How to Maintain Your Leather Sofa – The Right Way
Wondering how to maintain your leather sofa the right way?
Before You Begin-
Before you attempt to clean your leather sofa, it is important to determine the type of leather you’re working with. You can typically find this information on the tags attached to your furniture or in the written material in your furniture pack! You can also contact your furniture retailer or manufacturer. Visit this comprehensive guide for more info on different types of leathers.
The tags and other written information generally provide tips on how to maintain your leather sofa. We recommend you to follow the cleaning instructions recommended by the manufacturer of your particular furniture, before implementing any of the suggestions, mentioned in this blog.
When you purchased your sofa your retailer may have supplied you with leather care products which may be more appropriate for your sofa than the cleaning solutions suggested here.
What You Will Need
Vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment.
Mild liquid facial or body soap (such as Dove or Neutrogena).
Filter Water – It is best to use distilled water because tap water may contain chlorine and other contaminants which can damage the surface of the leather.
At least four soft muslin cloth pieces.
Water-based leather protector/conditioner (found in most furniture stores)
Cleaning instructions:
-Vacuum the piece of furniture thoroughly, being sure to use the soft brush attachment as leather scratches easily. If the suction on your vacuum is too strong, consider using a smaller hand held vacuum with less power to prevent leaving marks on the leather.
-Mix a few drops of liquid soap with about a quarter cup of distilled water, mixing until suds form.
-Test a small, inconspicuous area of the furniture first.
-Dip one of the cloth pieces in the soapy water and wring out thoroughly.
-Working one section at a time, wipe the surface of the furniture with the damp cloth.
-Dip a separate cloth in clean distilled water (no soap), wring thoroughly, and wipe away the soap residue.
-Dry thoroughly with the third cloth piece
-Buff the surface with the fourth clean cloth piece to restore sheen!
-Treat the surface with leather protector/conditioner as per product instructions.
How to Remove Stains from Leather Sofa
Remember to ALWAYS test a small, inconspicuous area of the furniture first before using any of these methods:
-Ink stains: Dip a cotton swab in rubbing (Isopropyl) alcohol and rub gently over the ink stain. Dry with a blow dryer set on its lowest knob.
-Dark stains: (i.e. food, blood, etc.): Make a paste of 1 part cream of tartar with 1 part lemon juice. Rub this paste on the stain and leave it to set for 10 minutes. Remove the paste with a damp cloth and mild soap, as described above for general cleaning. Buff the leather dry with a soft cloth.
-Grease stains: Simply wipe the stain from the leather using a dry cloth. Do not apply water to the grease stain.
Above are some diy tips on how to maintain your leather sofa at home! For trickier stains and very deep dirt, we suggest that you consult a professional leather care service provider!
White leather sofas need higher maintenance and should be used with extra caution! Since white leather is more susceptible to staining, white sofas should always be kept covered when not in use.
