Like any other mattress cover, futon covers also help the mattress surface to stay clean. But while keeping the mattress surface clean, it gets dirty.
Therefore, covers are needed to be clean. So if you are owing futon mattresses, it is obvious that you will certainly think are your futon covers are washable like others or not.
Can Futon Covers Be Washed?
Futon covers are thick material made sheets and they are both hand and machine washable. Gently wash these covers by hand or machine with cold water and mild detergent. But don’t use hot water to wash them. And if these covers are used frequently, these can be washed a few times in a month.
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Generally, futon mattress covers are made of thick fabrics. And most of them are washable either by hands or washing machine. Futon covers needed to be cleaned very gently using mild detergent and cold water. However, never use warm or hot water to wash futon covers.
If the covers are used on an everyday basis then they need to be cleaned/washed a few times a month. So that dirt, the stain doesn’t stay on the cover surface.
How To Wash Futon Cover
Cleaning your futon covers can be tricky but if you adopt the proper cleaning method then it becomes easier. Therefore, a step-by-step guide to clean your futon covers has been described below, where you will get to knowledge about the cleaning process of both IKEA and white futon covers as well.
Vacuum Your Futon To Clean The Mattress
First, you need to clean your futon mattress by vacuuming it. Unfold it and remove the frame first then run a vacuum cleaner over the mattress to clean dirt, dust, hairs, and other residues.
Use a nozzle or brush to clean the tight corners to clean residues. Then, flip the other side and clean in the same way.
Deodorize With Baking Soda
Over time futons start to smell bad because of sweat, spilled food or drinks, or moisture. So to remove the bad smell, sprinkle baking soda on the mattress and leave for an hour to sit. Then with a vacuum cleaner clean the soda over the mattress.
Stain Cleaning
If your futon cover can not be dry cleaned or you just want to remove the spot without taking the whole cover then after deodorize do stain cleaning.
Fill up a bowl with cold water and mild detergent and let it dissolve. Then dip a sponge, squeeze out the excess water and rub it onto the stain.
Then wipe it off with a clean towel to remove any detergent residue. Also, use a paper towel to stack up excess water.
Hand wash/ Machine wash
In this step either you can take off the whole cover and wash it by hands or using the machine. Or you can remove the stain first then clean it.
After vacuuming, deodorizing, and cleaning spots(optional), remorse the futon cover and give it a gentle hand wash using just cold water and mild detergent and dry it under sunlight.
Or put it into the machine and ensure that it doesn’t fold much. Then add detergent(non-bleach product) and let it wash in cold water in two-cycle. Then place it in the dryer and give a good spin. Then let it air dry.
Clean The Frame
You must clean the frame as well to avoid latching dust and mold build-up under the futon. Clean the frame with a dusting solution(if wooden frame) or clean it with a damp washcloth(if it’s a metal frame). Don’t use dusting solution on the metal frame as it can cause corrosion.
All of these five steps can be used to clean both a white futon cover and an IKEA fabric futon cover.
And an additional step is here for you if you are using an IKEA leather futon mattress sofa-bed.
Apply Leather Cream
If the futon cover is leather made then after removing stains apply leather cream to moisture the leather up. So that it keeps looking new for a long period. Keep in mind that leather covers are non-removable so you can’t take them off the mattresses.
How To Wash A Suede Futon Or A Microfiber Cover?
Suede futon mattresses are microfiber made so the cover is more stain and water-resistant than typical futon covers. And the process of washing it is similar to washing fabric it leather futon covers. However, the long process is given in short here.
To wash up your suede futon or microfiber cover, first, you should choose a suitable cleaning solution as per the code written on the mattress tag.
If it requires a water-based solution, you will find “W” written on it. If it’s a solvent-based solution then you will see “S” written on. And if “W-S” is written then you can use any of them.
Then vacuum your futon mattress to remove dust and residues. After that use the chosen cleaning solution on it. Use cold water and mild detergent as water-based cleansers and ribbing alcohol as solvent-based cleaners.
After cleaning the stains, soak up excess liquid with a clean washcloth and paper towel to blot up the extra liquid/detergent residue.
Lastly, dry it fully for about 20 minutes or more. And you are done with washing your suede futon or microfiber cover.
How Do You Clean A Futon Cover Without Taking It Off?
There are some non-removable futon covers that need proper cleansing and care too. If you have such a futon cover and getting perplexed about how to clean it as there is not taking off option.
So then here is the step-by-step guide for you to know the proper cleansing method of such non-removable futon covers.
Clean It With A Vacuum Cleaner
For regular cleaning, you can just run a vacuum over the cover. It will remove dust, dirt, hair or fur, or any kind of debris from the covers.
Deep Cleansing With Steam Cleaner
If you want to give your non-removable futon cover a deep cleaning then use a steam cleaner. A steam cleaner uses its heat to decontaminate the covers as well as deodorize them. After that, Damien, your cover a little and dry it fully under sunlight or ceiling fan.
Remove stains
After giving it a vacuum cleaning or a steam cleaning, if there is any stain you need to remove them.
For non-stubborn stains, you can use the scoop and dab method. Scoop up remaining solids/liquids with a spoon. Blot it with a dry white cloth. Then dab the stained area with a dampened cloth.
For stubborn stains, mix cold water and mild detergent( without bleach). Take a sponge moisten in that mixture and gently rub the area to clean it. Then wipe off the soap water residue with a dry towel and soak up extra water.
Use the sponge after remoisten with clean water to rinse and remove all soap thoroughly. And blot with a paper towel to soak up excess water. Lastly, air-dry it fully.
Deodorizing
To vanish bad odor you can use a mixture of baking soda and water to deodorize your covers. Just leave the mixture in the stained area for 5-10 minutes and then wipe it off thoroughly with a damp cloth. Also, you can use fabric deodorizing spray as an alternative.
How To Remove A Futon Cover?
To take the cover off your futon, first, you have to take it off the sofa/bed frame. Then it will be easier for you to remove the cover. Most of the futons come as zipped cover, so unzip the cover from inside. And pull it off slowly from your futon mattress.
There are some buttoned futon covers too and it’s quite tricky to remove them. For a buttoned futon cover, just pop off the buttons and unclose the cover from a certain side.
But before doing that, get your mattress off the frame as you will get enough space for unbuttoning it and remove gently.
How Much Does It Cost To Dry Clean A Futon Cover?
If you want to dry clean your futon cover by a professional then you have to count just $5-$10 to dry clean your futon cover. Because washing machine will do the maximum job so they don’t charge much.
However, if you have a non-removable futon cover then you have to spend quite a lot. For steam cleaning, it will cost up to $100-$200 by a professional.
And if you have a leather futon cover which non-removable too, then to dry clean it as a whole, it will cost around $200-$500 on average. Because it requires delicate cleaning and since none removable, it needs to be clean as an entire sofa-bed.
How Do You Dry A Futon Cover?
You can dry your futon cover in three simple steps.
- First, soak up all excess water residue by dabbing a paper towel or a dry towel.
- Then, place it under a fan for air-drying or use a dehumidifier directly.
- But the quickest step is to dry these covers under sunlight; it will remove extra moisture and will get rid of bacteria.
Most of the futon covers are washable, as long as you have made your own button covers or using a zipped cover. However, button futon covers are difficult to remove but they are washable too.
And non-removable Futon covers can not be washed. You have to adopt a dry cleaning method which means you only can clean them by vacuuming or steam cleaning method. In that case, you can use an extra sheet above the futon mattress so that you don’t get to go through the drycleaning hassle very often.