Today my friends, I’m going to teach you how I saved a boat load of money by cleaning my own sofa! This method I have used for years now that I have had two microfiber sofas. I learned this method originally when my cute little toddler decided to take an ink pen to my couch cushions back in 2009. I knew alcohol takes out ink pen so I started by using a baby wipe and some hairspray. It worked alright but I needed more alcohol, so I tried rubbing alcohol and it worked like a charm.
Well, fast forward 2 1/2 years and that little toddler isn’t quite as little. He did it again!!! On my sofa that is less than a year old! BAH!!! He got a big fat time out after this one. Mommy was not happy.
I used the alcohol again and spot cleaned the sofa but really didn’t try that hard. It came out okay but not great. Then, I decided to do some research and figure out what tools to use with the alcohol to get the best results! Then, two months later, my kids’Z sippy cups have absolutely destroyed several sections of the sofa, mainly the arm rests and main cushions.
I’m only showing you this small section out of respect for myself. haha! I have some dignity people! 🙂 Here’s what I did to save my poor little sofa’s life!
You will need:
- Rubbing alcohol and a spray bottle
- White or very light sponges – I actually found sponges the exact same color as my couch. I say this to avoid any color transfer while scrubbing.
- A white bristle scrub brush
First, use your spray bottle and saturate one section at a time with the rubbing alcohol.
Take your dry sponge and scrub scrub scrub! Put some muscle into and scrub vigorously. You will see the dirt, oil and grime start to come off on your sponge. I had the best results when I got it pretty wet then scrubbed really hard.
As you can see, this was ink pen that was on the sofa for about 2 months and it came out completely.
When the sofa is dry, take the dry white bristle brush and rub the sofa in a circular motion. This re-fluffs the fibers and makes it feel new again!
YAY!! Doesn’t it look brand new???
I’m so proud of my scrubbing and my new “no sippy cups on the couch” policy is in full effect!
If you have microfiber in your home or car, 
! You’ll be happy you did. If not for you, share it with your dear friend with the microfiber and the toddlers! She’ll thank you later! 🙂
! You’ll be happy you did. If not for you, share it with your dear friend with the microfiber and the toddlers! She’ll thank you later! 🙂
Need more cleaning tips!? Check out how to clean your microwave in 5 minutes
how to freshen your towels and get rid of that mildew stink!
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- Rubbing Alcohol
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- Spray Bottle
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- Non-Scratch Scrub Pad
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- White Bristle Scrub Brush
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- Cleaning Schedule
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- Homemade Jewelry Cleaner
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- 7 Tips to a Sparkling Home
54 Comments
Andrea @ Decorating Cents
August 27, 2012 at 6:16 pmWow, I’ll definitely have to keep this in mind.
Jess @ Spool and Spoon
August 28, 2012 at 12:33 amThis is a great tip! Thanks so much for sharing. We’ve had a throw on our couch for over a month covering up a weird splotchy stain that appeared out of no where. I’m trying this as soon as I get home from work tomorrow afternoon!
Jasanna Czellar
August 28, 2012 at 2:40 amThanks!! I’ll have to try this on my chairs! 🙂
http://munchtalk.blogspot.com/
Darija
August 28, 2012 at 2:11 pmI may be easy to impress, but I am stunned! I had no idea that was possible and I’m always afraid of making spots worse/more ground in so I don’t always even try. Nice job.
♥ Sonny ♥
August 28, 2012 at 8:38 pmGlad you were able to get all that out..
thanks for the tips
Foy Update
August 30, 2012 at 6:44 pmAwesome! We too have a microfiber couch and a baby that is very talented at spitting up. I’ve been spot cleaning with just a rag and water, but this looks like it would actually do more than just spread the goo around.
We’d love to have you participate in our new Eat Make Grow blog hop:
http://foyupdate.blogspot.com/search?q=eat+make+grow&max-results=20&by-date=true
We are always looking for bloggers with great content!
Foy
Mel
September 1, 2012 at 1:52 amCame up really well, do you think this would work on clothing as well? I have pants with a stain that wouldn’t come out in the wash
Myra
May 27, 2018 at 10:33 amHey, l have a question. do you rinse the sponge out between sections so that you’re not robbing the old dirt back in, I know that’s adding water as well as alcohol but it seems like it would go back in if you didn’t?
Steph
September 3, 2012 at 6:31 pmSo we have the same exact couch. Purchased pre-children and now we have 3. Every time I look at its flithiness I wonder what I was thinking when we bought it. Can’t wait to try your cleaning method!
