This tip will save you time and insanity by helping you clean microfiber the easy way!
Okay, so seriously! Who thought it was a brilliant idea to have microfiber on dining room chairs? When I first saw them, I loved them and thought they couldn’t possibly be that hard to keep clean. I couldn’t have been more wrong. They are taller chairs so the kids touch the cushions to climb up on them and they always have something on their hands. The slightest bit of moisture gives them horrible water looking spots. They look terrible ALL THE TIME!
I have seen tutorials on how to clean microfiber, but when you use these chairs 3 times a day you really can’t spend that kind of time cleaning them! Microfiber on dining room chairs is about as bad as carpet in a dining room. A room that is used for eating should not require constant carpet cleaning or extensive chair cleaning.
Clean Microfiber
I had to come up with a better way! So I tapped into my inner Greek and pulled out the trusty bottle of Windex (note: I have no affiliation with Windex, they have no idea who I am, but as much as I use this blue bottle they really should), and a scrub brush.
What you’ll need:
- Small Scrub Brush
- Windex
- Copy of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (Just kidding of course, but if you don’t know why I’m saying this, you really should pick it up! 😉 )
I keep the chairs wiped down throughout the day and then after dinner I do my cleaning. I spray each chair with Windex, not soak the chair mind you, just spray until the whole cushion has been spritzed. Then I take my scrub brush and brush out the spots. Then I brush the fiber all in one direction and tuck the chair back up under the table. They dry fairly quickly if you don’t soak them, so it doesn’t have to be at night. I just like to have my house clean before I go to bed and that includes the chairs!
Easy peasy and really only takes me a few extra minutes to get nice clean, good as new chairs. Sometimes I have to put a little extra Windex and elbow grease into a spot, but that’s not too hard, and it beats the alternative. I step back and admire my work and realize that I don’t hate the microfiber after all. I still don’t think it’s a great idea on a dining room chair, but an easy way to clean them like this, makes it a little more tolerable.
This is a great job for the kids to do if you have them help you with chores.
Tiffany
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My parents had carpeting in their KITCHEN, if you can imagine that!
Good job finding something that works on those chairs 🙂
My husband had carpet growing up in his kitchen too Tilda! Yuck! And thanks.
Tiff
Tiffany H recently posted…Clean Microfiber the Easy Way
We just moved there is shag carpet in the dining room and carpet in the kitchen. We are tearing it up. With two kids im constantly vacuuming. I’m definitely trying to clean my kitchen chairs like this.
I can’t wait to try this on my COUCH! The spots on my microfiber couch are horrid, and with 4 kids it’s SO hard to keep clean! I wait for warm days to do the steam vac, but it’s SO much work! Thank you!
Oh I hope it works as well for you Michele as it does for me! I am so happy to have found an easy way for such an annoying fabric!
-Tiffany
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Thank you so much! This really works. My sofa is a light microfiber and this is cleaning it beautifully. Between the dogs, the grandkids, and my husband eating his breakfast every morning on the arm of the sofa I didn’t think it would ever be clean. The first cushion and the arm on his side look so good. Going to complete it this week!
Dona
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I have spent HOURS the last 2 days cleaning a cushion on my microfiber couch. My last ditch effort was a brush and it worked ok. I am totally going to try Windex with it! I hope it works! BTW, I also bought some “lovely” bar stools that had microfiber and they were an utter nightmare. I hated them because they always looked awful no matter what I did! I finally recovered them with some really nice, thick vinyl and I am the happiest person around! Thanks for the tip… and I will NEVER buy microfiber ANYTHING again!!!
I love the brush Idea, I use a mix of white vinegar and a cleaning rag (I’m gonna try the brush though) the vinegar works like a charm (I have 3 little ones who climb up on our chairs as well and I worry about them getting chemical cleaner residue on little hands)
What’s your vinegar to water ratio?
I just purchased a microfiber couch. I have 3 beautiful girls & 2 dogs (learning they are no longer allowed on the couch). I just happened,to come across this :-)… I was wondering though if you have only used the regular Windex? I have the multi surface bottle & was wondering if you had tried that one at all?
The bottle I have is multi-surface too Lindsey!
So give it a try! 🙂
hugs-
Tiff
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That movie was too funny! I love Windex!
I bought a microfiber couch. Big, BIG mistake. Never again.
I just did it and I can’t wait to wake up and see how it looks!!
OMG!!! They look like new….I was planning on redoing them this summer. More pool time for me!!
Just so you know regular dawn dish soap and hot water work just as well! A little less expensive when you have to clean them so many times a day or week!!
