Microfiber is essentially a synthetic fibre that is extremely fine (Almost less than ten micrometres). Almost measuring a fifth of the diameter of human hair, microfibre is slowly becoming a popular material in many different fields. Due to its extremely small diameter, it is able to clean surfaces very easily since its small fibres can easily absorb water and other liquids. It can also pick up dust easily. Let’s see how to clean microfiber couch.
It is also a more environmentally friendly option along with being inexpensive. This type of fibre does have some drawbacks. Microfibre should never be laundered as it can produce lint, reducing the effectiveness of the material. It must also not be used on extremely hot surfaces. A type of microfibre is microsuede. It is an artificial polyester fabric made of millions of strands of microfibre. Although these are artificial fibres, the overall look is luxurious and classy.
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Couches come in many different finishes and upholstery. There are leather couches, suede couches, polyester, woollen, velvet, linen and so many more. One type of upholstery available is the microfiber or microsuede option. A couch is definitely one part of the house that is bound to get dirty no matter what. From spillages of food during a fun party and dirty feet on the couch to dust collection or spillage of liquids like water, juice and alcohol, the couch bears the brunt of many a mishap.
When these tend to stain on a microfiber couch, however, the removal process can be a bit more complicated. The good part about microfibres is that when liquid spills on them, it first forms a droplet on the surface before getting absorbed into the fabric. If you act fast, you may be able to mitigate the stain immediately. When it gets absorbed into the fibres, the stain can be difficult to remove.
In this article, you will learn how to clean a microfiber couch to make sure it looks as good as new!
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Table of Contents
1. The First Step in How to Clean Microfiber Couch Is to Check the Label
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These types of microsuede couches come with different labels that indicate it’s ‘cleaning code’. The cleaning code essentially tells you what you need to use to clean the surface.
The four codes are S, W, SW and X.
S- Solvent: This means you have to use a water-free solvent-only cleaner. These cleaners will definitely be available in nearby grocery stores, hardware stores or online.
W- Water: This means you can clean stains with just water or water-based cleaners.
SW- Solvent-Water: This means you can use a solvent-water based cleaner. This type has the perks of water and solvents in one to ensure effective cleaning.
X- Thi means you should not use any type of liquid cleaner, solvent or water. Usually vacuuming or brushing might do the trick.
2. The Second Step Is to Vacuum
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Before cleaning the surface for stains, it is important to vacuum any surface grime like dust, crumbs, lint etc. Cleaning with any liquid solvent cleaner might spread the surface grime and dirty the couch even more.
3. Cleaning
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Solvent-Based Cleaner
First, take a spray bottle and fill it with Rubbing Alcohol. Rubbing Alcohol is considered the best when it comes to removing stains off of cloth. Spray the rubbing alcohol directly onto the stain. After this, blot and rub the stains gently without putting too much pressure, then leave it to dry.
You may have to repeat this process a few times to get the stain completely out.
Water-Based Cleaner
The process for a water-based solvent is similar to the solvent-based. Water and a few drops of dish soap can be added to a spray bottle.
Additionally, you can also add a pinch of baking soda and a dash of white vinegar to make the solution even more effective and neutralize the smell of soap. After, spray the stain with the mixture and gently dab and rub the stain. This process can be repeated many times until the stain disappears.
Solvent-Water-Based Cleaner
On how to clean microsuede couches labelled ‘SW’, the process can be a bit more tricky. After creating the specific mixture of solvent and water, spray it directly onto it. After the stain is damp with solution, enough for the dirt to become loose, you can rub it with a soft towel or sponge in a circular motion.
X Based Cleaners
Usually, these are used when stains cannot be removed by liquid-based cleaners. X-based cleaners are usually used on vintage couches. They can be cleaned using a vacuum or be sent to professionals to avoid any damage.
4. Fluffing
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After cleaning the stains thoroughly off the surface, the surface must be left to dry for a while. Rubbing alcohol tends to stiffen microfibres and hence that part of the sofa may become stiff after cleaning. To fix this, take a bristled brush and brush it over the cleaned area in a circular motion.
Rubbing this relaxes the dried up microsuede fibres and makes the cloth smooth and flexible again!
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5. Protect Your Couch from Further Staining
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Finally, to protect your sofa from further damage, it would be best to spray it with a spray-on fabric protector. Depending on the code of the sofa, buy a water-based or solvent-based fabric protector.
And those are all the steps for how to clean a microfiber couch or how to clean a microsuede couch!
Now, What to do if you accidentally clean an “S” coded couch with water? Or what do you do if you spill water on a microfiber couch?
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Water spillage on other materials may not seem like much of a big deal but on microfibres, it is. So here’s how to clean a microsuede couch of water damage. Water usually stains in a ring or circle and will be a few shades darker than the original shade. Luckily, it is very easy to get a water stain off a couch and that is- baby wipes!
That’s right, baby wipes can be used to dampen the area and then gently rub the stain with another dry cloth. The key here is to dry the stain as quickly as possible. Using fans or blow dryers would be the best way to dry it up.
Here Are Some Additional Tips On How To Clean Microfiber Couch
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- Only tackle small stains, if you need to clean an entire couch, it’s better to hand it over to professionals.
- If you see the stains getting worse, stop cleaning immediately. Do not try cleaning with more pressure as you might damage your couch.
- Always use a white cloth to prevent any dye leakage from coloured clothes.
- It is preferable to work on one or two stains at a time. You don’t want the solvent to dry on top of the stain, it complicates the cleaning process more.
- For tougher stains, using a sponge or light brush might be more effective. Sometimes, cloth doesn’t always do the job so you may need something more aggressive.
- Don’t worry if the areas of cleaning look darker than the rest of the sofa, after they dry up they will eventually go back to their original shade!
Also Read: How to Clean Glass Stove Top Efficiently in Minimal Time
How To Clean Microsuede Couches That Have Tougher Stains
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Grease: Oil stains, paints and grease can be very hard to remove. Not all grease comes off with soap and water and can also form huge blots on the couch. To get rid of these, sprinkle the stains with cornstarch and slowly start rubbing it with a brush.
Doing this will enable the cornstarch to absorb the oil. After this, you can use soap or rubbing alcohol to remove the rest of the stain.
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Chewing Gum: Chewing Gums may not make any major stains on the couch but can get permanently stuck to the microfibres if left alone for too long. Make sure to never pull the gum out as you could risk tearing the fabric. To deal with this you need to freeze the gum using ice cubes so it can harden.
After this, you can slowly but carefully chip away the hardened gum with a dull knife or scissors. Keep refreezing the gum when required. Any remaining stain can be removed according to the code.
Odours: The couch may not have any stains but may still give off odours from continuous usage and previous damage. How to clean a microfiber couch from odours is that you will have to sprinkle the couch with cornstarch and using a brush you can slowly rub the couch and work it. The next day uses a vacuum to clean out all the powder.
DIY Is Always Better!
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The process of how to clean a microsuede couch or microfiber couch can definitely be done at home. Even though we are all human, you should never have to find yourself in this situation again. Most importantly, prevent your couch from getting dirty and be careful not to make any spillages near it. Make sure to follow all the steps to ensure a sofa that looks as good as new!
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