How to Clean a Pottery Barn Slip Cover

Spot cleaning and machine washing are two separate processes. Certain Pottery Barn slip cover patterns and fabrics recommend dry-cleaning only, including linen, velvet and Princeton stripe.

1. Blot off any excess liquid with a paper towel. Lather a dime-sized amount of hand soap on a damp paper towel and scrub the spot immediately. Only proceed with machine washing if the stain does not come out with spot treatment or, say, if the entire slip cover is covered with muddy paw prints.

2. Place the slip cover in your front-loading washing machine (if spot cleaning did not work). Many of the Pottery Barn slip covers are made from twill or brushed cotton, making them vulnerable to stretching or pilling in harsh agitator-style machines.

3. Pour detergent in the designated compartment up to the fill line. Add non-chlorine bleach if the slip cover is white.

4. Set the washer cycle to gentle and use cold water for both washing and rinsing. Cold water prevents the slip cover from losing its shape and/or shrinking.

5. Dry the slip cover for 30 to 40 minutes on the delicate-tumble setting. Slip covers can become wound and tangled in the dryer, which prevents the fabric from drying evenly. Combat uneven drying by removing the slip cover every 15 minutes and pull apart any fabric layers that are stuck together.

6. Remove the slip cover from the dryer while the material is still damp. Ironing is not necessary, just return the clean slip cover directly to the furniture.