How do you soften velvet fabric?

Velvet is a woven, tufted fabric famous for its soft feel and luxurious appearance. They are made on a special loom, from various fibres like silk or wool. Two layers of the fibre receive concurrent weaving. These two layers are then cut apart. The cut threads of velvet distribute evenly in a short, dense, upright pile. This gives the fabric a soft and smooth texture.

With frequent use, the softness of velvet may disappear. Its pile may also tangle or mattify. Thankfully, there are simple treatments you can do at home to refresh its nap. Restoring the fabric’s softness is easy as long as it is not too damaged. Before doing any of the techniques below, make sure to check the material’s care instruction. Most synthetic velvets are more hardwearing than those made from natural fibres.

The following are simple tricks to bring your velvet furniture back to its glory:

1. Steaming
If you are an avid velvet user, you probably know that steaming is one of the ways you can clean a velvet piece. Steaming is not only helpful in removing stains; it is also useful in reducing fabric compression. Velvet fabric has a higher pile which is prone to crushing. This appears as a white mark or a crease. Compression is often the result of long periods of pressure on the fabric.

If you have a steamer at home, you can steam out the cloth’s creases. Otherwise, you can use the steam setting on your iron to do this treatment. Remember to use the low-heat setting to prevent damaging your velvet fabric. Also, moving in the opposite direction of the pile releases the wrinkles.

Every upholstery fabric has a care manual. Only proceed with steaming if your velvet has a “W” code.

2. Vacuuming
Vacuum treatment is another method to clean and refresh the pile of velvet furniture. Vacuuming lifts the fibres up back to its upraised position. This technique is especially effective with the help of a special attachment devised for vacuuming upholstery.

Simply run the vacuum across the fabric until the pilling is gone. Some vacuum cleaners have a strong suction power which can distort and crush the nap of a fabric. Hence, you should avoid using those on your velvet furniture.

3. Brushing
Weekly brushing lifts the pile of the velvet fabric. This gives the furniture a neat, uniform appearance. Use a soft brush to avoid damaging the material. Remember to brush in the direction that will result in your preferred appearance. Velvet fabric has the tendency to change its colour based on the nap’s direction.

Aside from velvet, there are other soft upholstery fabrics that you may love. Try reupholstering your favourite chairs with microfiber, suede, or satin.

Yorkshire Fabric Shop offers a wide range of velvet and other upholstery fabrics. Visit our website to choose from 100s of our stunning collection. You can order on our website www.yorkshirefabricshop.com or come and visit us in our Yorkshire based store.