Velvet Stains

Velvet is a flocked fabric made by attaching short fibers to a base cloth with an adhesive.

The durability of the fabric to withstand recommended care process is determined by the adhesives used to hold the flock fibers. However, the concentration of stain removal agents as well as localized mechanical action of tamping and flushing with the steam gun can easily damage the strongest adhesive.

Dryside agents, such as oily-type paint removers, will weaken the bond between the flock and base fabric. Wetside agents, which are used to remove many food and beverage stains, are usually safe to use on flocked fabrics. Mechanical action with the brush or spatula should be minimized in order to prevent distortion to the flocked areas. The steam gun should be held at least six inches from the fabric to prevent damage.

Damage from stain removal techniques to a flocked fabric is frequently seen after cleaning when the flock in a local area is very thin or nonexistent in a circular pattern. More information is available on flocked fabrics in DLI bulletin FF-360.