How to Wash Felt Placemats

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: February 17, 2021 References Tested

Whether your dining style is modern, fun, or whimsical, felt placemats look great on your table. Keep them looking fantastic even after drinks spill or food leaves stains. You can gently spot clean tiny messes or wash the entire placemat if it's really dirty. Just read the care label to determine which method to use so your placemats don't fray or shrink.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Spot-Cleaning the Placemats

1
Clean up spills as soon as they happen to prevent stains. Don't wait until after the meal to clean up food or drinks that have spilled. Instead, spot-clean it immediately so the stain doesn't penetrate the fibers of the felt. Then, you can wash the placemat later if spot-cleaning doesn't completely remove the mess.^{[1]
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2
Dab the messy spot on the placemat with a cool damp cloth. If you've just splattered a little food on part of the placemat, run a cloth under cold water. Wring out the water and then dab at the spot on the placemat to wipe it away. If you work quickly, you should be able to get the food off before it stains the placemat.^{[2]
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- If there's a large spill, you may want to wash the placemat by hand instead of spot-cleaning it.
- Don't use hot water because it could set the stain, especially if it's from bright red sauce or dark red wine.
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3
Wipe stubborn spots with a soapy cloth to lift them. If the placemat still looks dirty after you've wiped it with a wet cloth, add a few drops of gentle dishwashing soap to the wet cloth. Rub the cloth between your fingers so the soap suds a little and then dab it onto the dirty spot until the placemat is clean. Then, wipe the area with a cool damp cloth to rinse off the soap.^{[3]
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Tip: Although you might be tempted to reach for an old brush or toothbrush to scrub the placemat, the bristles will loosen the felt fibers. This can make the felt look fuzzy or frayed.
4
Trim loose fibers if the placemat looks fuzzy once it dries. Check the placemat for loose fibers or fluff that's pulling away. Take a pair of scissors and carefully trim the fibers so your placemat doesn't look like it's fraying.
- If you don't want to cut the placemat, take a strip of clear packing tape and press it onto the loose fibers. The fibers will stick to the tape so you won't need to cut them.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Washing the Placemats by Hand

1
Fill a sink or bathtub with lukewarm water. If you're using a tub, fill it with at least 3 inches (7.6 cm) of water. Avoid using hot water, which could shrink the felt fibers.^{[4]
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- Don't use a bowl to wash the placemat since you'd have to bend the felt in order to get it to fit in the bowl.
2
Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid if the placemat is really dirty. If you see stains or dried food on the placemat, squirt in gentle dishwashing liquid. Then, use your hands to swish the water so the soap makes suds.^{[5]
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- If you're washing in the sink, add just a few drops. For washing placemats in the bathtub, squirt in a coin-sized amount of soap.
Tip: If your placemats are all-wool, use a fat-replenishing soap or wool wash detergent. This prevents the felt from becoming fuzzy or coming loose.
3
Submerge the placemat in the water and swish it gently with your hands. Push the placemat into the water and hold it down for a few seconds so it absorbs water. Then, swish it around to loosen dirt and stains.
- Try not to squeeze, bend, or twist the felt since this can ruin the shape of the placemat.
4
Rinse the placemat in a sink or tub filled with clean water. Take the placemat out and set it aside. Then, clean your sink or tub and fill it with cold water. Put the placemat into the clean water and swish it around with your hand so the dirt or soap washes out.
- If you have a double sink, save time by filling both with cold water. Then, you can transfer the placemat from one side to the other when you're ready to rinse it.
5
Lay the placemat on a towel and dry it completely. Spread a towel on your work surface and lay the wet placemat on it. Fold 1 side of the towel over the placemat and push down on it so the towel absorbs some of the excess water. Then, lay the placemat on a dry towel and leave it to air dry. This should take about 1 hour, depending on how thick your placemats are.^{[6]
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- Turn the placemat over once or twice so it dries evenly.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using the Washing Machine

1
Read the care label to see if you can wash the placemats in the machine. Since felt can be made from wool or different blends, it is important to read the care instructions. The label should tell you if the placemats are safe to wash in the machine.^{[7]
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- If you can't find a care label, it's probably safer to wash the placemats by hand.
- If you can wash the placemats in the machine, you'll see a bucket shape with wavy lines on top. You might see a temperature listed inside the shape, which is the recommended wash temperature. If you see the symbol with an X through it, don't was the placemats in the machine.
2
Put the placemats into the machine with a gentle detergent. If you have other items you'd like to wash on the delicate cycle, add them to the machine along with your placemats. Then, add enough gentle laundry detergent for the size load you're running.^{[8]
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- Try using a fragrance-free detergent since these are often gentler on clothes.
3
Wash the placemats with cool water on a delicate cycle. Adjust your machine setting so it's on a delicate or gentle cycle with cool water. Change the water temperature to cold water. Run the cycle to clean the placemats.^{[9]
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- Avoid using a regular cycle or hot water. These settings are too rough for felt and can shrink the fabric or make the fibers loosen.
Tip: Only wash the placemats in the machine when they're really dirty or smelly. If you wash the felt in the machine frequently, the fabric will wear out faster.
4
Lay each placemat to dry on a clean towel. Take the placemats out of the washing machine, but don't put them in the dryer! Even the cool setting on the dryer can shrink the placemats or make the fibers come loose. Instead, spread a dry towel flat and lay the placemats on the towel. Let them air dry completely.^{[10]
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- Turn the placemats over once or twice so it dries evenly.