This is a resource article to help consumers understand problems they may be having with their microfiber upholstery. Being a professional upholstery cleaner, I will share with you the experiences I have had with Microfiber upholstery over the last decade. I’ll also explain the best way to have a professional upholstery cleaner clean your microfiber furniture.

What is microfiber?

Microfiber is a fiber that measures less than 1 denier. it is very thin. A microfiber is 100 times thinner than a single strand of hair. Microfibers are soft, water-repellent and highly absorbent. This is obviously why furniture makers love it. However, have they tested it long-term with children, pets, and heavy use? I do not think so!

Why do heavy use areas on my couch turn black?

Because microfiber is so thin, you are actually damaging (wearing down) the fibers on the surface of the upholstery! Black is the backing under the microfibers. When I first discovered exposed backing seven years ago, I walked into my client’s living room, saw his couch, and said oh my gosh, what’s all that black on it? Well, an hour later, after cleaning it and getting no transfer of the black areas, I found out about this phenomenon. He asked me if there was anything he could do to fix it. I said, “No, the fibers were worn; you can’t put threads back in a bald tire.”

Are all Microfiber upholstery of the same quality?

Absolutely not! For years I couldn’t understand why I cleaned some customers’ microfiber upholstery that seemed to get the same heavy use as others, but cleaned well and had no black due to fiber damage. This is what I learned. Microfiber furniture is made with fibers combined to create threads. The threads are then woven or woven to make furniture. The grade of the thread is what distinguishes the quality of Microfiber! Lower grade yarn is made with recycled plastics. There is no way you can find out what grade of thread the upholstery was made with when you buy furniture. The smart thing to do is to shop at a reputable, quality-oriented furniture store. If you’ve been around long enough, you should have learned that you get what you pay for.

Why do water rings form on my microfiber furniture when I spot clean?

There are two reasons why this happens. The first reason is that upholstery is probably one of the most neglected pieces of furniture in the home and needs to be cleaned regularly. Most of the furniture I clean is so dirty that I can take my upholstery tool and make a clean line right down the middle. Simply put, the stain you removed from your furniture is the only clean stain and the rest of the furniture is dirty and left with what appears to be a water mark. The second reason is that because microfiber has good absorbency and is water repellant to some extent, furniture manufacturers and dealers tell the consumer to wash any stains or stains. Now guess what has created that. Now you have 20 million people cleaning upholstery with whatever comes to hand under the cabinet! Most wash it as if they were washing their car. They are causing permanent watermarks, discoloration spots, tint loss, and rust stains! Not a week goes by that I don’t walk into a client’s living room and my mouth freezes. Most damage is irreversible!

What do I need to know to have it professionally cleaned?

First of all, if you have the color black, you need to realize that cleaning the furniture will not change its appearance. Many of my clients still pay to have them cleaned because a lot of dirt can still be removed and the furniture deodorized. This is how a professional should clean Microfiber furniture;

1. Pre-spray upholstery with at least a 9ph upholstery cleaner.
2. Wipe down the entire piece of furniture with terry cloths.
3. Use a solvent degreaser for heavily soiled areas, arms, headrests, etc.
4. Extract using truck mounted equipment with at least 200 degrees hot water.
5. Stubborn areas should be sprayed with solvent remover and then removed again.
6. Wipe down furniture again with terry cloths.

What kind of furniture should I buy?

When you shop for furniture, there really isn’t much to choose from. You have Microfiber, leather, and upholstery in different fabrics. Many consumers purchase Microfiber furniture because of the reclining benefits it offers. Microfiber furniture can be very nice furniture if you put it in a room where it won’t take abuse, but if you put it in a room where it will get a lot of use from animals and children, you’ll seriously regret it. as many of my clients have!