Ah, the million-dollar question for anyone who dares to live with a light-colored sofa. Can you toss those Pottery Barn cushion covers in the wash and hope for the best? The short answer is a definitive "maybe," which I know is incredibly helpful.
Your first, and most sacred, mission is to locate the care tag on the cushion cover. This little fabric oracle holds all the secrets. It will likely have a cleaning code: 'W' means you're in luck and water-based cleaning is fine. 'S' means solvent-based cleaners only, so step away from the washing machine. 'W/S' gives you options, and 'X' means vacuum only, suggesting the fabric will throw a fit if it even sees a drop of liquid.
According to the internet rumor mill, as seen in places like Reddit, many brave souls with Pottery Barn's "Performance Fabrics" have ventured into the laundry room and emerged victorious. These fabrics are designed to be tough, but that doesn't mean they're invincible. One of your provided sources was a jumble of PDF code, which is about as useful for cleaning instructions as a chocolate teapot, so we'll have to rely on common sense.
If the tag gives you the green light (a 'W' or 'W/S'), proceed with caution. Use a cold, gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Zip the covers closed to prevent a wrestling match with your machine's agitator. And whatever you do, do not, under any circumstances, put them in the dryer unless you want doll-sized cushion covers. Let them air dry, preferably out of direct sunlight, to avoid a tragic shrinking situation. When in doubt, a professional cleaning service is your safest, albeit priciest, bet.
