle Cycle
We want your slipcover to last a long time and bring many years of joy with its softness, fluffiness and comfort. But it’s highly dependent on the laundry cycle you choose. Just imagine a vigorous, heavy-duty wash multiplied by countless cycles—it’s a bit of a beating over the years! When caring for the slipcover, please use a gentle (or delicate) cycle to help preserve its texture, look, and life.
Also, turn the slipcover inside out before tossing it in the washing machine to minimize stretching.
During the wash cycle, you can also add a little fabric softener to give your slipcover a softer feel and reduce static.
Wash Separately
We all make mistakes—red socks and white shirts. You might even vividly remember the first time it happened, poor thing. We’ve been there, too. That’s why it is so important to wash your slipcover before the first use, and if your slipcover has components of different colors, to wash those parts separately. We don’t mind playing with colors, but if you wanted a slipcover set with a blue base and yellow cushions, you probably aren’t longing for the strange, streaky green that you’ll get if you wash them together. So divide the colors (especially bright ones) and wash separately. It’s also possible to mix colors by accident after the wash. Make sure you don’t dry different colors together, and never put a slipcover on a sofa before it’s completely dry.
Do Not Bleach
Perfectly white slipcovers are a dream. But not many people know that the only way to get this dream is to choose the desired color from the very beginning and to care for it properly. You might think that you could just bleach your slipcover, but the truth is you might end up ruining it. First, polyester blends often turn yellowish when bleached, and not in a consistent way. The harshness of chloride (found in standard bleach) also weakens the fabric’s fibers, and Spandex damages especially easily, losing its stretch.
So how do you maintain a white slipcover color?
First, note that washing in hot water is not the solution either (see above). Now, please hear us out carefully. Even though it says “No Bleach,” which definitely applies to chloride bleaches, you can actually use an oxygen bleach (essentially a mix of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide) to make your slipcover white again. But proceed at your own risk; we’re not recommending any particular brand, so please be careful. Always test the bleach on a small, hidden part of the slipcover first to make sure it works.
Our slipcover fabric is sensitive to laundry products, so always choose products carefully while consulting the care instructions.
Tumble Dry Low
We think the “Tumble Dry Low” setting is a true God’s blessing; our slipcovers can be dried on a low temperature setting and won’t shrink. We also suggest air drying them — just avoid any clothespins or narrow clotheslines, to prevent undue stretching.
Do Not Iron
If all of the previous cleaning steps were properly followed, you won’t need to iron your slipcover at all. However, if there are still any wrinkles left, you can use a garment steamer — just don’t get too close to the fabric to avoid the high temperature consequences.
