Hi Volare
Yes, this subject cropped up a year or so ago. Like you, I hesitated in taking them apart and contacted Dan at Clipper. He immediately said that the covers absolutely shouldn't be washed but cleaned using a spray fabric cleaner (after the usual testing on a hidden bit). Actually, by then it was too late as, like you, we had already washed the others on a very cool gentle wash. They seemed to have survived providing you refilled them while they were still a little damp. On the other hand, we cleaned the saloon bench covers with spray cleaner and, although no runs or bleaching, I have to say that the covers do not fit as well as the machine washed ones any more and are a little baggy. Not bad but not the same as they were.