Leather sofas are renowned for their durability and can last a lifetime if taken care of correctly.
However, leather sofas like all other fabric sofas are subject to daily grime, a regular cleaning routine is essential if you want to keep your leather sofa looking great for its long, and eventful, lifetime.
Don’t know where to begin? Take a look at our expert tips, below, to see the best ways to clean a leather sofa at home.
Clean the surface
To get started with your cleaning routine, grab a vacuum cleaner and connect the brush attachment to the end. Brush gently over the surface, focussing on areas where dirt typically gathers, such as the creases and folds of the couch.
If you can’t find the brush attachment, use a feather duster and not the upholstery attachment – using this attachment could scratch the surface of your sofa.
Once you’ve shaken all the debris from your leather sofa, you then need to wipe the grime away. For this, you can do a brief clean with leather wipes or baby wipes, but to really get deep into the folds of the furniture a homemade solution is usually most effective.
Here’s how to quickly clean your leather sofa at home.
What you need:
- Water (room temperature is best)
- White vinegar
- Two clean rags
How to do it:
- Firstly, combine equal parts water and white vinegar in a bowl.
- For the next step you’ll need to dip a clean rag into the solution. Remember to thoroughly wring it out before you add it to the leather, as excess liquid can damage the fabric.
- Wipe the sofa all over with the damp rag, working your way from top to bottom and moving in small, circular motions. After a few strokes, rinse the rag and start again.
- After you’ve covered the entire sofa with the solution, wipe the sofa dry with a clean, dry rag. Don’t attempt to use anything hot to dry the sofa, such as a hairdryer, as this will dehydrate the leather and cause wrinkling.
Remove stains
Leather might be great for tackling liquid stains, but deep marks, such as those from ink and grease, are often the most difficult to shake out. Luckily, there are plenty of easy ways to erase unsightly marks from leather.
How to remove grease stains from leather
What you need:
- Baking soda (or corn starch)
- Clean cloth
How to do it:
- The best way to remove grease stains is to gently wipe them away as soon as they come into contact with the leather. However, if you notice them later down the line, don’t worry – simply sprinkle baking soda or corn starch directly on the stain.
- Let the powder sit on the stain for several hours (or overnight) to let it fully sink in. Once the time is up, gently brush away with a clean cloth – the grease will have soaked into the powder like a sponge!
How to remove ink stains from leather
What you need:
- Cotton ball
- Rubbing alcohol
- Damp cloth
- Clean cloth
How to do it:
- Grab a cotton ball and dip it carefully into rubbing alcohol, making sure not to drench it.
- Gently rub the wet cotton ball over the ink stain until the ink visibly starts to lift from the fabric.
- Once all the ink is gone, dampen a clean rag with water and clean away any residue. Dry the treated surface with a clean rag to finish it off.
Condition the fabric
Now you’ve got a lovely clean sofa which looks (and smells) fab, the next thing you should do is give it some shine with a homemade deep conditioning treatment.
What you need:
- Lemon or tea tree oil (you can usually find these in health food stores)
- White vinegar
- Clean cloth
How to do it:
- Mix together around 10 drops of the oil, and add two cups of white vinegar in a bowl.
- Apply the solution to the sofa with a clean cloth, gently rubbing into the fabric in a circular motion.
- Leave to dry overnight – when you wake up, your leather will have a lovely sheen to it.
- For extra freshness in the coming days and weeks, grab a dry cloth and buff to restore shine.
If you are unsure how to tackle a stubborn stain on your sofa, you may need to speak to a professional reupholsterer.