Leather furniture is famous for its luxurious look and durability that never go out of style. Still, such benefits come at a high price. It takes time to clean and maintain your leather furniture to keep it looking great. Luckily, such care is inexpensive and can be done with simple household ingredients. Here are some helpful tips and tricks that will make maintenance easy.
Leather furniture cleaning essentials
There are many solutions for cleaning and maintaining leather furniture, but the most effective ones can be found in any household. The DIY leather cleaning toolkit that any home needs consist of:
- rubber gloves,
- microfiber cloths,
- rugs and towels for drying,
- cotton balls,
- vinegar,
- baking soda,
- alcohol,
- bowl and a spray bottle,
- vacuum cleaner.
Before cleaning the leather furniture on your own, be careful with dosing and mixing some of the elements mentioned above. Always start with the mildest solutions and gradually add more ingredients to enhance the cleaning effect when necessary. Even though vinegar and baking soda have amazing cleanse properties, overusing them could damage the delicate surface of leather.
Lemon oil and vinegar make the best homemade leather conditioner and disinfectant.
The most common leather cleaning methods
Leather furniture is an investment, but it provides many benefits to our homes. It looks classy, and it’s durable and resilient. If you properly clean and maintain your leather furniture, you can use it for many years to come.
The first and most important step is regular vacuuming and dusting joined elements. You can start with a soft brush extension on the vacuum. Afterward, dust it with a clean, barely wet microfiber cloth, but make sure to dry the surface with a clean cloth.
If you use the leather furniture daily, you might want to research non-aggressive solutions and do a thorough surface restoration twice a year. With occasional systematic cleaning, you’ll avoid wear and tear, and you’ll restore its original freshness.
Ways to treat and remove stains
To efficiently remove a stain, first, you need to determine its source. After you identify the problem, you’ll be able to mix the best solution to treat it. When it comes to leather surfaces, an ink stain and an oil stain are not the same.
Regardless of the source, every stain requires the same initial approach – removing the loose particles from the surface. You can do it with a dry cloth or a soft brush, as long as you’re not being aggressive with it.
Never scrub a stain off a leather sofa! The leather surface has a protective tanning layer, but it will still absorb liquids and oils. If you’re not sure you’ve got this, that’s all right. You can hire reputable cleaning professionals that will do the job for you.
After every cleaning treatment, make sure to dry the leather surface.
Cleaning ink stains
You most likely won’t have to deal with ink stains that leave a heavy mess on your furniture, but if you encounter such issues, make sure to react fast. Use a dry cloth to soak the ink from the surface as much as possible. Afterward, use cotton balls with alcohol to treat the spot. However, make sure not to rub, but dab the stain instead. Repeat the process until you notice the results.
Getting grease stains out of leather furniture
The best way to treat a grease stain is to apply a pinch of baking soda on top of it. This step will help with the oil absorption and have the mess gone in a few hours. For any other type of stain, use a mix of vinegar and water in an even ratio. Gently dap the spot repeatedly until it’s gone. Then use a clean towel to dry it.
How to disinfect and maintain
If you often have mishaps, consider conditioning after cleaning. Every time the leather gets wet, it stiffens. That’s why it’s crucial to dry it. In addition, if you want to help preserve the leather, make sure to condition it.
Restore the furniture’s original freshness with the use of natural oils like flaxseed, coconut, or lemon oil and vinegar in an even ratio. Use a soft microfiber cloth to gently and thoroughly wipe the surfaces. The next day, clean the whole item with a dry cloth and remove the extra oil.
After you clean and maintain your leather furniture with a blend of vinegar and natural oil, leave it to dry for 24h before wiping it with a dry cloth
How to treat scratches
Leather furniture has the same demands as human skin – care and moisture. With the same perks come the same downsides. The leather finish is susceptible to scratches. But, unlike human skin that heals itself in time, your sofa doesn’t have the same power. If you want to provide longevity to your leather items, make sure to handle them with care.
Leather sofas, couches, and chairs are not only bulky, but they are also heavy. If you’re remodeling your place or moving to another location, make sure to hire professionals to transfer large pieces hassle-free. You don’t want to risk mishaps with bulky furniture and scratches on your favorite, expensive items. Still, accidents do happen even with the utmost care, so you need to prepare to assess and fix the damage.
Use the mildest basic cleaning solution and treat the spot before drying it entirely. Then, apply baby oil to a cotton ball and “massage” the area with gentle, circular movements. In time, the leather will moisturize and soften, closing the scar.
A few final tips
Quality leather goes through a tanning process that makes it resilient and helps your furniture last longer. If you clean and maintain your leather furniture regularly, you’ll preserve the freshness of these luxury items in your home. But to prevent damage and work on its longevity, you need to immediately assess any mishap, whether it’s a stain or a scratch, and keep it in great shape with basic cleaning and conditioning. If you prefer using industrial products for maintenance, check if they’re 100% safe, and always test them first. In addition, if you get tempted to clean the leather with wet wipes – don’t. It is one of many cleaning mistakes that homeowners make. Wet wipes can be very aggressive, so make sure to check the ingredients first. Some baby wipes can be leather-friendly, but not all. If you insist on using them, pick the ones that contain natural ingredients recommendable for sensitive skin.
Furniture Solutions, the furniture store in Northern Kentucky, carries the most popular brands like Ashley Furniture, Coaster Furniture, Sealy Mattress and Sauder. You will be amazed at the incredible value and low prices we have on a large selection of bedroom suites, dining room collections, sofas , chairs and all manner of accent furniture that will make your home new. Those who are in communities that are further away just need to call us and we will do our best to respond to your needs. When you drop by, you will be greeted by the friendliest sales personnel you have ever been served by. We can hardly wait to meet you and help you make the right choice.