Mine was in pretty bad shape. I decided there was nothing to lose by trying to wash it. I used a laundry detergent/water solution and sponged it on. Then I scrubbed it with wet terry cloth. For tough stains I used a scrubbing brush. Then I used my hands to squeeze out all the cleaning solution I could, rinsed under running water and squeezed until it ran clear. I thought of using a rolling pin to squeeze out the water but didn't. After that I hung it outside in the sun to dry. I had thought about re-covering but decided to try this first. It actually came out pretty good.