Spot Cleaning the Felt
Brush with a soft toothbrush. If there is surface dirt on the felt, gently brush it away with a soft bristled toothbrush. Brush only in one direction. Don’t rub in a circle or up and down. Scrubbing in alternate directions can cause the material to pile up and fuzz.
Dab the area with water. Dip a cloth in some warm water until the cloth is slightly damp. Press and dab at the dirt with light pressure, making sure not to rub. This may help remove some of the dirt.
Vacuum the felt. If there is loose dirt and dust on the felt, you can try to vacuum it away. Use a small vacuum nozzle and run it over the felt. If the suction on your vacuum is too hard, you can place some old panty hose or tights over the nozzle to help. Be careful when vacuuming around beading or ribbons. Make sure they are secure so you don’t suck them off the felt.
Steam clean your felt. You can clean your felt at home by steaming it. Use a tea kettle or pot and boil water in it. When the water starts steaming, place the felt over the steam. In your other hand, hold a soft sponge, lint-free cloth, or soft bristled brush. While holding the item in place, use the soft tool to gently brush the dirty area. This can be time consuming since you can only clean a little bit at a time.
Washing the Item
Handwash the item. The best way to clean felt is to handwash the item in a sink. Use cool water. Handle the felt carefully as you move it around. Gently squeeze it a few times to wash it. Using hot water can damage the felt fabric. Some people use mild detergents, while others think using detergent will cause fuzzing on the surface. If you use detergent, make sure it is very gentle.
Wash the felt item on the delicate cycle. Though most felt items should not be washed, if you have an item you want to machine wash, you should wash it on the delicate cycle. Use a gentle detergent, like Woolite. Only wash the felt in a washing machine when it is extremely dirty, smells terrible, or you have tried everything else. Don’t wash felt items often. Only do this occasionally.
Remove excess water. You can remove excess water from the felt by pressing it between two towels. Don’t twist or squeeze out water. Flatten the felt as much as possible to its original shape.
Air dry the item. You shouldn’t dry the item in the dryer. Instead, you should air dry them. This may be on a clothing line or on a hanger in your home. Just make sure you place it in a cool area and not in the direct sun.
Dry Cleaning Felt
Determine if your felt is wool felt or synthetic felt. Wool felt reacts more negatively to washing than synthetic felt. Wool felt may shrink, bleed, or start to fuzz. Synthetic felt typically can be washed without too many problems. If you have wool felt, take more care washing it. If you have synthetic felt, it will probably be more durable. Wool felt should be dry cleaned because you could damage it by wet cleaning it.
Use a home dry cleaning kit. Many cleaning companies, such as Clorox, Proctor & Gamble, and Dial, have dry cleaning kits on the market. These kits come with directions that will walk you through the cleaning process so that you can safely clean your item. These kits cost around $10.
Take the item to the cleaners. If you have the time and money, you can take your felt article of clothing to the cleaners. A professional dry cleaner can clean the felt, which may be helpful if you’re nervous about trying or don’t want to mess up the item. Most dry cleaners won't touch basically anything that isn't clothing, however.
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