The Care and Keeping of Slipcovers

Back before home air conditioning was available, plastic or vinyl slipcovers were made for upholstered furniture during the summer months to protect it from sweat (and you thought your mom was just doing this to be annoying!). Slipcover tailors in the United  States were often referred to as ‘”Summer Millionaires” because of the high demand during the hot summer months. Since then, slipcovers have evolved into an industry of their own.

Most major furniture manufacturers, whether high-end or discount, offer many of their upholstered pieces with a slipcover option. Whether your sofa is soft and cushy with tons of ruffles or modern and edgy with clean lines, chances are there’s a slipcover just ready and waiting for it.

I’ve been using slipcovers for over two decades, and have learned the best ways to care for them and want to share that knowledge with you.

I have always had white slipcovered furniture (with one exception – when my husband – then boyfriend – bought a 20 piece sectional sofa that was brown plaid and it was so big we could not fit the whole thing in one room. I still have nightmares.)  My fabric of choice is heavy, white denim.  I have used less substantial fabrics, but they drastically cut back on the life of the slipcover. Repeated sitting, spot-cleaning, washing and stretching them to fit after cleaning breaks down the fibers in the seams. The sturdier the fabric, the longer your slipcovers will last.

 

{The cute slipcovered chairs on the right look awesome with the modern leather chesterfield sofa}

 

Custom made slipcovers are a bit more expensive than ready-made, but they will last much longer than those produced en masse. If you do opt to buy manufacturer’s pre-made slipcovers, always ask if they have been pre-washed.  Many upholstery fabrics have been treated with stain resistant chemicals that will wash off in the laundry and they MUST be dry-cleaned. If your slipcover says “dry clean only”, I would heed that advice.  If you have a stain you cannot remove, and you’ve gone against the recommended cleaning guidelines by washing it at home instead of dry-cleaning, chances are you will void any warranty that was included with your purchase.

 

{a lovely slipcovered ottoman/coffee table}

 

I have been singing the praises of my white slipcovers for years and for good reasons. Here are a few for “going to the white side:”

1.  No fading from the sun.  It is amazing what ambient UV light can do to fabric.  White does not fade.

2.  You can bleach away just about anything, from red wine to dirt, to jean dye that has rubbed off from new jeans (yep, I’ve experienced all of this).

3.  They always look clean and fresh, even with just a quick vacuuming.

Mine have been through 20 years of family life: from toddlers to pre-teens, teenagers to twenty-somethings, and survived. Are they flawless?  No.  But they are still extremely presentable and there are only two small spots on one cushion that I can’t get out and I think this might be leftovers from when my daughter tried to color them orange with a Sharpie. (Dad was on Mom Duty that day.)  It is best to purchase your fabric first, and wash and dry it several times. This will just about guarantee that there will be no shrinkage and it also breaks in the fabric nicely so it is soft and pliable.

Most fabric stores have tailors that work exclusively for them. This is how my slips were made.  A wonderful man came to my house and took all my furniture along with my pre-washed fabric. He returned everything several weeks later with custom made slipcovers that fit perfectly. Some tailors will measure your furniture at your home then make them in their studio. But for a truly custom fit, it’s best that the tailors have access to your furniture while they are sewing the slips.

Line the skirt (the bottom portion of your slip) whenever possible. This makes the skirt slightly stiffer and it will hold the shape nicely.  And you need a bit of extra “oomph” at the bottom because that area of the sofa will see the most abuse from shoes, dust, etc.

Include piping whenever possible, especially on seat cushions. Piping adds another two layers of protection: You have a regular seam which holds two pieces of fabric together – add some piping- and you have four layers of fabric and two seams.  Very tough to rip through.

 

Always use the best-quality zippers possible, preferably with large teeth.  I think the belief is that matching the color of the zipper to the fabric is the right thing to do – but those zippers are plastic and you should never use plastic zippers on slipcovers. There are many affordable metal ones made from brass or aluminum, and they will not show at all.  My slipcover zippers are similar to the one on the top right, except the teeth are silver.  They have never broken or bent and are in perfect condition.  I advise pre-washing these too – as some cotton tape on the zippers will shrink causing the fabric to bunch up.

Some tailors use buttons instead of zipper for chairs.  I think this is fantastic and I am a big fan of dressmaker details for slips. I don’t recommend them for larger pieces though.

 

{Love the gorgeous covered button details on this chair}

{and this chair}

 

 

 

{love these nautical themed slipcovers and how they have transformed these very plain and inexpensive bar stools}

 

Washing your Slipcovers

They key to keeping your slipcovers white and fresh is washing them every few months. The best products I have found for this are made by Rit.  When added to your washer, your slips will come out white and fresh looking. My two favorite are Rit Liquid Whitener and Brightener  and Rit Dye Powder Whitener and Brightener

Rit products have been around for decades and they are truly wonderful and affordable.  I add the powder or liquid (depends on which one I have on hand at the time) in addition to Oxi Clean and my regular detergent.  The slips come out of the wash looking brand new. If you have stains, I recommend spot treating with the diluted bleach option first.  The best stain remover I have come across is Club Soda (this is how I removed the red wine and orange Sharpie).  Sometimes I will just add Club Soda to the wash load. It is an amazing stain remover and brightener.

One of my favorite photos with freshly-washed slips: