---
title: "How to Wash a Tufted Cushion When the Cover Won't Come Off"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/clean-tufted-cushion-non-removable-cover/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-02-12"
updated: "2026-02-12"
keywords: "how to wash tufted cushion, tufted cushion cover removable, clean tufted floor cushion, tufted vs zippered cushion, washable cushion covers"
---

# How do I wash a tufted cushion if the cover doesn't come off?

*The buttons are the charm and the catch, my friends. A tufted cushion is one sewn piece, so it is cleaned as one piece. Here it is, set beside its zippered cousin.*

Also asked as: is it possible to remove the cover and wash it; is the cover washable

> **The quick answer:** Wash a tufted cushion by spot-cleaning it gently by hand with a cloth, or put the whole cushion in the washing machine if it fits. The cover can't come off: the tufting is sewn through the filling, so fabric and fill are one piece with no zipper. For a removable cover, choose a non-tufted foam cushion.

![Denim blue faceted bay window seat cushion on a white paneled base with linen and check pillows and a brass lamp](https://cushionguide.com/media/bay-window-cushions/faceted-denim-blue-bay-cushion-victorian-terrace-1600.webp "A denim blue cushion shaped to a three-sided bay, with pillows and a brass lamp gathered at the reading end.")

## Key facts

- Tufted cushions are 100% handmade, with the tufting sewn through the filling.
- Fabric and filling form one piece, so there is no zipper and the cover can't be removed.
- Clean a tufted cushion gently by hand with a cloth.
- If the whole cushion fits in your washing machine, it can be washed entire.
- Non-tufted, foam-filled cushions can have removable zippered covers.
- Tufted cushions are sold filled only; empty covers come as plain, non-tufted zippered covers.
- Tufted floor cushions are normally 4-5 in (10-12 cm) thick and packed with siliconized polyester fiber, not foam.
- Zippered covers on non-tufted cushions machine wash at 86°F (30°C) or below, inside out, on a gentle cycle.
- Tufted cushions can't be made as thin as 1 in (2.5 cm).

## Tufted or zippered: how each one gets clean

|   | Tufted cushion | Non-tufted foam cushion |
|---|---|---|
| Cover comes off | [no] Tufting is sewn through the filling | [yes] With a zipper |
| Everyday cleaning | Gently by hand with a cloth | Unzip the cover to wash it |
| Machine wash | The whole cushion, if it fits your machine | The cover on its own |
| Zipper | None | On the edge you choose |
| Empty cover to fill yourself | [no] Sold filled only | [yes] As a plain zippered cover |

## Why the cover stays on

Needle tufting draws thread through the fabric and the filling together, 100% by hand, and the buttons hold the join. Fabric and fill become one piece, with no zipper to open.

That is also where the beauty lives: each dimple holds a small pool of shadow, and the fabric catches the light on every rise. The eye sits down first. If you would rather wash covers often, read [tufted or plain cushions](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-vs-plain-cushions/) before you choose. Which matters more in your room, the shadows or the washing machine?

## Cleaning a tufted cushion, gently

1. **Work by hand**: Clean the cushion gently by hand with a cloth, working around the buttons. The [tufted cushion care pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-cushion-care-buttons-cleaning/) has more.
2. **Check your machine**: If the whole cushion fits inside your washing machine, it can be washed entire.
3. **Plan the next one**: For covers that come off, order a non-tufted, foam-filled cushion with a [zippered cover](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#zippered-cover).

> **Tailor's margin:** A tufted cushion is one sewn piece: the cover never comes off. Clean it gently with a cloth, or wash the whole cushion if it fits your machine.

> Buttons on a tufted cushion are sewn through the filling, so fabric and fill are one piece. For washable covers, choose a zippered, non-tufted cushion.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can I take the cover off my tufted cushion to wash it?

**The workshop's answer:** No. Tufted cushions are 100% handmade and sewn closed with no zipper, so the cover can't be removed. If the whole cushion fits in your machine, you can wash it entirely.

**A common question:** Are the covers on your tufted floor cushions removable?

**The workshop's answer:** No. They're hand-sewn with needle tufting through the filling, so fabric and fill form one piece. Clean them gently by hand with a cloth; for removable covers, choose foam-filled cushions with zippers instead.

**A common question:** Can I buy an empty cover for a tufted cushion and fill it myself?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, as a plain, non-tufted zippered cover in your sizes. Tufted cushions are sold filled only, because the tufting goes through the filling; for a tufted look you'd add the buttons yourself.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Why doesn't a tufted cushion have a zipper?

Because the tufting stitches pass through the cover and the filling together, joining them into one piece. A zipper would open a cover that can't be separated from its filling anyway.

### Which is easier to keep clean, tufted or zippered?

For frequent washing, zippered. A non-tufted cushion's cover comes off for the machine, while a tufted cushion is cleaned by hand with a cloth, or washed whole only if it fits your machine.

### Can I choose where the zipper goes on a non-tufted cushion?

Yes. Name the edge, such as the long back edge, or a long side so the cushion can be flipped, and the zipper is sewn there. Say so in your order note.

## Related at the atelier

- [Do tufted floor cushions have a zipper or removable cover?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/tufted-floor-cushion-removable-cover/): No: tufted floor cushions have no zipper or removable cover, because they are filled, tufted with buttons that pass through the filling, then hand-stitched closed.
- [Which cushion fabric is easiest to clean with kids?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/easiest-to-clean-cushion-fabric-kids/): The easiest cushion fabric to clean with kids is any of the common ones, because every cover unzips and machine washes at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle.
- [Which cushion fabric is easiest to clean with kids and pets?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/easy-clean-cushion-fabric-kids-pets/): Indoors, the workshop's soft fabric is the easiest to live with: a durable, smooth poly-cotton that resists wear in busy rooms, doesn't collect dust or lint and cleans easily.
- [Tufted bench cushion or plain? Buttons, looks and washability](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-vs-plain-cushions/): Choose a tufted bench cushion for a hand-finished, sculpted look, and a plain zippered foam cushion if the cover must come off for washing.
- [Custom Throw Pillows in Jacquard and Bouclé: How Each Feels](https://cushionguide.com/readings/arch-jacquard-caramel-boucle-pillow-pair-oak-table/): A flat jacquard and a looped bouclé make a good pair of custom throw pillows because they feel opposite: one smooth and graphic, one curly and soft.
- [Custom Throw Pillow Covers Up Close: What to Measure, What Not](https://cushionguide.com/readings/geometric-jacquard-pillow-cream-piping-macro/): To size a custom pillow cover, measure the insert flat from seam to seam, not the old cover, and leave the piping out, because the cord sits on the seam and adds nothing.
- [How to wash removable cushion covers without shrinking them](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-wash-cushion-covers/)

*With color and care — Élodie*

---

Written by Élodie Marchand (https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/clean-tufted-cushion-non-removable-cover/