One of the most interesting features of futon furniture is that it lets you replace the covers or wash them, depending on the fabric and style.
Made to endure the strength of machine washers, today’s futon covers are available in various solid colors, prints, and sizes. Although you can mix and match these washable covers to add some exciting variety to your interior decor, their key feature is the fact that keeping them clean is simple and easy. Unlike regular upholstery that often needs professional cleaning, machine washable covers can deal with the occasional mess courtesy of pets or kids.
Machine washable futon covers typically feature two large zippers. These full covers look like a big sheet made of denim or other materials with a seam in the center. The cover should be spread out, the mattress should be aligned against the seam and the cover should be folded over to cover the entire futon mattress. There are two zippers found on each corner. The cover should be zipped up and just like, you have your futon mattress covered. When wash time comes, all you need to do is unzip the futon cover then pull this off the mattress.
Unfortunately, after several spins in your washing machine, the futon cover’s zippers may get caught every now and then. Trying to get the zippers working can get a bit frustrating.
While you might be tempted, avoid forcing the jammed zipper since excessive yanking may inadvertently break off the zipper tab or damage the teeth. Coat the teeth with candle wax instead and try to zip and unzip the unit several times. It often lets the zipper work more smoothly. In case there is no candle available, you can also use a bar of hand soap although it might not work that well.
If the issue is not ‘stickiness’ due to dirt, age, or other factors, there might be a fabric or a string from the futon cover that got stuck in the zipper. Remove the caught string or material with care. The inner fabric is the one that often gets caught so you might need a pair of tweezers to grasp the thread or material. Pull away from the zipper the thread, inner lining, or other material gently that got caught in the unit.
Light tugging can also work as long as you don’t yank the zipper tab. Forcing the zipper tab down or up will only worsen the problem. Depending on how embedded the futon thread or fabric is in the zipper unit, the teeth may get separated upon removing the material. Gently push back the zipper teeth into place for the zipper to work again. You might want to check the zipper’s length and push away the lining from the zipper to prevent snags in the future. Re-zip to finish the job.
Even though they are not that expensive, machine washable futon covers are durable with sturdy zipper units. Just be sure to know where to buy zippers so you can get the zippers you need if the one on your washable futon cover is already beyond repair.