How to Wash and Care for a Velvet Dress

You can wash a velvet dress only if the care label allows it, and that usually means polyester or stretch velvet, hand washed in cool water and dried on a hanger. Silk, rayon and most occasion velvets are labeled dry clean, because water and wringing crush and mark the pile.

So the first job isn't washing at all. It's finding out what your velvet is made of. After that, the rest is gentle handling: cool water, no wringing, steam instead of an iron, and a hanger with some padding.

Check the fiber before anything else

Whether you can wash velvet depends on the fiber, and the care label is the final word. Velvet is made from several fibers, and they behave very differently in water. If you're unsure which velvet you own or are about to buy, our velvet vs velour guide explains the fabric family.

• Polyester velvet: usually washable. Hand wash in cool water, or use a cold, gentle machine cycle in a mesh bag if the label allows it.
• Stretch velvet (with spandex or elastane): usually washable the same way. Keep heat away from it, since heat is hard on stretch fibers.
• Cotton velvet: often washable, but cotton can shrink, so follow the label closely.
• Rayon or viscose velvet: check the label. Rayon can shrink and is weaker when wet, a wash can change how the pile looks, and many rayon velvets say dry clean.
• Silk velvet: dry clean. Silk velvet is delicate and the pile marks easily. The same caution applies to washing silk in general, covered in our guide to washing silk.

If the label says dry clean only, take it seriously, especially on a dress you love. A label that says hand wash is your green light for the steps below.

Hand washing a polyester or stretch velvet dress

Only do this if the care label allows washing. Then:

1. Turn the dress inside out so the pile faces in.
2. Fill a clean basin or sink with cool water and a small amount of mild detergent made for delicates.
3. Put the dress in and swish it gently for a few minutes. Don't scrub, twist or rub the fabric against itself.
4. Drain and rinse in cool water until the suds are gone.
5. Press the water out. Lay the dress on a clean towel, roll it up and press on the roll. Never wring velvet.
6. Hang it on a padded hanger to dry, away from radiators and direct sun. Skip the dryer unless the label says it's fine.

If your label allows a machine wash, use a cold, gentle cycle with the dress inside out and zipped into a mesh laundry bag. The bag keeps the pile from rubbing against zippers and heavier clothes. Wash it with a few other delicates, not with jeans or towels.

Cleaning velvet without a full wash

Knowing how to clean velvet between wears saves a lot of washing, which is good for the pile. For a fresh spill, blot it with a clean, dry cloth. Don't rub, because rubbing flattens the pile and can leave a dull patch. For a small mark on washable velvet, dab with a cloth dampened with cool water and a drop of mild detergent, then blot dry.

For dust, lint and pet hair, a soft clothes brush works better than you'd expect. Brush gently in the direction the pile lies (run your hand down the dress; the smooth direction is the nap). A sticky lint roller is fine for a quick pass on polyester velvet, but press lightly and skip it on silk velvet.

On silk, rayon or anything with a stubborn stain, stop at blotting and let a cleaner handle the rest. A home stain remover can leave a mark of its own on velvet, and that's often harder to fix than the original spot.

How to steam velvet

Steam is the only heat velvet really likes. Here is how to steam velvet without flattening it:

• Turn the dress inside out, or work from the back of the fabric.
• Hold the steamer a short distance away so the head never presses on the pile.
• Move slowly and let the steam do the work. Don't tug on the fabric while it's warm and damp.
• Let the dress hang and cool fully before you wear it.

Never iron the face of velvet. A hot plate crushes the pile and can leave a shiny print you won't get out.

Without a steamer, hang the dress in the bathroom, run a hot shower with the door closed, and leave it in the steamy room for a while. It's slower, but it lifts light creases from the pile without anything touching the fabric.

When to take it to the cleaner

Some velvet dresses belong at a professional cleaner no matter what:

• Silk velvet and most rayon velvet.
• Anything with beading, sequins, embroidery or other embellishment.
• Dresses that are lined, structured or boned, like a fitted gown or a dress with a built-in bodice.
• Crushed velvet labeled dry clean. The crushed finish is the whole look, and it isn't worth risking on a home wash.
• Any stain you can't identify, or one that didn't lift with a blot.

When you drop it off, point out any stains and say what caused them if you know. Formal velvet, such as the styles in our velvet wedding guest dresses and winter cocktail dresses guides, is worth the cleaner's fee.

Storing a velvet dress

How you store velvet matters as much as how you wash it, because weight and pressure crush the pile.

• Hang it, don't fold it. Folding leaves crease lines that can sit in the pile for days. Use a padded or velvet-covered hanger so the shoulders don't get marked.
• Give it room. Packed tightly between other clothes, velvet gets crushed. Leave a little space on the rail.
• Cover it with something breathable. A cotton or non-woven garment bag keeps dust off and lets air move. Sealed plastic traps moisture.
• Keep it out of the sun. Light fades deep velvet colors over time.

The night before a party, take the dress out, hang it in a steamy bathroom for a bit, then brush the pile lightly in the direction of the nap. It's a quick way to freshen velvet before you wear it again, whether it's black, burgundy or the deep green of our green Christmas dresses guide.