Cristina
September 3, 2012 at 6:47 pmThank you so much! I have an identical couch (just a different color) and my couch arms are looking FAR from new. I’m definitely going to give this a try!
69588a24-f6a6-11e1-af5b-000bcdca4d7a
September 4, 2012 at 3:37 pmWow!!..I’m pinning this & also making a copy of your directions..I have the same color couch & have 2 grandsons & 2 dogs..Bless you for your research & sharing it with us!!
Karen
Meredith @ Wait Til Your Father Gets Home
September 8, 2012 at 8:34 pmAmazing! I’m impressed :o)
Thanks for linking up with us @ Keep Calm & Link Up this weekend! We’re thrilled you chose to party with us :o)
Helen
September 11, 2012 at 2:41 amSo awesome! We have a microfiber rocker in my daughters room and it looks horrible! This is on my to-do list….THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Kristin
September 17, 2012 at 2:04 amOH MY GOSH! I soooo needed this in my life! With a two year old and sippy cups and a mechanic husband, my couches and recliner are in a sad state! Thanks for sharing!
A Stone Gatherer
September 17, 2012 at 10:51 amI just got a micro fiber couch off of craigslist that we love. One of my pooches (I think) looks like they peed on it while I was in the shower. Does this work on wet pee stains too? Do you have any way to get the smell neutralize so they don’t keep peeing there???
Shel Smith
November 13, 2018 at 8:05 amFor pet urine use Nature’s Miracle Advanced Stain and Odor Eliminator. It’s enzymatic cleaner and comes in different scents.
The enzyme proteins break down (change) the urine instead of diluting it. It’s best to try to pull most of it out with a dry cloth or paper towel before using the cleaner.
Rhonda
October 6, 2012 at 12:01 pmPinned this immediately because I just got a new microfiber sleeper sofa! Thanks so much!
Visiting from TT&J… Rhonda @ home.made.
Joyce Smith
March 8, 2017 at 9:23 pmGet a bottle of vinegar and water it neutralizes per.I have a sis with diwn syndrome ..it works
.I have a gs dhrd steamer as well
Rhey are great
Ruth
October 14, 2012 at 12:44 amYour couch turned out beautifully. I need to do this to mine. It has seen better days. Thanks for sharing.
Melissa@TheHappierHomemaker
January 12, 2013 at 3:05 amFan-freakin-tastic! I love, love, love your step-by-step pictures. I have a four year old microfiber couch that is so stained it’s embarrassing (and banished to a never-visited room!) Thanks so much for this-I’m going to try it this weekend! Pinning! Oh, and visitng from TT&J!
notyet100
January 15, 2013 at 1:18 amThanks ,..formsharingnthis,..
Kelly DeMerritt
May 16, 2014 at 6:24 pmI tried the rubbing alcohol method on our microfiber couch and it didn’t work at all. Our sofa had similar marks like yours did (mystery spots that sort of look like water stains). Any suggestions??
Thanks!
-Kelly
Mallory & Savannah
May 16, 2014 at 10:42 pmOh no! Make sure you saturate it pretty well and scrub hard with the sponge. The alcohol will evaporate pretty quickly. I was able to get all the stains off of ours. I just gave this method to a friend after her son colored on the sofa with ink pen and it worked really well for her as well. Hope that helps!
Lilredpromo
June 12, 2017 at 11:39 amNever used the alcohol method ive always used pure acetone diluted with a lil water and MAGIC!!!
Donnita Alexander
May 5, 2019 at 6:54 pmYou can get the spots off with distilled water ,spray rub and let it dry ,it has no minerals in it , after it dries brush in circular motion , It worked for me .
Donnita
Stephanie
May 20, 2014 at 6:40 pmWill this work for other colours?
Gloria Schimmel
July 11, 2014 at 9:38 amDo you think this method works on water stains? We got caught in a rain storm, ran to the truck, but not before getting soaked. Where we sat, left water rings. I don’t know where to start.
Mallory & Savannah
July 11, 2014 at 9:51 amHi Gloria! YES! It should work! It worked on water and milk stains for us from the kids’ sippy cups! Make sure to get it pretty damp with the rubbing alcohol and scrub until you no longer see the water spot outline(s).
elizabeth
August 7, 2014 at 9:40 pmWill this work on a regular fabric couch?
web site
January 7, 2015 at 10:17 amAmazing ideas! Especially for the upholstery of the furniture in the living room where most of the people spend there a lot of time. Thanks!
Trish
January 18, 2015 at 4:11 pmOMGee!! I have those exact sofas, a 3yr old and stains that look exactly like that! I was JUST trying to clean them yesterday with no luck! I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for posting!
