How to clean a microfiber sofa without water spots

Microfiber is a tightly woven polyester that resists stains and pet hair, which is why it is on half the sofas in Puget Sound. It has one weakness: water leaves rings. A wet cloth on a microfiber spot cleans the spot and leaves a darker ring around it that looks worse than the original stain.

Check the tag. Most microfiber is coded S, meaning solvent only. Rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle, misted lightly and blotted with a white cloth, cleans microfiber without water spotting because the alcohol evaporates too fast to leave a ring. Brush the nap with a soft brush as it dries so it does not feel stiff.

W-coded microfiber

Some microfiber is coded W or W/S and can take water-based cleaning. Even then, use as little as possible, work outward-in and dry with a fan. When we clean W-coded microfiber we use a low-moisture setting and groom the fabric as it dries.

Whole-sofa cleaning

Spot cleaning handles spills. A sofa that is gray on the arms and headrest from years of skin oil needs the whole surface cleaned so it is uniformly clean rather than a patchwork of clean spots. That is the job for a professional upholstery tool and it is a one- to two-hour visit.