Acrylic tablecloths are easy to care for, but they are not completely indestructible.
With a little care and know how, you can keep your tablecloth looking cleaner for longer.
What You Need To Know Before Using Your Acrylic Tablecloth
While top side of your acrylic tablecloth is water proof and has stain resistant properties to make them easier to wipe clean, they are not stain proof!
This means your usual culprits, like curry and tomato based sauces etc, can still penetrate in to the top coating layer making it difficult to remove.
With these types of spillages, it’s recommended you wipe them clean immediately to prevent them staining. The longer a spillage is left on the fabric surface the deeper the stain will penetrate into the fabric.
How To Wash Your Acrylic Tablecloth
Acrylic tablecloths can be machine washed, unlike oilcloth and PVC fabrics. This enables you to keep your tablecloth fresher for longer.
Here are some washing tips:
- Machine wash infrequently – Frequent machine washing will gradually erode away the water repellent (Teflon) treatment. Machine washing two to three times a year should be enough.
- Machine wash at a low temperature (30c – 40c) – Washing too warm will cause the fabric to shrink and distort.
- Use detergent sparingly and rinse thoroughly – Too much detergent can cause the fabric to feel stiff and hard.
- Do not use bleach, fabric conditioner, tumble drying or dry cleaning – These can damage the protective coating.
- After washing you can iron the back – This removes creasing and re-activates the stain repellant treatment. Use a warm to medium setting on your iron to do so.
Ironing Your Acrylic Coated Tablecloth
When you receive your tablecloth, or after washing it, there may be some creasing.
These will drop out naturally, however, you may also iron the reverse side (uncoated side) to get rid of them straight away. This also re-activates the stain repellant treatment.
To do this, use a medium setting on your iron to go over any creases. For any stubborn creasing, spray some water on them and increase the iron temperature.
It’s All In The Quality
When it comes to acrylic tablecloths, you truly get what you pay for. Many cheaper options don’t have the same protective properties making them more prone to staining.
Our acrylic coated tablecloths undergo multiple industrial processes and various raw materials are used to create the finished product. While acrylic tablecloths are not indestructible, understanding how to care for them will help you get the best out of them.
