How Do You Wash Cushion Covers Without Ruining Them?
Short answer. To wash cushion covers safely, take the insert out, close the zip, turn the cover inside out and machine wash at 30°C on a gentle cycle with a mild liquid detergent. Reshape the cover while damp and line dry or dry flat. Velvet, bouclé and faux fur need a cool wash, a low spin and no tumble dryer.
By Snoozyn · Updated October 2026
Cushion covers take more handling than almost anything else in a living room. They get leaned on, sat on and dragged onto the floor. Most wash well at home, as long as you treat the fabric rather than the stain.
This guide goes fabric by fabric and covers the mistakes that cause shrinking and flattened pile.
Key takeaways
- Always check the care label first, because the fibre blend decides the temperature and the drying method.
- Most cotton, linen and hemp cotton covers wash at 30°C on a gentle cycle.
- Velvet, bouclé and faux fur covers should be washed inside out in cool water with a low spin.
- Heat from a tumble dryer is the most common cause of shrunken covers and flattened pile.
- Put the cover back on the insert while it is very slightly damp so it dries to the right shape.
How do you wash cushion covers in a washing machine?
To wash cushion covers in a washing machine, remove the insert, close the zip, turn the cover inside out and use a 30°C gentle cycle with a mild liquid detergent. A low spin and a half-empty drum stop creasing.
The order matters more than the detergent.
- Read the label. It names the fibres and the highest safe temperature.
- Remove the insert. Never wash a cover with the pad still inside.
- Close the zip. An open zip snags the cover and anything else in the load.
- Turn it inside out. This protects embroidery, jacquard floats, tassels and the pile on velvet.
- Use a laundry bag for tassels and fringes. A mesh bag stops them knotting around other items.
- Wash with similar colours. Rust and navy can lose a little dye at first.
- Choose 30°C, gentle, low spin.
- Reshape at once. Pull the seams straight and smooth the corners before drying.
What temperature should you wash cushion covers at?
Thirty degrees suits almost every cushion cover. Plant fibres such as cotton, linen, hemp and ramie are fine at 30°C; pile fabrics and wool blends prefer a cool wash of 20°C or a hand wash.
Hotter is rarely better: 40°C or 60°C fades dyed yarns and can shrink linen and hemp blends. For a light mark, spot clean instead. Dab, do not rub, with a damp cloth and a drop of detergent.
Typical settings by fabric (the label has the final word):
| Fabric | Wash | Dry | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton, cotton linen | 30°C gentle | Line dry | Medium, inside out |
| Linen viscose, lyocell linen | 30°C gentle | Line dry | Warm while damp |
| Hemp or ramie cotton | 30°C gentle | Line dry | Medium while damp |
| Velvet (polyester) | 20–30°C, low spin | Dry flat | Steam from reverse |
| Bouclé (polyester-led) | 20°C, low spin | Dry flat | Do not iron |
| Faux fur (polyester) | 20°C or hand wash | Dry flat | Do not iron |
| Wool viscose tweed | Hand wash or dry clean | Dry flat | Low, with a cloth |
How do you wash velvet, bouclé and faux fur cushion covers?
Wash velvet, bouclé and faux fur covers inside out, on a cool wash or hand wash, with a low spin and no fabric conditioner. Dry them flat, then brush or shake the pile back up.
Heat and friction crush all three surfaces: velvet gets pale flattened patches, bouclé loops pull, faux fur mats. Fabric conditioner makes faux fur look greasy, so leave it out.
Once almost dry, steam velvet lightly from the reverse and brush it in one direction. Shake faux fur hard and tease matted areas apart with a wide-tooth comb. Bouclé just needs a shake and a reshape. Our rust velvet covers with a washed finish already have a softened, slightly broken surface, so small pile marks blend in rather than standing out.
Can cushion covers go in the tumble dryer?
Most cushion covers should not go in the tumble dryer. Heat shrinks cotton and linen, melts the tips of polyester pile, and sets creases. Line drying or drying flat is safer for every fabric.
If a label allows it, use the lowest heat for ten minutes and finish on the line. Dry out of direct sunlight and off a hot radiator, which can leave a stiff, faded stripe.
How do you stop cushion covers shrinking or losing their shape?
To stop cushion covers shrinking, wash at 30°C or below, skip the tumble dryer, and put the cover back on its insert while it is still very slightly damp. The insert holds the cover at full size as it dries.
A cover that has crept a little smaller often eases back if you dampen it and stretch it over the pad. Linen and hemp blends shrink most on the first wash, then settle.
Shape also depends on the insert. A pad 5 cm larger than the cover keeps the corners full. Our microfibre-filled cushion inserts are sold separately in 40×40, 45×45, 50×50, 60×60 and 30×50 cm, which lets you size up. For the details of matching pads to covers, see our guide to cushion numbers and sizes for a sofa.
Which Snoozyn cushion covers are easiest to keep clean?
The plain cotton and cotton linen covers in our range are the simplest to wash; velvet, bouclé and faux fur take a little more care.
All of our cushion covers are sold as covers only, in sets of 2 or 3, so you can keep a spare set in rotation while one is in the wash. Among the easiest to look after are the ribbed jacquard cotton covers and the natural linen cotton check covers, whose pattern hides everyday marks. For textured pieces that want gentler handling, the grey bouclé covers are polyester-led and take a cool wash well. Our article on choosing a cushion cover fabric compares each one in more detail, and if you are washing throws at the same time, see washing a throw blanket by fibre.
Frequently asked questions
Can you wash cushion covers with the zip open?
No. Close the zip before washing. An open zip can catch on the cover itself and on other items in the drum, pulling threads and bending the zip teeth. Turning the cover inside out with the zip closed protects both the fabric and the fastening.
How often should you wash cushion covers?
For covers in everyday use on a family sofa, every four to eight weeks is typical, with spot cleaning in between. Covers that are mostly for show can go a season between washes. A good shake and an airing outdoors freshens them between cleans.
Should you iron cushion covers?
Iron cotton, linen and hemp blends inside out while slightly damp on a medium setting. Steam velvet from the reverse without pressing. Never iron bouclé or faux fur, as the heat flattens the loops and can melt synthetic pile.
Can you wash cushion covers with tassels?
Yes, as long as you turn the cover inside out and put it in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle. Comb the tassels straight with your fingers while they are damp, and trim any stray threads once they are dry.
Why has my cushion cover faded after washing?
Fading usually comes from washing too hot, using a detergent with bleach or optical brighteners, or drying in strong sunlight. Use 30°C or below, a colour-safe liquid detergent, and dry in the shade or indoors to keep colours deep.
Can you wash cushion covers and throws together?
You can if they share a fibre, colour group and care label, for example two cotton pieces at 30°C. Keep wool, faux fur and fringed items separate, and never overload the drum, because large throws stop smaller covers rinsing properly.
Shop the story
Plain cotton that washes easily at 30°C, in five shades. From £25.90.
