Corduroy has been a popular fashion textile for decades, shifting from workwear to streetwear in recent years. It’s a thick, sturdy fabric great for furniture making and clothing.
Corduroy is a robust fabric that keeps you warm without compromising your appearance. Unfortunately, the texture of corduroy makes it prone to absorbing spills and smells and clings onto dirt and food.
So you might wonder how to clean your favorite corduroy jacket or pillowcase without ruining its texture and appearance. We’ve collated the best methods and practices for cleaning corduroy without ruining it. Keep reading to learn how.
You can machine wash corduroy, as long as you do so on a cool, short cycle and do not overfill the drum. Avoid using the tumble dryer to prevent unnecessary wear and tear.
If you cannot machine wash the item, make a solution of Woolite and water and wipe down the item. Afterward, brush the corduroy in the direction of the nap to fluff up the pile.
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Can You Machine Wash Corduroy?
Most types of corduroy are machine washable; it’s more about the type of item or garment. If you have a small enough pillowcase or clothing garment that can fit in the washing machine, then go for it.
However, there are a few things you need to bear in mind when machine washing corduroy:
- Make sure the item is safe for the washing machine. For example, structured corduroy, such as jackets, shouldn’t be machine washed. Structured jackets will lose their shape in the washer and should instead be spot cleaned or dry-cleaned.
- Refer to the label first. The care guide should give you instructions about temperature and potentially even detergent type.
- Select a cool wash. Most care guides will recommend this, but if you don’t have any washing directions, opt for a cool wash. The dye in corduroy tends to run when exposed to heat. Cool water will limit this.
Wash with similar colored garments to avoid any accidents. A further precaution you can take if washing the corduroy garment for the first time is adding a tablespoon of salt to the wash. For light-colored corduroy, this may not be necessary.
- Choose a low and short spin speed to reduce creasing and excessive damage. Lots of abrasion and movement will wear down the corduroy faster and damage the pile. A short cycle should be adequate to clean the item.
- Refrain from over-filling the machine, as you may end up crushing the pile of corduroy. Instead, leave room for the item to move in the machine.
- Turn the item inside out when washing, and do up the buttons and/or zips. This will protect the corduroy while still allowing it to be properly washed.
- Do not wash the corduroy with any other garments that produce lint. Corduroy is clingy and thick, and lint will latch on immediately. So avoid washing corduroy with towels, fleeces, woolen jumpers, or anything similar.
How Do I Dry Corduroy? Can I Use the Tumble Dryer?
In the washing process, we are trying to avoid abrasion and heat. The tumble dryer is, therefore, not safe for corduroy. So instead, air-dry the garments.
For the best results, fix the garment before allowing it to try. By this, we mean smoothing out the seams and pockets and manipulating the garment to look as you want it. Then, hang it up to air dry, ideally outside.
After washing and drying, if you notice the pile has lost some volume, don’t panic. Instead, grab a soft brush and gently brush the pile while it’s still damp to revive it.
How to Wash Corduroy Upholstery
To wash corduroy upholstery, you may be unable to remove the corduroy sleeve, and machine wash it. Instead, you will have to wash it by hand. Corduroy upholstery can get dirty quickly, so it’s a good idea to learn how to care for it, so you can tend to it regularly.
What you’ll need:
- Water.
- Baking soda.
- Dish soap (optional)
- A sponge.
- A cloth or cleaning brush.
Follow these steps to clean your corduroy upholstery:
- In a bowl, combine water and baking soda. Add enough of each ingredient to make a thick paste. If you’re dealing with an oily stain, add a few drops of dish soap to help cut through the grease.
- Apply the mixture to the stain with a soft cloth, sponge, or brush.
- Work the mixture into the stain, scrubbing gently.
- Then, remove the cleaning products with a damp cloth. Rinse the cloth out and continue dabbing until the solution and the stain are gone.
- Dap with a clean cloth to remove excess moisture.
Another top tip for corduroy upholstery maintenance is to sprinkle a little baking soda onto the item every week or two. Baking soda absorbs liquids, grease, and bad odors. Leave the baking soda to sit for an hour or two, then vacuum it up.
How to Remove Stains from Corduroy Clothing or Upholstery
If you have stubborn marks or stains on your corduroy, you can use some washing detergent to get rid of them.
What you’ll need:
- Washing detergent.
- Water.
- A bowl.
- A cloth.
Steps to remove stains from corduroy:
- In a bowl, combine some dry washing detergent with water to make a thick paste.
- Smear the paste directly onto the stain and leave it to sit for a few minutes.
- Dampen a cloth and dap the cleaning solution into the stain. Continue doing this until the stain has largely disappeared.
- Then scrape the solution off and clean the area with a damp cloth.
If you don’t have powder washing detergent, you can dap liquid detergent directly onto the stain and follow the same steps.
How to Clean Corduroy Upholstery
If you’re looking to refresh an entire corduroy sofa or armchair, the above method is a little unnecessary. Instead, gather the following ingredients:
- A vacuum.
- Woolite liquid.
- A cloth.
Follow these steps to clean your corduroy upholstery:
- First, vacuum as much dirt and debris as possible with a vacuum.
- Mix a tablespoon of Woolite liquid with a gallon of water, and saturate with a cloth. Wring it out, and wipe a small hidden area of the sofa to check that it doesn’t damage the item. If it looks good, continue wiping down the entire piece.
- Then, brush the item with a soft-bristled brush to revive the pile.
How to Remove Lint from Corduroy
Even if you don’t wash corduroy with lint-producing garments, lint can still find its way onto your clothing. It can be unaesthetic and ruin the look of your corduroy. Lint is the enemy of many clothing garments, but there are a few easy to remove it.
- Use a lint roller or sticky tape. You may already have a lint roller lying around the house, but if not, grab some sticky tape and dab the lint off the clothing. It should stick to the tape and quickly lift from the garment.
- If lint is still lingering, place the garment in the washing machine with ½ cup of distilled white vinegar. Then, switch the machine onto a cool rinse cycle. Vinegar is a miracle cleaning agent, and it should encourage the fibers of the corduroy to release the lint.
- If lint still remains, place the garment in the tumble dryer and run a cool, quick-drying cycle. Place a few microfiber cloths alongside the garment, so the lint has something to stick to other than the corduroy. Remove the garment before it’s fully dry to allow the garment to revert to its correct shape while a little damp.
- Finally, after all these stages, you can go over the garment again with a lint roller or some sticky tape. Hopefully, these steps are enough to restore your garment back to its former glory.
Corduroy is super prone to attracting lint, so we suggest investing in a lint roller for ease and peace of mind. Check out the link below to buy some.
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To Summarize
Corduroy is a resilient fabric that can last years, decades even. However, certain cleaning habits can trash it quickly. If you can machine wash the corduroy, do so on a cool, short cycle.
Additionally, do not pack the drum too full. After washing, leave the garment somewhere to air-dry and avoid using the tumble dryer. To wash corduroy upholstery, make a solution of Woolite and water and wipe down the ensure piece.
Finish off by brushing the corduroy with a soft-bristled brush to revive the pile. And et voila, your corduroy should be clean and fresh in no time!