How to clean a microfiber couch

December 4, 2011 2:44 PM

We've got a microfiber sofa and it's starting to look pretty dingy. How do I clean this thing up?

I bought the couch about five years ago and it's looking pretty sad right now. It's a light beige color, and after the years of sweating on it, sleeping on it, and spilling stuff on it, most of it has a distinct grey pallor. I'd like to clean it so it looks at least halfway decent, but I'm not sure how to go about cleaning a whole couch. Has anyone done this before?

Also, the back cushions have become slightly misshapen. Any idea how to reshape them to get them back the way they were?

posted by backseatpilot to home & garden (5 answers total)

I can't vouch for it personally, but I happened to come across this technique for cleaning microfiber using rubbing alcohol via Pinterest.
posted by kittydelsol at 3:10 PM on December 4, 2011 [3 favorites]

I came to post the same thing as kittydelsol. I haven't tried it myself because I have a slipcover but her before and after pictures are pretty convincing.
posted by TooFewShoes at 4:04 PM on December 4, 2011

Are your couch cushions misshapen because the stuffing inside has become compressed and packed together? You can remove the stuffing insert from the slipcover, carefully cut open a seam of the insert casing, and pull out all the stuffing. Then, just tear all the stuffing apart, especially the compressed parts, and fluff it back up. You can mix it with some new stuffing (craft stores sell big bags of it) if it still seems lacking. Pack it all back into the insert, sew up the seam, and stick it back into the slipcover. I've done this a time or two - time consuming, but it can extend the life of an otherwise serviceable couch.
posted by illenion at 7:28 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

Professional Steam cleaning. I paid someone $75 (your market may be cheaper) to come round with a steam cleaner to do my beige microfiber couch, and I had a 'new' couch about 20 mins later.
posted by lalochezia at 9:42 AM on December 5, 2011

Interesting idea on the rubbing alcohol. I'll give that a try and if it fails I'll go find a steam cleaner.

Thanks!
posted by backseatpilot at 5:23 AM on December 6, 2011