Designed to withstand the vigor of machine washers, futon covers are available in an assortment of sizes, colors and prints. It is easy to clean machine washable futon covers. Unlike regular upholstery that may require professional cleaning, the occasional mess created by kids or pets is no problem with machine washable covers.

Usually, a machine washable futon cover has two large zippers. The full cover looks like a large sheet made of denim or some other material, and has a seam in the middle. To install it, spread out the cover, align the mattress against the seam, and the fold the cover over so that the entire futon mattress is covered. When folded over, there are two open corners that are closed with zippers. Zip up the cover and that is all there is to placing a cover on a futon mattress. To remove the cover for cleaning, simply unzip it and pull it off the mattress.

Anyone who has clothing, tents or suitcases with zippers know that the zipper will occasionally get jammed. Trying to get the zipper to work can be frustrating.

There is a quick fix if the zipper is sticking but does not appear to be caught in anything. Rub a candle along the length of the zipper. After the teeth have been coated, try zipping and unzipping the unit a few times. This will usually make the zipper work more smoothly. If a candle is not available, a bar of hand soap works, although not quite as well.

If the problem is not 'stickiness' due to age, dirt or other factors, a thread or material from the futon cover might be caught in the zipper unit. Carefully remove the caught string or fabric that is jamming the zipper. The inner fabric is generally what gets caught, so a pair of tweezers might come in handy in order to get hold of the fabric or thread. Gently pull the inner lining, thread or other material that is caught in the unit away from the zipper. Light tugging is acceptable provided that the zipper tab is not yanked. Forcing the zipper tab up or down will make the problem worse. Depending on how embedded the futon material or thread is in the zipper unit, teeth might get separated when the cloth, thread or other source of the jam is removed. Gently push the zipper teeth back into place and the zipper should work. It is a good idea to check the length of the zipper and push the lining away from the zipper to prevent future snags. Re-zip and the problem should be fixed.

Machine washable futon covers are inexpensive and come with sturdy zippers. Nevertheless, owning a couple of extra futon covers can come in handy if the zipper breaks.