Microfiber furniture is a great choice—it’s aesthetically pleasing, comfortable to sit on and stain-resistant. However, in a household of high use and pets, that stain resistance can fade. When those stains do eventually overcome the resistance of the fabric, however, it can be an extremely difficult fabric to clean. Water leaves marks on the fabric, so traditional furniture cleaners won’t work. The following is a guide to do-it-yourself microfiber cleaning that will save you the cost of calling a professional cleaner.
Before you start cleaning your microfiber furniture, you should check for a tag on the piece with a cleaning code. The tag should have an initial written on it, which serves as a code that tells you what cleaning solutions to use for your specific piece. A “W” means you should use a water-based solution. If this is the case, you can use pretty much any household fabric-cleaning solution on the fabric. An “S” means you should use a solvent-based solution, while an “S-W” means use either a water or solvent-based solution and an “X” means vacuum only. The following cleaning guide will work for furniture with any of these codes.
First, vacuum the fabric with a brush attachment. This will remove any allergens, crumbs or other debris from the surface. Then, spray undiluted rubbing alcohol onto the affected area. Rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly and will not leave a mark after the cleaning is complete. (You may test a small spot of the fabric to make sure color will not wear.) Make sure the room you’re working in is properly ventilated while you work with the alcohol—opening windows makes a huge difference.
Next, take a clean white sponge and rub the surface. The sponge does need to be white—using colored sponges risks the possibility of color transfer. Then let the area completely dry. Once the fabric is dry, use a clean white scrub brush with soft bristles to rub the fabric in a circular motion. This will fluff up the fibers and give the microfiber new life. And yoila, you’re done!
Microfiber furniture is a great choice for your home, but age and heavy use can cause wear and tear, just like any other furniture fabric. Don’t let your furniture’s worn appearance force you into buying a new piece. Breathe new life into your microfiber with this simple cleaning solution.
