As the owner of a microfiber couch, you know all too well how important it is to keep it clean. But what if there’s been an accident and now you’re faced with your first serious cleaning? As the kids say, keep calm and clean on. By following the steps I’m about to share with you, you’ll know how to clean microfiber.
Even if you’ve already had more spills than you care to admit, these DIY cleaning tips can restore your microfiber couch to its original luster and charm. Cleaning microfiber couch material doesn’t have to be a chore. By knowing what to do, you will be able to master any mess that comes your way.
How to Clean Microfiber Couch – DIY Guide in 5 Easy Steps
Accidents happen. It’s just a part of life. Sure, it’s not a part of life you want anywhere near your microfiber couch, but it happens. The first thing to do when cleaning microfiber sofa material is to take a deep breath.
Alright, now that you have that out of the way, let’s discuss how to clean microfiber furniture the easy and efficient way.
Finding Your Fiber Type
If you want to know how to clean upholstery the right way, it’s important to understand the cleaning codes labeled on your couch. Study these codes so that you don’t accidentally use the wrong microfiber couch cleaner.
In short, W means your couch is suitable for water-based cleaning solutions. Cleaning microfiber is just like any other material. As long as you use the proper cleaning solutions, you’ll be in good shape.
S means your couch should be cleaned with solvents. This dry-cleaning method excludes water.
SW, on the other hand, means that you can use both solvents and water-based cleaning solutions to clean microfiber couch fabrics.
And lastly, X means you may only vacuum the material. Knowing how to clean a microfiber couch all comes down to following the proper procedures.
If you’re not careful, you could damage your couch far beyond simple staining. After you have checked your tags, it’s time to gather all the cleaning materials you’ll need.
Supplies You’ll Need to Clean Microfiber
Thankfully, cleaning a microfiber couch isn’t unlike cleaning other types of couches. You simply need to make sure you are using the right cleaning solutions.
Depending on the code listed on your tag, the following supplies may be needed:
First, grab your vacuum and any upholstery cleaning attachments you may have. This will come in handy later.
Next, you’ll need rubbing alcohol if you’re dealing with a solvent-based cleaning code. This will allow you to safely clean your couch without fear of damaging it.
For water-based couch codes, you’ll want to have a mixture of cleaning solutions. This consists of a cup of water, a cup of vinegar, and two tablespoons of baking soda. Mix these together in a spray bottle for an easy microfiber cleaning formula.
You may also need a good brush for scrubbing out stains. And finally, it’s a good idea to keep a white towel handy.
Step 1: Vacuum
This one is simple enough. Use your vacuum cleaner to clean the couch from top to bottom. The goal here is to pick up as much loose dirt and dust as you possibly can. This will go a long way in making the cleaning portion a lot easier.
Step 2: Spray With Solution
Depending on the code listed on the tag, you’ll want to either use the water-based cleaning formula or rubbing alcohol on your couch. Knowing how to clean microfiber couch fabrics with these supplies will yield excellent results.
Step 3: Clean Heavily Soiled Areas
This is where that brush comes in handy. Start by scrubbing the couch gently using a circular motion. You want to try to break up as much caked-on grime as best you can. Don’t worry too much about damaging the fabric.
Thankfully, microfiber is pretty resilient stuff. Plus, knowing how to clean microfiber sofa material with a brush the right way can help tremendously in removing stains and build-up.
Step 4: Clean With Sponge or Towel
After you feel you have sufficiently kicked up the loose dirt, it’s time to take a sponge or towel over the top of it. You’ll be amazed at how well these start to absorb dirt and other debris.
If you don’t notice much difference by the time you have completed this step, repeat the previous steps. Eventually, you should start making an impact and will be able to remove much of the build-up just by these steps alone.
Step 5: Remove Residue
Now we’re going to learn how to clean microfiber couches with vinegar. It’s important that you first remove as much debris as possible. You want your couch to be as clean as you can safely get it.
It’s also vital that you not use straight vinegar by itself. This is a pretty harsh liquid and can potentially damage your couch if you’re not careful. This is where that mixture comes into play.
The other parts of the solution help dilute the vinegar, thereby giving you a powerful cleaning formula. Start by cleaning a small spot that’s out of sight to ensure that the formula is safe to use.
With small circular motions, work out the stain using the spray bottle and a sponge. Soon, you should have a stain-free microfiber couch!
If you don’t get the desired results right away, stick with it. It might take a few tries before the stain lifts from the couch.
Steam Cleaning vs Spot Cleaning
Now let’s move on to how to wash microfiber couches. For this, steam cleaning comes in mighty handy. But it’s important to first verify that your couch has a “W” on the tag code.
This will ensure that steam cleaning is safe to employ. This is ideal for large messes and stains. If you’re only dealing with a small portion on your couch, spot cleaning is more suitable.
You can use a variety of cleaning solutions when spot cleaning. Just remember to check your tags to make sure you are using the proper formula.
What Not to Do
Knowing how to wash microfiber couches the right way can save you big bucks in the long run. However, it is imperative that you pay attention to the tags on your furniture.
Whatever you do, above all else, DO NOT use bleach on your microfiber couch. It will ruin it. You can experiment with all sorts of homemade cleaning solutions. But bleach is a big no-no on microfiber couches.
