How to Clean and Care for Your Floor Cushion — By Material

The right care routine keeps your cushion comfortable, fresh, and in shape for years — the wrong one can ruin it in a single wash

Why Most Cushions Wear Out Too Soon

Most floor cshions do not fail because of poor quality. They fail because of avoidable care mistakes: washing a buckwheat fill that should never get wet, machine-drying a linen cover that should be laid flat, or storing a cushion in a damp corner that slowly breeds odor and mold.

The good news is that with the right routine, a well made cushion lasts for years — sometimes a decade or more. This guide breaks down exactly what to do based on your cushion’s material, so you never have to guess.

The single most important rule: always check whether your cushion has a removable cover before washing. Most do. If yours does not, the care approach changes entirely.

Part 1 — Washing by Material

Different covers and fills require completely different approaches. Use this table as your quick reference, then read the notes for your specific material below.

Cotton and Linen Covers

These are the most forgiving materials to wash and the most common in quality floor cushions. Remove the cover, zip or button it closed before washing (this prevents the opening from catching on the drum), and wash on a cold, gentle cycle.

Linen in particular should be laid flat to dry rather than tumble dried — the heat causes shrinkage that can make the cover difficult to get back on the insert. If you do use a dryer, remove the cover while still slightly damp and allow it to finish air drying.

Pro tip:  Washing linen covers inside out reduces pilling and preserves the surface texture longer.

Velvet Covers — It Depends on the Type

Velvet is not a single material — it is a weave structure, and how washable it is depends entirely on the pile length and the base fiber.

Short pile, high-density polyester velvet (typically 280gsm and above) is generally machine washable. The short, tightly woven pile resists the crushing and distortion that damages longer pile fabrics. Wash cold on a gentle cycle, always inside out, and lay flat to dry. Brush the surface lightly with a soft bristle brush once dry to restore the pile direction.

Long pile velvet, or velvet with a silk or viscose base fiber, is a different story. These are far more delicate: the longer pile catches and distorts in the drum, and the base fibers are sensitive to water and heat. For these, spot cleaning is the safe everyday approach and dry cleaning the right choice for a full clean.

How to check yours:  Run your hand across the surface. If the pile is very short and the fabric feels dense and structured (similar to upholstery fabric), it is likely washable. If it feels soft, flowing, and the pile shifts easily, treat it as delicate.

Avoid:  Tumble drying any velvet — even short pile polyester velvet. Heat flattens the pile permanently. Always air dry flat.

Bouclé Covers

Bouclé’s looped texture makes it vulnerable to snagging and distortion in a washing machine drum. Spot cleaning handles most everyday marks well. For a full clean, dry cleaning is the safest option. After any cleaning, brush lightly with a soft bristle brush to restore the surface texture.

Buckwheat Fill

Buckwheat hulls and water do not mix. If the fill gets wet, the hulls absorb moisture, clump together, and can develop mold — there is no way to reverse this. The fill itself should never be washed.

Instead, focus care on the cover. Remove it regularly for washing, and if the fill itself needs freshening, spread the hulls in a thin layer on a clean surface in direct sunlight for two to three hours. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant and draws out residual moisture effectively.

Replacement note:  Buckwheat hulls compress naturally over time. When your cushion feels noticeably flatter, the hulls can be topped up or fully replaced — most quality cushions have an inner zipper for this purpose.

Kapok Fill

Kapok is a plant-based fiber that is naturally moisture resistant, but it still needs careful handling when wet. If you need to wash the insert itself, hand wash gently in cool water — squeeze rather than wring, and never twist the fill. Lay it flat to dry in a well-ventilated area, and ensure it is completely dry before replacing the cover. Kapok retains internal moisture longer than it appears from the outside.

Memory Foam Fill

Memory foam should never be submerged in water — it absorbs liquid deeply and takes days to dry fully, often developing mildew in the process. Care for memory foam inserts means caring exclusively for the cover. Remove the cover, wash it according to its fabric type, and spot clean any marks on the foam surface with a barely damp cloth and mild detergent.

Never:  Put memory foam in a washing machine or dryer. The agitation and heat break down the foam structure permanently.

Part 2 — Removing Odors Naturally

Floor cushions absorb ambient odors over time — cooking smells, pet dander, general use. Before reaching for a spray or sending covers to the cleaner, try these natural approaches. They work for most everyday odors without damaging the material.

Baking Soda Treatment

This works well for cotton, linen, and polyester covers. Remove the cover and sprinkle a light, even layer of baking soda over the surface. Leave it for at least two hours — overnight is better for stronger odors. Shake or brush off thoroughly, then air the cover outside for an hour before replacing.

