---
title: "Machine washable velvet cushion covers: 86°F, gentle cycle"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/velvet-cushion-cover-machine-washable/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-01-12"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "machine washable velvet cushion cover, how to wash velvet cushion cover, velvet cushion spill, velvet stain repellent, velvet bench cushion care"
---

# Can velvet cushion covers go in the washing machine?

*Velvet has a reputation for fragility it does not quite deserve. The covers unzip, and the washer is allowed, as long as you keep it cool and gentle.*

Also asked as: Are all of these fabrics machine washable, even the velvet?; Won't washing velvet ruin it?

> **The quick answer:** Yes: velvet cushion covers unzip with a hidden zipper and are machine washable at 86°F (30°C) maximum on a gentle cycle, the same care as every other fabric in the range. Blot a spill quickly with a dry cloth. The velvet has no stain-repellent coating, so the removable, washable cover is its protection.

![Aqua and white awning stripe seat cushion with two solid seafoam box back cushions on a teak bench in a paved courtyard](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/aqua-stripe-seat-seafoam-box-backrest-teak-bench-1600.webp "Wide awning stripes run front to back across a deep box seat, topped by two plain seafoam back cushions on a teak courtyard bench.")

## Key facts

- Velvet covers come off with a hidden zipper.
- Velvet is machine washable at 86°F (30°C) maximum on a gentle cycle.
- Blot velvet spills quickly with a dry cloth, before they soak in.
- The velvet has no stain-repellent coating.
- No dry-cleaning instructions are given; the 86°F (30°C) gentle wash is the recommended care.
- Air drying is best; if you use a dryer, choose the low setting only.
- On a standard 4 in (10 cm) cushion, the hidden zipper sits on the back edge or the underside.
- The velvet is a heavy upholstery grade, at least 7.4 oz/yd² (250 g/m²).
- Creases from packing fade in about 1-2 weeks; a steamer or a low iron speeds that up.

## Washing a velvet cover, start to finish

1. **Unzip the cover**: Open the [hidden zipper](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#hidden-zipper) and slide the foam out.
2. **Wash cool and gentle**: 86°F (30°C) at most, on a gentle cycle.
3. **Dry without heat**: Air drying is best. If you use a dryer, low setting only, never high heat.

## What protects velvet, if not a coating

My friends, the protection here is the zipper. [Velvet](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/) on these covers has no stain-repellent finish, so the plan is simple: blot a spill at once with a dry cloth, and if a mark stays, unzip and wash.

There are no dry-cleaning instructions for the velvet; the cool, gentle wash is the recommended care, though a professional cleaner can assess the fabric if you prefer. For everything else, from creases to shading, read [velvet bench cushion care](https://cushionguide.com/guides/velvet-bench-cushion-care/) and [how to wash cushion covers](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-wash-cushion-covers/), or browse the [bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/).

## Where the washer rule stops

- ✗ **Tufted velvet cushions:** stitched through with buttons, so the cover doesn't come off; spot clean instead.
- ✗ **High dryer heat:** low setting only, or air dry.
- ✗ **Warm washes:** nothing above 86°F (30°C).

> **Tailor's margin:** A velvet cushion cover can go in the washer: unzip it, wash at 86°F (30°C) or cooler on a gentle cycle, and let it air dry.

> Velvet cushion covers have no stain-repellent coating, so the protection is the zipper: blot a spill with a dry cloth, then wash the cover at 86°F.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Are the covers removable and machine washable, even the velvet ones?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. All covers come off with a hidden zipper and are machine washable, velvet included. Wash below 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle.

**A common question:** Something got spilled on my velvet. Is there a stain repellent, and can it be dry-cleaned?

**The workshop's answer:** Blot it quickly with a dry cloth, or unzip the cover and wash it at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle. There's no stain-repellent coating, and no dry-cleaning instructions, though a professional cleaner could assess the fabric.

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

**The workshop's answer:** No. Tufted cushions are stitched through with buttons, so the cover stays on; spot clean instead. For a washable cover, order the untufted version with a zippered cover and piping.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Will a machine wash ruin the velvet pile?

Buyers ask this often, and the answer has been consistent: 86°F (30°C) or cooler on a gentle cycle is fine for the velvet covers. Keep the water cool and skip high dryer heat.

### What is the quickest fix for a spill on velvet?

Blot it right away with a dry cloth, before it soaks in. If a mark stays, unzip the cover and machine wash it at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle.

### Is professional cleaning an option for velvet covers?

No dry-cleaning instructions are given for the velvet; the cool, gentle machine wash is the recommended care. If you prefer a professional, a cleaner can assess the fabric first.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can I take the cover off a tufted cushion to wash it?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/tufted-cushion-cover-removable-washable/): No, a tufted cushion's cover can't be removed or machine washed, because the buttons are stitched through the cover and the filling together; it is spot clean only.
- [Can I iron my cushion covers to get the shipping creases out?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/iron-cushion-covers-remove-shipping-creases/): Yes, you can remove creases from cushion covers with steam or an iron on a low setting, and shipping creases also fade on their own over time.
- [Velvet Bench Cushion in Navy with Ivory Welt Top and Bottom](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-velvet-box-cushion-double-ivory-welt-detail/): Spend on the parts you cannot change later: foam cut exactly to the cover, and piping on both the top and bottom seams so a velvet bench cushion can be flipped to share the wear.
- [Bench Cushion in Gray Hibiscus Print With Black Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/monochrome-hibiscus-print-cushion-black-piping-closeup/): To style a monochrome print bench cushion, keep every prop inside the print's palette and allow one warm note and one green.
- [Mustard Bouclé Bench Cushion: Where to Spend, Where to Save](https://cushionguide.com/readings/mustard-boucle-bench-pad-overhead-sage-cream-pillows/): For an entryway bench cushion, spend on the fabric you touch every day and save on thickness, extra pillows and trims.
- [How do I clean a tufted cushion if it can't go in the washer?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/how-to-clean-tufted-cushion/): Clean a tufted cushion in place, by hand: wipe the surface gently with a damp cloth, and use a little mild soap and water for marks.
- [Velvet bench cushions: how the pile behaves and how to care for it](https://cushionguide.com/guides/velvet-bench-cushion-care/)
- [Tufted bench cushion or plain? Buttons, looks and washability](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-vs-plain-cushions/)

*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/velvet-cushion-cover-machine-washable/