How to Clean an Upholstered Bed: Velvet, Bouclé and Buttoned Headboards

An upholstered bed needs little more than a weekly vacuum and quick action on spills. The method changes with the fabric, though, and the wrong one, such as rubbing velvet or using a beater bar on bouclé, can do more harm than the stain.

The weekly routine

1. Strip the bed so you can reach the headboard and the sides of the base.
2. Vacuum with a soft brush attachment, working in the direction of the pile. Never use a rotating beater bar on upholstery.
3. Run the crevice tool along seams, channels and button recesses, where dust collects.
4. Brush velvet pile gently with a soft clothes brush if you've leaned against the headboard a lot.

Every few months, vacuum inside an ottoman storage cavity or divan drawers too. Dust in the base finds its way back into the room.

How do I get a stain out of an upholstered headboard?

Blot, don't rub. Press a clean white cloth onto the spill to lift as much liquid as you can, working from the outside of the mark inwards. Rubbing pushes liquid into the pile or loop and spreads it.

Then check the cleaning code on the fabric label if there is one. Test any cleaner on a hidden area, such as the back of the headboard, and let it dry fully before judging the result. For anything set-in or large, a professional upholstery cleaner is safer than experimenting.

How to clean a velvet bed

Velvet shows two kinds of mark. Pressure marks, where the pile has been flattened by leaning, usually lift with a soft brush or a little steam held a few centimetres away, then brushing the pile back up. Water marks are the ones to avoid. Use as little moisture as possible, blot immediately, and let the area dry naturally rather than with a hairdryer.

How to clean a teddy bouclé bed

Bouclé's loops trap crumbs and dust, so vacuuming matters more. Use the soft brush only. If a loop pulls, trim it level with sharp scissors rather than pulling it, which can unravel more. For spills, blot quickly, because liquid runs into the loop structure. Cream bouclé is prone to fading, so keep the bed out of long spells of direct sunlight where you can.

Looped bouclé on the Willow needs a soft brush only.

How to clean buttoned and channelled headboards

Buttons and stitched channels are where dust settles. On a Chesterfield headboard such as the Chesterfield Tall Headboard Bed, run a brush attachment across the diamonds every few weeks to keep the colour even. On channelled designs, follow each seam. Flat panels, such as the Panel Bed, need the least effort.

Button recesses on the Chesterfield Ottoman Divan Bed collect dust first.

Removing pet hair

A slightly damp rubber glove swept across the fabric gathers hair into clumps you can pick off. Lint rollers work on velvet and flat weaves; use them gently on bouclé to avoid lifting loops.

Keeping the frame in good shape

• Re-tighten fixings every few months, as any bed loosens with use.
• On an ottoman, check the gas strut brackets for play. See how gas-lift ottoman beds work.
• Keep the bed a little away from radiators, which dry out upholstery.

Choosing an easier fabric next time

If cleaning is a chore, the fabric may be a poor match for your household. The bed fabric guide compares options for pets and children, and the teddy bouclé collection page has more on living with bouclé. When choosing a new bed from the Legend Beds range, a mid-tone colour and a flat headboard are the lowest-maintenance combination.

Frequently asked questions