Microfiber couch fabric and the cleaning thereof

Michelle and I recently bought a new sectional sofa. We ended up getting microfiber, despite originally wanting the custom canvas-ish fabric (which, at the time, was eligible for 25% off and bore the look of our previous-previous couch). One thing neither of us like about microfiber is the way it gets dark in the places it's rubbed or sat on. The one we were looking at at Crate and Barrel was actually a finer microfiber than our previous couch, which could be described as fuzzy.

Some serious shipping delays with the custom fabrics made us reconsider the microfiber. Not to mention we knew it was supposedly more durable. The store attendant gave us a few swatches of the microfiber while we were looking around and we brought them home.

Which brings us to now, the point at which I test the ability of the microfiber to resist staining. I've actually done this a couple of times to this particular piece of fabric, but this is the first time I'm documenting it.

For this test, I used ketchup, mustard, and cranberry juice. These are pretty representative of things that might eventually be spilled on our couch.

The first shot is of the unadulterated microfiber swatch (it's dry anyway; like I said, this isn't the first time this piece of fabric has been sullied). In the second shot, you can see the ketchup, mustard, and cranberry juice. Generally, liquids do bead up on the surface. I first used a napkin to dry the cranberry juice. Then I wiped the ketchup and mustard off with a napkin. I wasn't too careful and there's some smearing. I then wiped some more with a slightly wet napkin to get the colors off. I then used a slightly moist towel wipe some more. I rubbed the fabric in a few directions. I forgot how the guy told us to clean this, so there may be a more optimal approach. I then let the fabric dry for awhile. The sun went down and so I had to turn on my lamp for the shot, which explains the yellowish tint of the picture. I buffed the fabric with a dry towel and I don't see any residual stains. So, yes, microfiber can resist stains and is fairly easy to clean using just a few napkins and towels.