Furniture velor: characteristics and recommendations for care
Velor remains the most common material for sofa upholstery. It fits very aesthetically into the home interior, is cozy, and gives a pleasant tactile sensation. Natural or artificial pile creates an incredible play of color on a streamlined surface.
In addition, it is a fairly practical material, but a particularly important advantage of velor is the ability to maintain its original appearance for a long time.
Characteristics and composition
The material is a dense and durable fabric with dense fibers. Often the product is used as a covering for wall panels - it looks very beautiful and impressive due to its ability to sparkle with shiny colors. The material uses natural, artificial or synthetic raw materials, as well as their combinations. Usually cotton, viscose, polyamide, polyester are used in production. All these fabrics make velor upholstery incredibly strong, stable and durable.
In addition, due to this composition, the presented material can delight consumers with various color effects. For example, the following varieties of velor are especially popular.
- Smooth. Has a uniform structure, the pile is placed in a vertical position.
- Shaped. Has a pronounced texture. The villi can be located obliquely, all of them are fibers of different heights with various colors.
- Printed. It is characterized by a vivid color image.
- Embossed. In this case, the pattern is created by laying the pile in a different direction.This effect makes the material look similar to more expensive fabrics, such as crocodile leather.
- Plain dyed. One of the most expensive types. Has a uniform design.
In general, when coming to a furniture store, it can be difficult for customers to distinguish velor from other furniture fabrics, for example, velvet or velveteen; only a professional can handle this. The main difference between the presented material is a very dense pile.
pros
Velor upholstery fabric has the following advantages over other products.
- Elasticity. After quite a long time, the fabric remains in its original form, it does not stretch even in those places where it is in a particularly elongated state during operation.
- Aesthetics. This is a very nice option for upholstering a sofa or a set of covers. Due to the above elasticity, the material can take any shape, due to which the play of color will be even richer and more pronounced.
- Wear resistance. Ultraviolet rays are not terrible for such upholstery. Velor copes well with exposure to the sun and does not fade for a long time.
- Antistatic. Compared to textiles or wool, this fabric accumulates significantly less electricity.
- Practicality. To keep the sofa in excellent condition for a long time, it is enough to systematically dry cleaning and wet cleaning.
- Environmental friendliness. The fabric fully meets all sanitary and hygienic standards. Cotton products are characterized by a particularly high environmental friendliness. Moreover, it is a hypoallergenic material.
- Strength. This material is anti-vandal, it will be difficult for cats and dogs to harm it.
Minuses
Before purchasing a sofa with velor upholstery, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the disadvantages of this fabric.
- If coffee, tea, milk or something greasy gets on the material, then the stain can only be removed with the help of chemistry or thorough washing. In addition, the product is not dust-repellent.
- If there are cats or dogs in the house, the pile will quickly become clogged with wool. This is especially true for long-haired animals.
- The cost of velor often exceeds the average price for furniture fabrics, to a greater extent this applies to completely natural products.
Differences from microfiber
Another fairly popular material with which velor is often confused is microfiber. Rather, it will call the fabric micro-velor. Its pile is rather short, the villi have different directions, the material is characterized by high density. The breathable structure of micro velor absorbs moisture more slowly than other materials, and it can be shaken off before the stain is absorbed. This is the main difference between this fabric and others. In fact, the product is a synthetic microfiber with a Teflon coating that protects against moisture penetration. By the way, this coating is completely invisible.
In addition, micro velor is more durable. Unlike ordinary velor, it is more abrasion resistant, has the property of not accumulating dust and dirt. The strength and durability of the fabric is ensured by weaving in the form of microscopic honeycombs, while a different technology is used in the production of classic velor.
How to choose?
Take advantage of several recommendations, before purchasing a sofa with velor upholstery.
- Do not be alarmed when you see synthetics in the fibers. Materials with a high percentage of artificial pile have a longer service life than completely natural linens. Therefore, combined materials are more often used for upholstery of upholstered furniture.
- Avoid buying velor if you have dogs with long hair in the house. The hairs accumulate on the surface of the fabric just in those places where they are most noticeable. If the owner of the dog has made a choice in favor of velor, then it is recommended to use a cover or cape.
- If cats live in the house, then it is better to choose anti-vandal fabric "Panda".The material is velor of the highest category, there are no traces of cat's claws on the canvas.
- Sofas with velor in the color of noble stones look especially exquisite. For example, an emerald, ruby or sapphire will give a special chic to the home interior. The effect of the play of light visually makes such a sofa expensive and solid.
- Think a few times before you buy a sofa upholstered in black velor. This color tends to absorb light, and therefore is not suitable for every interior.
- Pay attention to the density of the fabric. Give preference to canvases with a complete lack of gaps. The pile should be uniform.
- Do not take a product that has defects, bald spots, thinned areas on the surface.
How to care for velor?
Those who opted for a sofa with velor upholstery should be prepared for the fact that the furniture will require regular maintenance. This fabric does not tend to repel dirt, so stains will stick to it with enviable consistency. If the sofa is rarely used, for example, once a month, when many guests gather, then it is enough to vacuum it once a week or simply cover it with a cover.
However, even in this case, deep cleaning cannot be avoided. The best option for caring for velor is to buy a steam generator. It will not only rid the product of dirt and dust, but also disinfect and provide protection from microbes for a while. In general, it is recommended to use a steam generator for cleaning furniture once a year, so as an option, you can simply order an annual cleaning from a professional. Cleaning services are offered in any city; in the arsenal of these companies there are special tools, devices and tools for cleaning upholstered velor furniture
In addition, it is advisable for owners of velor cloths to purchase a special brush or roller for this material. The device will clean hard-to-reach areas. Consider a few more tips for caring for velor.
- Do not scrape or scrub the stains that appear, this will break the structure of the pile, just soak the dirty area in the detergent and wipe gently in the same direction as the pile.
- Try to get rid of stains instantly, do not put it off "for the evening." Then this process is greatly simplified.
- The best cleaning solution is a soapy solution. It is recommended to use a soft cloth or sponge as a tool.
- To eliminate more serious contamination, an alcohol solution (10%) should be used. Another way to remove the stain is to cover it with a mixture of baking soda and salt, and leave it on for several hours. Let us also admit the option of removing contaminants using a substance from water and soda.
- To clean velor, you must not use products containing bleach, alkalis, aggressive chemicals, otherwise the sofa will quickly become unusable.
Reviews
Most of the reviews about velor are positive. Consumers appreciate the practicality of this sofa. For some, it has served for several decades, although many are inclined to believe that modern velor is still inferior in quality to velor of past years. The beautiful appearance of the sofa remains for a long time, however, dust is noticeable on the armrests and inside the pile.
There is a need for frequent cleaning, but some get by with covers, opening the sofa only for the duration of the guests' visit. According to consumers, velor is very pleasant to the touch, but its durability and strength largely depend on the category of fabric and the manufacturer.
More resistant materials are priced accordingly, but they last a long time and look like new for several years.
In the next video, you will find recommendations on the correct layout for upholstering a velor bed.