How to Clean Leather Sofa at Home | Cleaning Hacks

Wondering how to clean leather sofa at home? Leather is a product of nature and just like human skin, it has certain unique features and characteristics. Proper care and maintenance can make leather last a lifetime! However leather is also very porous in nature and is thus very easily susceptible to  dirt, dust and staining. Leather sofas cost a fortune, and so we naturally want to make sure that they remain in top notch condition at all times. Approaching  professional leather sofa cleaners every 3 months can be an expensive affair. One can follow some simple tricks and home remedies on how to clean leather sofas at home!

How to clean leather sofa at home

• Use a vacuum cleaner with a very soft brush attachment to suck up the dry dirt and dust sitting on the surface of the leather. Make sure to not miss out on vacuum cleaning around the folds and crevices. Avoid using a hard brush attachment, as it may ruin the surface of the sofa. Getting rid of dry grime and dust with this method is really important, as when dust get mixed with water or a cleaning solution, it forms into a filthy paste that can further stain the leather!
• Now mix water and white vinegar in a bowl equal measure. Take a soft muslin cloth and dip it in the solution. Now squeeze out the excess liquid to make sure that the cloth is simply damp and not soaking wet.
• Rub the cloth across the surface of the leather in even motions. Make sure that you clean the entire sofa, as missing out on spots & areas here and there can make the sofa look patchy. You can alternatively use  commercial leather cleaners, but make sure that you read the label properly before application! Also always do a small patch test on some inconspicuous area on the sofa, to avoid inflicting massive damage.
• Finally wipe the sofa dry with a fresh dry towel. Allow time for ageing, and then buff the entire sofa with a soft muslin cloth to revive the original sheen of the leather!

How to clean leather sofa stains at home

For removing fungus/mold on leather sofa, one can use ethanol based liquid solutions, that are readily available on the market! Take some of the rubbing alcohol on a soft muslin cloth and buff the affected area gently. (the topical antiseptic kills the mold).

For removing ink stains on leather sofa, one can again use rubbing alcohol. Quickly dab the fresh ink stain with a paper towel, to absorb the excess ink! Then take a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol and gently rub it on the stain till it goes away. Using hairsprays is not a good idea anymore, as they do not contain enough alcohol. Also avoid the use of eucalyptus oil (unlike the popular notion). Non acetone based nail polish removers and white tooth paste can also be used to get rid of fresh stains! Again, always do a little patch test on a hidden area, to make sure the remedy works as expected.

For removing darker, more stubborn stains on leather sofa, we would advise against trying anything at home! The use of strong acetone based solutions should also be avoided, as they ruin the colour and the texture of  leather! In this case, professional leather couch dry cleaners should be consulted! They use harsh industrial chemicals, to get rid of the stains. However, in this process, the colour of the affected area also fades away! The leather chemists then buff the discoloured area with matching colour dye or pigment, to give your sofa the perfect finish! (Avoid using shoe polish at home, as the polish is meant for shoes, and not your delicate sofa leather!).

For removing grease stains on leather sofa, sprinkle some baking soda on the affected area and leave it untouched for a couple of hours! If the stain is fresh, the baking soda will absorb the oil, and leave your sofa stain free! However for older and more stubborn grease stains, professional leather sofa cleaning services should be availed.

How to maintain leather sofa at home

• Vacuum clean your leather sofas at least once every 2 weeks! For regular leather couch dry cleaning & up-keep, you can use a feather duster to get rid of the day-to-day grub, dirt and dry dust!
• For fresh stains, liquid spills etc., attend to the sofa immediately! Buff the affected area with a highly porous material to get rid of the excess liquid! The leftover can be removed through the application of rubbing alcohol at your own discretion!
• Keep your leather sofas covered when not in use!
• Do not expose your leather sofa to sunlight, as heat causes the leather to fade! Likewise, keep it away from heat vents! Leather sofas should also be kept at a safe distance from air conditioning sources,  as it causes cracking of leather due to dehydration!
• Always consult professional leather sofa cleaners for stubborn stains ( to avoid ruining the leather at home)!

Leather sofa cleaning & restoration services by The Leather Laundry  – Our Transformations!

Call us at +919711255431 to know more about how to clean leather sofa at home!