How to clean a leather sofa at home, light or dark, cleaning product

The main causes of contamination of leather sofas

One of the common causes of stains on a sofa is dropped food.
In addition to natural wear and tear and associated abrasions, the upholstery suffers from mishandling or negligence when using the furniture.

The appearance of stains of dirt and grease in certain places can be caused by:

improper care of leather covering, which reduces the leather's resistance to dirt;
increased humidity in the room, which contributes to the appearance of mold in the corners and seams of the sofa;
contact of foreign liquids, food crumbs, drops of blood and medications on the leather surface;
improper cleaning of noticed stains - using inappropriate tools and detergents;
dirt from the paws and hair of pets that are allowed to lie on the sofa.

Even in the absence of obvious heavy soiling, delicate upholstery needs to be cleaned regularly, as it will still be covered with dust present in the air.

How to clean a leather sofa at home?

This difficult question worries owners of expensive, prestigious items, which include furniture made using genuine leather. A home or office sofa made of leather can emphasize the taste and status of its owner. But this only happens if it is well-groomed and clean. Among the many advantages of such furniture, there is one that is actively advertised by managers of trading companies. It sounds like “easy to care for.” Is it so? Is it easy to care for a leather sofa? The answers are given to us by cleaning professionals and experienced housewives.

Rules for cleaning leather furniture

After wet cleaning, dry the leather sofa with a napkin.
Despite the undoubted resistance of natural and artificial leather to dirt, non-compliance with the technology when washing it can worsen the situation and even damage the coating. Therefore, such sofas must be cleaned following the following rules:

Wipe any stains and marks in a circular motion without applying too much pressure.
Be sure to thoroughly clean seams and folds where dust accumulates.
Do not use any products containing abrasive particles or hard bristled brushes.
When diluting detergent compositions, do not use tap water - only filtered water.
Clean dirt exclusively with warm water and solutions, as hot dirt will be absorbed into the pores of the skin.
Do not remove stains using aggressive detergents containing chlorine or technical liquids - acetone, turpentine, solvents.
After wet wiping the sofa, dry the entire treated surface with napkins.
Do not use a hair dryer when drying.

The work must be carried out in such a way that it does not spoil the skin. Even minor damage will begin to accumulate dirt, and it is very difficult to remove it from cracks and abrasions.

If there is a lot of dirt and you are unable to deal with it yourself, it is better to order professional dry cleaning of the sofa.

What is the daily care of leather furniture?

daily cleaning of furniture surfaces from debris manually and using household appliances;
removing dust in folds, seams, and on the structure of the product with wet wipes;
washing the surface with natural soap and distilled water;
quick drying of the leather covering after a spilled liquid (blotting movements);
monthly lubricating of the sofa with water-soluble polymer liquids to maintain its appearance and periodic use of natural wax-based leather care products.

In order to fully use a leather sofa for a long time and enjoy its appearance, you should not eat or drink on it to avoid the risk of stains, and you should also accustom your pets to the fact that a leather sofa is not a place for them to play.

Timely preventative care robots, high-quality cleaning of a leather sofa with gentle special products will be the key to the fact that beautiful, expensive furniture will be able to please you for many decades. If during its operation, despite the efforts made, you were unable to remove some dirt, then in this case you always have the opportunity to turn to professionals who will cope with the difficult task and return the furniture to its original appearance!

Safe tools used

Dust from a leather sofa must be removed with a vacuum cleaner with a special attachment
. Despite its strength, leather is a delicate material. And it needs to be processed with gentle devices. These include:

Brushes with very soft bristles - to remove applied detergent along with dirt.
Delicate microfiber cloths or flannel rags - for regularly wiping the entire surface of the sofa.
Cotton pads and swabs - for removing small contaminated areas and individual stains.
Cleaning wipes with cleaning agent already contained in them.
Liquid sprayer – for uniform application of detergent compositions.

An indispensable device for caring for leather furniture is a vacuum cleaner . It will not remove stubborn dirt. But any cleaning of the sofa should begin with removing dust on the surface. It can be completely collected from corners, depressions, and especially folds and seams, only with a vacuum cleaner.

A steam cleaner can also remove the most stubborn stains . But this tool must be used with extreme caution on leather furniture, as there is a high risk of causing irreparable damage to the leather itself.

When working with a steam cleaner, specialized detergents designed specifically for such a device are required.

What to clean with?

The special pride of every business person is a white leather sofa. But it could also be leatherette. Light material looks much more colorful than black, but gets dirty more easily. In addition, many stains are much more difficult to remove from such a coating. The following methods are used for this.

Purchased funds

If you bought a light leather sofa for the first time, together with it you should purchase something that can actually clean it. These detergents and accessories will be required:

Detergents for cleaning leather. They can remove a wide variety of stains. These products are produced under the brands Leather Ultra Clean, Flat, HG, Bagi, Astonish and others. The mixture is sprayed briefly onto the stained surface and removed without using water;
a special milk ointment for the leather of the sofa, which will saturate the upholstery and protect it from the adverse effects of the sun and elevated temperatures, especially during the summer season;

a gentle brush with which you can comfortably rub preparations into the upholstery of the sofa;
napkins or soft cloths that remove traces of cleaning agents. They also carefully apply the cream;
A spray bottle into which you can pour detergent. Many substances can be purchased in jars with a special attachment.

