How To Clean Your Fabric Headboard

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The headboard is often a statement piece in your bedroom. It’s beautiful, it looks fantastic and provides you with a comfy place to rest against, whilst enjoying your latest read or binging your favourite show. You want it to look its best for as long as possible, so regular cleaning is certainly recommended. 

However what do you do when you accidentally stain your fabric upholstered headboard? Well that depends on the fabric it’s been upholstered in and our guide is here to help you when it comes to the different cleaning techniques for a variety of popular headboard fabrics.

Vacuum & Remove Dust

The first step when cleaning any upholstered headboard is to grab the vacuum cleaner and attach the upholstery brush attachment. By vacuuming first, especially with this attachment, you’ll loosen up and remove all the surface dust, dirt and debris. Make sure you don’t rush this step, go slowly and remember to vacuum in all the crevices too. It’s recommended that you regularly carry out this step to keep your headboard clean and dust free.

Check The Care Label

The next step is to refer to any care labels or cleaning instructions either present on your upholstered headboard or that came with the headboard or bed when it was delivered. It’s important not to use any chemicals on the fabric that could damage the quality or appearance of the fabric. 

The tips included in this guide for each fabric type shouldn’t generally have any adverse affects, however it’s always recommended to check the care instructions before cleaning your upholstered headboard, no matter the material type. 

galaxy linen grey headboard

Cleaning Linen Upholstered Headboards

Linen is a very popular choice when it comes to upholstered headboards. It’s a fantastic natural material that has a lovely feel to it and it’s durable too. Its relaxed, timeless aesthetic looks great in any bedroom and there’s a wide variety of colours to choose from too. 

However, whilst it’s durable, it can be rather delicate when it comes to cleaning it, so it’s important to follow the correct steps when it comes to cleaning linen upholstered fabric. 

Once you’ve vacuumed your linen headboard, if there are no visible stains present, there’s generally no need to wash your linen fabric. Regular vacuuming will keep it clean enough. However if there are any visible stains from spillages or hair products for example, follow these steps to spot clean linen fabric headboards. 

Cleaning Tough Stains On Linen

Grab a clean cloth or kitchen roll to blot any stains to try and soak up any liquid present in the stain. This is especially important if the stain is fresh.

For tough looking stains, it could be a good idea to use baking soda on the stain to try and lift it. Create a paste by mixing water and a small amount of baking soda and first test it on an inconspicuous area, to minimise any accidental damage or discolouration to the fabric. 

If everything looks okay, apply the mix to the stain using a clean cloth or soft bristle brush. Once the paste has dried, gently wipe away any residue with a damp cloth. For really tough stains, you could also combine the baking soda paste with equal parts white vinegar and warm water, apply it to the stained area and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, before gently scrubbing and wiping it away. 

grey headboard and bed

Cleaning General Stains & Marks On Linen

For stains that look easier to remove or if you’d prefer not to use baking soda or white vinegar first or at all, create a solution made up of warm water and a mild detergent soap such as washing up liquid and blot the stain using a clean cloth instead. Ensuring to work from the outer edge of the stain inwards to ensure the stain doesn’t spread even further. 

Alternatively, you could use a specialist chemical cleaning solution for this, but it’s important to check it can be used on linen, as the last thing you want is to damage it in any way. Using a damp cloth with warm water and a small amount of washing up liquid should be more than suitable to clean stains from your linen headboard.

It’s always important to test any cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area first to minimise any potential damage to the fabric too. 

Cleaning Plush Velvet Upholstered Headboards

Plush velvet is another popular choice when it comes to upholstered fabrics. Its luxurious look and feel makes a real statement in your bedroom with its soft to the touch feel bringing comfort and cosiness whilst its distinctive sheen enhances any colour you choose. 

This luxurious fabric requires extra care and attention when cleaning it though due to its long pile weave which can be easily damaged, flattened or even pulled by the friction of cleaning it. So it’s important to follow the right steps when cleaning your plush velvet headboard.

Once you’ve vacuumed your plush velvet headboard as outlined in an earlier step, if there are no visible stains present, there’s generally no need to clean your plush fabric any further. Regular vacuuming with the appropriate upholstery attachment will keep it clean enough and will help to prevent any dust, dirt or debris from settling into the velvet fibres. However if there are any visible stains from spillages or hair products for example, especially tough looking stains, follow these steps to spot clean your plush velvet headboard.