Millisa Thomason
February 5, 2015 at 6:41 pmWhat about if it is brown? Will the alcohol do anything to the color?
Mallory & Savannah
February 6, 2015 at 7:36 pmIt shouldn’t matter what color it is. I would use a tan sponge and test in an inconspicuous area first like the back of the sofa or the back side of a cushion but it should be no problem! xoxo
tinkerbell
September 15, 2016 at 10:59 amHi, this works so great for my couch and recliners! just wondering how to keep it that way?
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March 16, 2015 at 7:01 am[…] How to Clean Microfiber with Professional Results by Classy Clutter […]
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March 17, 2015 at 5:34 pm[…] 18: Wash sofa seats, throw pillows, and […]
Marsha Evens
March 27, 2015 at 10:17 amWow! The results look incredible! I have a few stains on the upholstery of my sofa and I don’t know how to clean them. Thank you for sharing these easy and affordable solutions!
ideascute » Blog Archive » How to clean microfiber with professional results
April 2, 2015 at 2:33 pm[…] Today my friends, I’m going to teach you how I saved a boat load of money by cleaning my own sofa! This method I have used for years now that I have had two microfiber sofas.instructions here > classyclutter.net […]
Michelle
May 2, 2015 at 3:42 pmBefore I cleaned my microfiber couch. I went to Walmart and bought a bag of “filling” from the craft section. Unzipped the cushions and then followed your cleaning instructions. Looks like the day I bought it!
Carlota
July 30, 2015 at 1:40 pmVery good tutorial !! I love how you work out. Thanks for sharing http://goodvinilos.com
Estelle Turner
October 29, 2015 at 6:01 amFantastic tips! My daughter did the same thing to our sofa. She have decided that she can write on it! This made me mad. I couldn`t clean it with detergent. I am so glad that I have found your article. Now I am going to try your method. Thank you for sharing it! Best regards!
Andrew
December 4, 2015 at 10:47 pmYour couch turned out beautifully. I need to do this to mine. It has seen better days. Thanks for sharing.
Mallory & Savannah
March 4, 2016 at 11:06 amGlad you Enjoyed! Thanks for stopping by!
Mike
December 12, 2015 at 5:28 amThis one fantastic tutorial. Thank you for taking the time to write it down and share it the community.
Cindy
July 7, 2016 at 1:33 pmI love this trick! I have a microfiber sofa with stains that need to be cleaned. My sofa tags say that it can only be dry cleaned. Do you think this method will work in that case?
Eva
July 25, 2016 at 9:49 amElse you can try this How to Clean Suede/Microfiber Couch/Sofa
Serena
November 17, 2016 at 5:28 amCould you please write a comprehensive guide on how to clean rustic looking rugs next time. I really loved how thorough this one is and would like to know if there’s a way to clean rustic rugs, but couldn’t find anything noteworthy online.
MrsFitz
December 2, 2016 at 1:12 pmWorks like a charm! My 8 year old sofa looked bad. I used those “car buffing” white cloths & the rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. The cloths got embarrassingly filthy & the couch looks GREAT! I can’t believe the difference. The smell goes away fast too, I was worried about my couch smelling bad but nope. TRY THIS!
Sophie
February 22, 2017 at 1:34 amWorked as magic for me! My five-year-old loves to do her art on the sofa and after each new picture, there are new colorful marks too. Your recipe was the best I’ve found recently, and it did a great work on my sofa. \thanks for sharing your experience 🙂
Cheryl Knowles
April 15, 2017 at 7:00 pmThanks for all the details. Microfiber couch with a plain white cloth, pressing the cloth down and lifting straight up rather than rubbing. To get rid of stains and watermarks, fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol, spritz the stain lightly and rub with a white or natural-colored sponge.
Stephanie
December 28, 2017 at 4:48 pmI cannot believe how well this method worked. I was the embarrassed owner of a microfiber couch in the same colour as your own but with a dog and three boys it was in way worse condition! I got to work this morning and WOW! I also used a magic eraser on top of it all figuring it couldn’t hurt. The results are so amazing…looks like new.
Mallory & Savannah
January 11, 2018 at 10:28 pmI am so glad that it worked!!
Thanks for sharing!
Hariah Rocha
May 4, 2018 at 4:44 amThank you so much for sharing such a nice and very informative blog about cleaning sofa.
Kim
May 25, 2018 at 7:45 pmDid this post get removed? I was hoping to come back to it to clean my sofas before I move but there is no longer any text on the page.