Just tried this! Worked really well so far! I have a 3 1/2 yr old and a 1 1/2 yr old who LOVE to make messes
I was wondering if the windex left a funny smell after cleaning with it??
Just smells like Windex. 🙂
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I do have one question. Since you spray the dirt with Windex and then you scrub the dirt & Windex with a brush, are you removing the dirt or actually just spreading it around? If it’s the latter, I would think that each time you use this procedure, the color would turn darker. I may be wrong, but just an observation.
The color never got darker on my chairs, I don’t know why it works but it does. I think because most of the spots that get on the microfiber are not actually dirt, but wet spots that dried like that. Microfiber is just such a finicky fabric. If you can take it off and wash it like on a pillow, it’s great…for dining room chairs? Not so much. Thanks Beverly!
-Tiffany
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I was wondering if you had possibly tried this on different colored microfibers as well? I have red microfiber couches.
The after pictures look amazing by the way!
I haven’t, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. Try it on a small unseen part first to check. Good luck! 🙂
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Is the microfiber scotch guarded first?
I don’t know if mine was or not Amanda! I bought the table and chairs from my mom, she had it in storage…so I don’t know. Sorry!
-Tiff
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Hi Tiffany! Thank you so much for sharing. I have ivory microfiber chairs in my kitchen and they are so dingy from dark jean prints and dirty fingers 🙁 do you think the windex will remove the dye from the jeans?
Not sure Ashley… I would definitely give it a try. Microfiber in the kitchen is the worst!
Let me know how it goes.
xo-
Tiff
Tiffany @Making the World Cuter recently posted…Back to School Ideas | Making the World Cuter Monday
This didn’t work for my seaform microfiber couches!? I was really trying to find something that worked! I’ve tried the proxide, vinager, steam clean and now this! I have two dogs and a 2 year old. The stains aren’t that old?! It looks good when I sprayed the windex and rubbed it but when it dries the stains are still there!!! Idk what I did wrong.
🙁 I’m sorry Karie! I just hate microfiber, I wish you luck in finding something that works for you!
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I have a dog who is constantly liking herself on my couch, and I find I have to spray the Windex, brush it out, let it dry, and go over it. You can get away with just scrubbing where the stains are.
Do you use the pure windex r do you mix it with something?
I used just Windex Doris.
Thanks!
Tiff
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Thanks
rubbing alcohol also works on micro fiber just spray ,brush and let dry! or use an old cloth to wipe it around and let it dry!
Oh my goodness! You’re cleaning those seats every day? I’d get a more appropriate fabric and recover them, pronto. It wouldn’t be difficult or take much fabric.
Hey Treelover!
Oh I have since recovered these and covered them in plastic for easy clean up. But I will say that cleaning these chairs wasn’t all that bad. I covered them when I redid my dining room and haven’t looked back! 🙂 I should definitely show them off huh?
xo
Tiffany
If you have a norwex Envirocloth, you can just use water! No more windex needed. I used it to remove stains on my microfiber ottoman and now it looks better than new!
I just tried this tonight and wish I had taken photos of before and after. I have tried to clean our microsued chair many times following many different instructions. They all made it worse. This trick WORKED!!! It is not perfect, but it is 14 years old and, like I said, I have tried a lot of ideas that worsened the already stained and dirty chair. It is a light camel color and was so bad that I covered it with a blanket when guests came over. Now it looks beautiful. I have been waiting for the stains to return in case it wasn’t all dry, but after 4 hours, it is dry and CLEAN!! Thank you thank you thank you!!
Yay!!! Thanks for your comment Robin, I know what a pain it can be.
xo
Tiff
This worked as I was afraid to use the soap-based remedies. However, now I have a ring stain ?. Any advice?
No, I’m sorry I don’t know what a ring stain would be from. 🙁
I just wanted to thank you so much!!! I have tried alcohol in a spray bottle, and scrubbed my butt off and nothing worked. I stumbled upon your website last night and decided to try this. I woke up this morning and I had no stains left on my couch!!! I am so happy I could jump up and down I thought my sectional was ruined and it’s less then a year old.
My sectional is dark brown…think it’s going to be alright…colorwise? Also, should I scotchguard it after it dries?
Hey Rachel!
I would definitely try a small section first that won’t be seen to make sure it will be okay. As far as scotchguarding, that is totally up to you!
xo
Tiff
I use to work at a furniture store years ago. 1 day while I was cleaning my section, I had laid a bottle of windex on a light micro fiber sofa. Later noticing a massive blue wet stain because the bottle leaked. I was so horrified that I threw a pillow over it and forgot about it.
The next day I lifted up the pillow and there was no water stain and no massive blue stain anymore. I was SO relieved. It was like a miracle Haha