Microsuede is finding its way into more and more Aussie living rooms.

To be honest, we’re not surprised. It’s soft, silky-smooth and has that lovely sheen to it… no wonder it’s replacing leather as the luxury upholstery material of choice!

And one of its biggest selling points is its low maintenance requirements.

Thanks to its small, tightly-woven fibres in microsuede, it’s more water-resistant and harder to stain than other materials.

Despite what the salespeople and manufacturers say however, it’s not invulnerable, and the occasional clean should still be on your to-do list.

So, what’s the best way to clean a microsuede couch?

 

Cleaning best practices: how to clean a microsuede couch the right way

Step 1 – Read the instructions first

The tricky thing that many people forget is that microsuede is not the same as regular suede.

Natural suede is a type of leather, while microsuede is synthetic.

When cleaning microsuede, we recommend avoiding water and soap unless you’re 100% sure it’s safe.

For many synthetic materials (including microsuede in many cases) water and soap can leave water rings that can make your furniture look even worse than before.

When cleaning your sofa (microsuede or otherwise), one of the first things you’ll want to look at is the label.

On the bottom or underneath the cushions, you may find a label bearing the following labels:

• S – Use solvent-based cleaners only
• W – Use water only
• W/S – Use water or solvent-based cleaners
• X – Do not use water and solvent-based cleaners, apply vacuum only  

The label on your couch will usually indicate the type of cleaning method suited for your microsuede couch.

Step 2 – Lather up your microsuede sofa

So the label says that your microsuede sofa is water-friendly. This makes your job considerably easier!

In these cases, you can safely use soap, detergent and water to clean it.

If you’re cleaning a microsuede sofa that’s only lightly soiled, you’ll want to:

1. Vacuum or brush first to remove loose debris
2. Lightly spray it with warm water
3. Don’t wipe – instead, lightly dab to moisten your sofa
4. If the stain persists, repeat with sudsy water

We know what you’re thinking – just water? What’s that going to do?

You might be surprised!

Like we mentioned above, the fibres on microsuede furniture are tightly woven and dense.

As a result, most water and dirt sits at surface level instead of bleeding deep into the fibres themselves.

So in many cases, the only thing you need to get rid of these stains is a quick wipe!

Step 3 – Using solvents and cleaning products

Okay, so the water and dish soap technique didn’t work.

Luckily, your label says that your microsuede sofa is also safe to use solvents on!

For more persistent stains that go deeper than surface level, you might have to resort to using solvents and dedicated cleaning products.

These offer a much more powerful clean than water and soap, getting right into the fibres.

So you don’t have any cleaning products lying around the home. Not a problem – home solutions can also prove effective.

Try blotting the stained area with a small amount of rubbing alcohol.

We recommend starting by mixing your rubbing alcohol with water, creating a diluted solution.

You can also use vinegar and baking soda. We’ve talked about how this combination can be used to clean out tiles – a weaker mixture can also be used to remove stubborn stains from your microsuede.

Just like using water, take care not to use a mixture that’s too strong, lest you cause worse damage!

Step 4 – Drying it out isn’t enough

So you’ve finished going over stained areas.

In addition to waiting for it to dry (which you can speed up using fans or hair dryers), you’ll also need to follow up to remove any debris left over.

If you ask us, this is the most important part of cleaning any upholstered surface.

Water and detergents loosen debris and stains, and that’s it – the job of removing them once they’ve been loosed is on you.

Fail to do so, and debris will continue to sit on your microsuede sofa, potentially making their way back in.

We suggest going over your handiwork with a soft-bristled brush – or better, a vacuum cleaner – to remove leftover debris and detergent left in your microsuede fabric.

 

If all else fails, call a professional upholstery cleaner to clean your microsuede couch

You’ve worked through the entire list and tried every solution. However, the stains and messes on your microsuede are just refusing to budge.

That’s where we come in.

MasterClean Carpet Care is a team of couch and sofa cleaning specialists in Melbourne.

Our mission? To give you a fresh, clean and like-new microsuede sofa.

Using powerful Hot Water Extraction techniques that combines hot water vapours and high temperatures, we loosen sticky residues and stains deep in upholstery. We then follow up with effective extraction techniques that remove loosened debris and minimise drying times.

It’s the best way to clean a microsuede couch, hands-down. Contact MasterClean Carpet Care today on 1300 556 748 or request a quote to see how we can help you!