Can a Microfiber Couch Be Washed?

Reading Tags

• Many microfiber couches come with coded cleaning tags indicating whether or not they should be washed with water. The code W means that the fabric is safe to be washed with water. The code S indicates that the fabric should be cleaned with a non-water based solvent cleaner. The code W/S means that both water and solvent based cleaners are fine. The code X indicates that no liquid cleaners should be used, and professional cleanings or special dry-cleaning kits are needed for the fabric.

Soap and Water

• If a microfiber couch is marked with a W tag, it is safe to use water for cleaning. However, microfiber should never be saturated with water. Zippered cushion covers should not be laundered in a washing machine. Rather, a mild laundry soap such as Woolite should be added to a bucket of warm water and a cleaning cloth dampened, but not saturated. Gently rub stains or spots after checking for color safety in a small, inconspicuous spot.

Drying

• Whenever a microfiber couch is exposed to water, it is vulnerable to streaking and water-spotting. Accordingly, after wiping microfiber with a damp cloth, it should be dried with a hairdryer on the lowest, coolest setting. Additionally, almost all types of microfiber can be severely damaged by heat, so caution should be used not to dry a microfiber couch or cushion cover with hot air.

Alternative Cleaning

• If a microfiber couch cannot be cleaned with water, there are a few alternatives available. For those without W tags, solvent based cleaners such as alcohol and baby wipes can be used to gently blot stains. Dry or powdered detergents can be sprinkled on small sections of the cushions, brushed in with a nail brush and vacuumed away to ensure freshness. Professional cleaning may be necessary for the most restrictive kinds of microfiber that cannot tolerate water or solvent cleaners.