"How to Clean a Large Microfiber Couch"

In any house, the item of furniture that gets abused the most is the couch. It is usually the centerpiece of a living room and the first place visitors plop down on after entering your house. It is the favorite of children, adults and even pets. The end result is that couches often become terribly dirty over time need to be cleaned regularly. Microfiber, with its dirt attracting properties, is a difficult material to clean, especially if you have a large microfiber couch.

A large microfiber couch may be made of either pure microfiber, or in most cases, have some polyester mixed in. If it is the former, it can safely be cleaned with water alone. If it is the latter, you will need some sort of cleaning agent. Carefully read the care instructions on your couch to see what kind of blend the cloth is made of before proceeding with the cleaning.

The best way keep your large microfiber couch clean is to vacuum it every week or so. Since microfiber attracts dirt, regular vacuuming keeps the dirt level down to a minimum and saves you from the trouble of extensive cleaning every month. Make it a habit to vacuum your couch as part of your weekly cleaning routine.

On the topic of stains: all stains will vary in the degree of their intensity; some stains are far easier to remove than others and need just some water and a brush to remove. Others will need special care. I've found that the best way to clean any stain is to spray it with a stain remover as soon as it is created or discovered (the time elapsed between creation and discovery of the stain, of course, is important as well). Once the stain becomes 'softer', it can be cleaned with a regular cleaning agent quite easily. Just make sure that you take prompt action when you discover a stain on your couch.

Specialized cleaners: there are certain cleaning agents available in the market nowadays that are designed specifically for cleaning large microfiber couches. These agents have been specially formulated to treat delicate microfiber furniture. I highly recommend using them, provided you can find them in your local home store.

On the topic of odors: While you may be able to remove stains, removing odors takes some effort and time. Most often, odors will go away with time. But you can expedite the process by applying some baking soda to the affected area, then vacuuming it straight off. Baking soda has the terrific property of absorbing all odors in a piece of cloth - make it your number one tool in combating odors in all household items (Tip: car upholstery odors can also be effectively removed using baking soda).

Finally, if you have access to a steam cleaner, you will find cleaning a large microfiber couch so much easier. Follow the instructions provided with your steam cleaner and make sure that you set the device to the 'delicate' mode before using it.