Cleaning Tough Stains On Plush Velvet

First of all you’ll want to grab a clean cloth or kitchen roll to blot any stains present on the surface of the headboard. This is especially important if the stain is fresh and the quicker you act, the better in this regard. 

Plush velvet can be rather susceptible to water stains remaining after cleaning, so it’s important to use only a small amount of water when cleaning. It’s also important to dab and blot rather than scrub when cleaning as scrubbing can damage the plush velvet fibres. 

When it comes to cleaning tough stains on your plush velvet headboard, baking soda is your friend. Create a paste by mixing water and a small amount of baking soda and first test it on an inconspicuous area, to minimise any accidental damage or discolouration to the fabric. 

If everything looks okay, apply the mix to the stain using a clean cloth or soft bristle brush. Then once the paste has dried, gently blot away any residue with a slightly damp cloth. If any residue remains, you can vacuum or brush this away with a soft bristle brush once it’s dried, taking extra care not to damage the plush velvet.

For really tough stains, combine the baking soda paste with equal parts white vinegar and warm water, apply it to the stained area and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, before gently blotting and wiping it away. As plush velvet is a very delicate material, if you don’t feel comfortable cleaning any stains or the stains remain after trying these techniques, we recommend you contact a professional cleaning service for help and advice. 

Cleaning General Stains & Marks On Plush Velvet

When it comes to less set in stains or if you’d prefer to not risk accidentally damaging or discolouring your plush velvet headboard, use a solution made up of water and a small amount of washing up liquid instead. Be sure to use a clean cloth and only slightly dampen it to avoid potential water stains. Also ensure you blot the stain and avoid scrubbing to avoid damaging the plush velvet fibres. Once the fabric has dried completely, use a soft brush to gently brush it in the direction of the pile to restore its loft. 

Cleaning Tweed Upholstered Headboards

Originating in Scotland, this rough-textured, woolen fabric has been a cornerstone of British style for centuries. Whilst it was initially utilised by the British aristocracy as the fabric of choice for their servant’s uniforms in country houses due to its warm nature and weather resistant properties, this quintessential British fabric soon became more affordable and found its way into homes and onto the suits of many up and down the country. 

Whilst tweed is a sturdy fabric, it requires care and attention when cleaning it to ensure stains don’t spread and you don’t damage the tweed fibres. 

Once you’ve vacuumed your tweed fabric headboard, if there are no visible stains present, there’s generally no need to clean your tweed headboard any further. Regular vacuuming will keep it clean enough. However if there are any visible stains from spillages or hair products for example, follow these steps to spot clean linen tweed headboards.

Cleaning Stains On Tweed Fabric

Unlike Linen and Plush Velvet, you can’t use baking soda or white vinegar to clean tougher stains. This is because the baking soda’s high PH can damage the wool used in the construction of tweed fabric. Whilst the acidity of white vinegar can alter or fade certain dyes in tweed fabrics, especially those sensitive to the vinegar’s low PH. 

Instead you’ll want to use a mild solution such as water and a mild soap such as washing up liquid, which will give you a gentle cleaning solution that’s perfect for cleaning tweed fabric. Of course before applying any solution, it’s important to grab a clean cloth or some kitchen roll to blot any existing stains, especially if the stain is fresh. 

Then, before using the cleaning solution to clean any stains, be sure to test it on an inconspicuous area first, to protect against any accidental damage or discoloration. Once you’re happy with the result, grab a sponge or clean cloth to gently dab the stained area. It’s important not to rub, especially vigorously as not only can this spread the stain even further, but it can damage the tweed fibres themselves too. 

Then use a clean, slightly damp cloth to gently blot the area to remove any soap residue that may remain. Leave the headboard to air dry, before checking to see if the stain has been removed. If the stain remains, repeat the cleaning process until it disappears or potentially seek the advice of a cleaning professional. 

Keep Your Fabric Headboard Looking As Good As New

By following our helpful tips, you can look to keep your fabric headboard looking as good as new for as long as possible. The key thing is to regularly vacuum your headboard and immediately clean any spillages to reduce the possibility of it staining the fabric. But if it does stain the fabric, follow our various steps to hopefully remove it. However if the stain does remain, we recommend contacting a cleaning professional to help.