1.   Remove the cover from the insert.

2.    Sprinkle baking soda evenly across the inner and outer surfaces.

3.    Leave for 2–8 hours depending on odor intensity.

4.    Shake off completely and air outside before reassembling.

Sunlight Airing

UV light from direct sun neutralizes odor causing bacteria naturally and is safe for virtually all materials. Place the entire cushion (or just the cover) in direct sunlight for two to four hours. Rotate halfway through to expose both sides. This is the gentlest and most effective routine maintenance for any cushion, regardless of fill type.

Frequency tip:  Monthly sunlight airing — even on a balcony or near a sunny window — significantly reduces the need for deeper cleaning.

White Vinegar Mist

For persistent odors on cotton or linen covers, a light mist of diluted white vinegar (one part vinegar to two parts water) applied to the inner surface and allowed to fully air dry works well. The vinegar smell dissipates completely as it dries, taking the underlying odor with it. Do not apply to velvet or bouclé.

Part 3 — Restoring a Flat or Lumpy Cushion

Compression is normal with regular use. A cushion that felt perfect six months ago may have lost noticeable loft. Here is how to bring it back depending on fill type.

Polyester Fill: Fluff and Redistribute

Polyester fill clumps and compresses with use. Remove the insert from the cover, shake it vigorously, then knead and pull the fill apart by hand to redistribute it evenly throughout the insert. This alone often restores significant loft. For a more thorough refresh, place the insert in a dryer on low heat with two clean tennis balls for 15 to 20 minutes — the balls break up clumps and restore volume.

Buckwheat Fill: Top Up or Replace

Buckwheat hulls do not bounce back once compressed — they simply reduce in volume over time as the hulls break down. The solution is to add more. Most cushions designed for long-term use have an inner zipper that allows you to pour in additional hulls. If the fill is more than two years old and significantly reduced, replacing the entire fill is worthwhile.

Where to buy:  Organic buckwheat hulls are available from health food stores and online retailers — typically sold by weight. Use food-grade hulls for the cleanest fill.

Kapok Fill: Dry and Pull Apart

Kapok can become matted after washing or heavy use. If your kapok cushion feels dense and uneven, remove the fill from the insert casing and pull it apart by hand — the same way you would fluff a duvet. Spread it in direct sunlight for an hour before reassembling. This restores most of the original loft.

Memory Foam: When to Replace

Memory foam does not respond to refluffing — once it loses its rebound, the foam has reached the end of its structural life. Signs it is time to replace the insert: the foam no longer returns to its original shape after you stand up, you can feel the floor through the cushion, or the surface has developed permanent indentations.

Part 4 — Seasonal Storage

If you rotate cushions seasonally or need to store them for a period, how you store them matters as much as how you clean them.

•  Always store cushions clean and fully dry. Even small amounts of residual moisture cause mold and permanent odor in storage.

•  Avoid plastic bags for long term storage — they trap humidity. Use breathable cotton storage bags or pillowcases instead.

•  Store in a cool, dry location. Avoid attics and garages where temperature swings and humidity are high.

•  Do not stack heavy items on top of cushions during storage. Prolonged compression under weight causes permanent deformation, especially in buckwheat and kapok fills.

•  For buckwheat cushions specifically, a brief airing in direct sun before storage and again before returning to use is good practice.

Simple rule:  Store cushions the way you would store a good winter coat — clean, dry, in a breathable cover, somewhere stable.

When to Replace Your Cushion

Even with excellent care, cushions do eventually reach the end of their useful life. Here are the clear signals that it is time for a replacement rather than another round of maintenance:

•  The fill no longer returns to shape after normal use and refluffing has stopped working.

•  Persistent odor that does not respond to baking soda treatment, airing, or washing — this usually indicates mold or bacteria deep in the fill.

•  The cover fabric has worn through, pilled heavily, or the seams have separated beyond repair.

•  You notice you are sitting on the floor rather than on the cushion — the fill has compressed below a functional level.

If your cushion has a removable and replaceable fill (as most quality cushions do), replacing just the fill is a cost effective alternative to replacing the entire cushion.

A Cushion That Lasts

The difference between a cushion that lasts two years and one that lasts ten is rarely the quality of the product. It is the consistency of care. Wash the cover regularly, air the fill monthly, store it properly when not in use — and a good cushion will give you years of daily use without losing what made it worth buying.

Treat your cushion like the daily-use item it is, not a decorative piece that only gets attention when it starts to smell. Ten minutes of care every few weeks is all it takes.

All of our cushions are designed with longevity in mind — removable covers, quality fills, and construction details that make maintenance straightforward. If you have questions about caring for a specific product, we are always happy to help.

→ Shop Our Full Cushion Collection