Learn how to clean a linen couch, chairs and more! Whether you have Restoration Hardware furniture or linen slipcovered furniture of any brand, these tips and tricks will make your upholstery care so easy!
While linen can feel intimidating to clean and care for, it doesn’t have to be that way! Learn how to care for Restoration Hardware Belgian Linen and so much more.
It has been quite a few years now since we took the leap and purchased several pieces of Restoration Hardware furniture.
I know some folks thought I was crazy for purchasing “white” pieces, but after giving it significant consideration, I felt confident in our decision.
We wanted timeless pieces that could transition with our style and family, so we were willing to make an investment.
One of the most commonly asked questions I receive is how we keep our furniture so white, so I thought I’d share the details of how we clean our Restoration Hardware linen furniture.
I love RH style and have chatted about other subjects regarding their furnishings before. Be sure to read all about my love/hate relationship with this store, as well as how to seal a Restoration Hardware dining table.
Restoration Hardware Belgian Linen
We purchased Belgian linen slipcovered sofas and dining chairs so that we could easily clean them or if worse came to worst, we could replace them.
We also eventually purchased an upholstered headboard for our master bedroom in Belgian Linen Sand. I just can’t get enough of this warm style and color!
Thankfully, to date we haven’t had to do either! I’ve been incredibly pleased with how easily they spot clean with water. We’ve spilled wine, soda, mac and cheese, had chocolate faces rub against them, etc.
While these tips work for cleaning Restoration Hardware Belgian linen, they will also help you clean any linen couches, chairs, ottomans and more!
I love linen so much, in every area of our home! Read all about our Linen Bedding, too.
At nearly five years, I feel like its time to clean our love seat, which gets the most use. There are no stains, but the arms are starting to look a little dingy overall. I’m a little scared to wash it in fear of the massive steam that will likely follow, so I’m going to start with a mild upholstery cleaner.
We’ve had great success using it on our deconstructed chairs, which have required routine cleanings, the fabric has been less forgiving than Belgian linen.
How to Clean Linen Furniture
- Vacuum. It keeps dust particles out of the fabric, making it appear brighter.
- Soak up the stain with a white cloth by blotting (don’t rub).
- Spot clean with distilled water and a white cloth.
- Use a mild soap, distilled water and a white cloth. (I was told this over the phone from one of the RH representatives.)
- Last Resort – Dry cleaning any linen slipcovers that can be removed.
- Or, machine wash on cold and hang to dry. Note that you should do all pieces in the set so that the color is consistent.
One thing to keep in mind about cleaning your Restoration Hardware furniture beyond vacuuming and spot cleaning is that doing so will remove the protective finish that we’ve come to love and appreciate.
Fabric contracts when washed and dry cleaned. Use a steamer to loosen the fabric and tug.
I can only hope that they’ll bottle it and share it with us someday, but until then, we live in our home and enjoy our furniture.
We don’t live in a museum, nor do we treat our home like one. I am not my mother’s daughter when it comes to furniture, protecting it with a blanket until company arrives.
We have been successful machine washing our linen, steaming and tugging to loosen the fibers. Proceed at your own risk.
Maintaining Restoration Hardware Linen
Linen will wrinkle. That’s the beauty of the natural fibers, and the joy of this casual look! Just like your linen clothes, linen sheets and more, it’s important to be aware of this trait before purchasing.
I embrace the look of linen rather than stress about steaming it. If wrinkles bother you, I’d avoid the linen fabrics because they almost always look less than perfect.
Our dining chairs are always a hot mess because the girls love hiding under them and where the fabric is tailored at the leg of the sofas, we brush past frequently and they tend to curl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try a baking soda paste! As with many natural cleaning options, a little baking soda and vinegar can go a long way.
First, blot the stain to remove remaining moisture. Then add a little sprinkle of baking soda, moistening with a damp sponge. A little vinegar can help activate the stain removal, as well.
Surprisingly, yes! While this fabric has a delicate look, it holds up beautifully to daily wear and tear.
As with clothing stains, always blot, then gently rub a pasta of cleaning solution into the stain to attempt removal. For linen, try a paste of baking soda and vinegar or a basic dish soap. A mild detergent can also work wonders!
Love cleaning tips? Check out my Folex post to learn why it’s my favorite cleaning product!
I am sooo grateful to have found this post!  We purchased 4 RH Belgian Slope alarm sidechairs in sand linen at a consignment store…we got an amazing  deal  (4 chairs for the price of one) but they had stains and were grimy…I went with the ‘no fear’ approach…read through this entire blog and came up,with a strategy that worked. I washed each slipcover and corresponding seat cushion and lumber cushion cover in its own load…using Woolite, cold water, hand wash setting on my washing machine and medium spin cycle. Once I removed them from the wash, my husband and I stretched the fabric and then put it over the chair almost immediately ( the spin cycle had taken out most of the moisture)… It took the two of us to pull the fabric over the chair…linen has a life of its own…so we just  got into understanding the fabric…it was a lot of work but worth it…once on the frame I ironed and steamed the cover….then did the same with the cushions.The result? Great…they look clean and they smell clean 🙂 We lost about 1/2 inch in shrinkage but not enough to make a diff encephalitis…the chair is on castors so it I see fine….(can’t see the wheels)…So thanks everyone for the terrific information and for sharing or experiences, it helped me a lot and now these chairs have a new life !
Hello!  We are deciding on what fabric to choose for the Kensington Sofa.  We love the feel and look of the Belgium linen but worry since it is not stain resistant.  We are nervous to purchase one of the speciality fabrics without seeing or feeling how it looks on the couch, and not having the option to return if we do not like.  Can the Belgium linen be scotch guarded?  Any advice would be appreciated 🙂
Thank you.
It truly is – we didn’t have any issues with it at all! Our dog would lay on our asphalt sealed driveway, come in and rub up against the sofa. We had it professionally cleaned last month and it came out!
Hi Julie,
I just purchased a cloud platform King slipcovered bed in washed Belgian linen white. There are a couple of small stains. What is the best way to get the stains out? I called customer service and they recommend a professional upholstery cleaner. I’m nervous because of all of the posts that say that their fabric shrunk after washing it. Should I spot clean or put it in the washing machine? If washing machine, what detergent/washing machine settings? Should I place in the dryer after washing? For how long? What dryer settings? Thank you so much!
I would definitely spot clean first. I actually JUST had my large linen sofa cleaned professionally today and it looks great. It was only $99 for a 9′ sofa.
I would not dry it – when we washed out love seat, we hung it and then ironed.
I just purchased a second hand RH sofa with slipcover. It has a musty smell. Does anyone know of something I can use (maybe baking soda?) dry to take odor out or should I wash?
Try this first.
For worst case scenarios, such as water rings showing, I’ve successfully removed rings and stains with a light spray of hydrogen peroxide. I’ve done this on light color linen only.
Thanks for sharing, Lynne!