Information About Polyester Microfiber Furniture

History

• Polyester, also known by the brand name Dacron, is the main component in Microfiber. Polyester is a long-chain synthetic polymer. W.H. Carothers, who worked for DuPont, discovered that alcohols and carboxyl acids could be combined to form fibers. Carothers then discovered Nylon and his work on polyester was set aside. British Scientists J.R.Whinfield and J.T.Dickson took up Carothers work on polyester and patented Polyethylene terephtlate (PETE) in 1941. Polyethylene terephthalate is the base for most synthetic fibers, including polyester. The first polyester fiber, Terylene, was created by Whinfield and Dickson along with W.K.Birtwhistle and C.G.Ritchiethey. Terylene was first manufactured by Imperial Chemical Industries or ICI. The patent was acquired by DuPont in 1946 and the fabric polyester was introduced to the American public in 1952 as the "miracle" fabric that never needed ironing.

Definition

• A microfiber is a filament having a diameter of 1 denier or less. A denier is, according to the Random House dictionary, "a unit of weight indicating the fineness of fiber filaments and yarns, both silk and synthetic, and equal to a yarn weighing one gram per each 9000 meters."

Features

• Microfiber furniture can be produced to have a crisp (as is used in drapes) or soft feel; is resistant to wrinkling and wear and tear; is able to withstand exposure to sunlight, insects, pets, and water; does not "pill" or give off a lot of lint or dust. Stains are also resisted without special pretreatment because the fibers are so small and tightly woven, the stains don't "grab" to the fibers but tend to bubble up and are more easily removed.

Care

• Microfiber furniture can be cleaned with regular detergents and specialty products made for the fabric. Microfiber furniture should be vacuumed regularly and spot-cleaned as needed. A lint-roller will pick up pet hair or other dust and debris. You can also steam-clean the furniture occasionally for a more thorough cleaning.

Stain Removal

• The biggest stain issues on microfiber furnishings are with oil-based stains. Because microfiber is a popular cloth for cleaning, it makes sense that furnishing made from it would attract certain kinds of stains. Oil tends to do the most damage to microfiber but should be easily removed with a mild, color safe detergent and warm water. Other stains like ink and food respond well to standard treatments.