It is wiser to do the initial cleaning of a light-colored sofa immediately, as soon as the furniture is brought home. Squeeze a small amount of cleanser onto the brush and gently spread it over the upholstery surface. There is no need to rub it vigorously - the product will definitely work without unnecessary rubbing, and the brush can damage the base of the sofa. You need to wait for some time approved by the manufacturer (usually 20-50 seconds), and then remove traces of the detergent with a napkin. Visually divide the sofa into squares, since it is not recommended to process the entire structure at once. You will need to continue cleaning until the entire sofa is cleaned.

After 4-7 minutes, when the furniture has dried a little, it must be smeared with a special ointment. Squeeze a little onto a sponge and spread onto the sofa upholstery. The ointment soaks in in about 5-9 minutes, leaving a protective coating. After this time, you will be able to sit on the sofa. In the future, this composition will stop contamination of the surface of the furniture and it will be much easier for you to remove particles of food, juice, tea, greasy stains, paste, as well as dust and dirt from natural leather or leatherette.

In the future, the sofa will need to be treated as it gets dirty. As a rule, cleaning is done approximately once every two months. In the presence of all the specified detergents, the process takes 7-9 minutes.

Folk remedies

Antique preparations for cleaning leather furniture are more economical than high-end ones. But we must not forget that their use will be a more complex process, and in some cases not very successful:

milk Cow's milk can wipe off the dirt that appears, but first you need to heat it up a little. Then, with a piece of cotton wool soaked in it, the contaminated area is wiped, and finally wiped with a dry cloth;
vinegar. The composition of vinegar can cope with stains on a light-colored sofa. However, it must be used carefully, lightly soaking a piece of cotton wool in the composition. First, you should try the solution on an inconspicuous area of the product;

dish gel. This product can be used to clean a light sofa made of leatherette or eco-leather. Dirt is wiped off with a sponge or soft fleece/microfiber cloth soaked in washing gel. Traces are removed with a wet cloth;
ammonia. Ammonia can also cope with marks that appear on light-colored furniture. However, it must be used with care, since such treatment can cause the leather to dry out and crack. This product is used only for white or milky skin. When cleaning a colored sofa, ammonia can damage the surface.

Safe household chemicals for leather sofas

Soap solution is the safest means for cleaning leather furniture.
It would seem that you can use any commercial cleaner designed for working with leather. But before choosing, you must carefully read its composition and instructions for use. Some stain removers and leather care gels contain a tinting component. A white sofa cannot be washed with this product - it will leave staining marks.

For colored leather furniture, the use of solvent-containing compounds is unacceptable. It will not only remove dirty stains, but will also absorb the dye, leaving streaks.

Among non-specialized household products, it is advisable to use:

Soap solution . The safest composition that can be used to clean a leather sofa. It is prepared from any soap - laundry, baby, liquid, but always colorless. Beat until thick foam forms. Contaminated areas are wiped with it to reduce wetness of the skin. After removing dirt, wipe with a damp cloth.
Cosmetic milk . Used as a delicate stain remover. Apply to cotton pads to treat the contaminated area.
Dishwashing gel . For safety, use only diluted in warm water. A soft cloth is moistened in the resulting solution and used to wipe off any detected dirt. Residues are removed with a damp cloth.

A necessary step after using any cleaning composition is to dry the treated surface with dry soft cloths. Microfiber fabrics absorb moisture best and are safe for delicate surfaces.

In addition to stain removers and cleaning compounds, it is also necessary to purchase products for the daily care of leather furniture. These include:

air conditioners;
balms;
polishes;
wax compositions.

Specialized preparations additionally protect the surface of the skin, creating a protective film. The substances included in their composition penetrate into the pores of the material and maintain its softness and elasticity.

Folk remedies for cleaning leather furniture

If it is not possible to purchase a commercially produced stain remover, you can clean the sofa with simple mixtures prepared by yourself. Inexpensive powders and liquids used in them can always be found in the household. In terms of effectiveness, they are often inferior to real cleaners, but their action is time-tested.

Table vinegar

Vinegar effectively cleans white leather upholstery.
This product can remove most stains on white leather furniture, but even 9% vinegar must be diluted before use. The exact proportions depend on the properties of the sofa leather, so it is recommended to test the effect of the prepared solution on a small, inconspicuous area of the surface. The ratio in the mixture with warm water should be at least 1 to 1.

Vinegar is effective in removing bright colored stains on a white background - from wine, ketchup, felt-tip pens. In addition to dirt, it eliminates the persistent smell of cat urine.

Milk with egg white

Proportions before cooking – 1 egg per 100 g of slightly warmed milk. Add only the protein and beat with a stirrer or mixer. Apply the finished composition with a cotton swab and then wipe the stain with light circular movements. Finally, be sure to wash off the residue.

Milk with protein is most effective on fresh contaminants. It does not leave streaks on colored leather surfaces, but it is better to use it on light-colored sofas.

Baking soda

Mix in the proportion of 30 g of powder per 200 ml of water. Use this solution to wash the area of contamination using a cotton swab or soft sponge. After cleaning is complete, wipe dry.

Baking soda is suitable for any leather furniture.

Ammonia

Ammonia diluted with water cleanses the skin well.
It is an effective, but not safe, remedy. It is dissolved in water in a ratio of 1:10 or 1:15. But even a diluted ammonia mixture with prolonged treatment can dry out the leather of furniture. Therefore, you need to act quickly, without delaying wiping. Immediately after removing the contamination, wipe the entire coating with a damp cloth to remove any ammonia residue and dry with a soft cloth.

For old stains, a strong solution is recommended: 25 ml of ammonia, 50 ml of vinegar per 200 ml of water.

As a last resort, when other means are powerless to clean serious contamination, you can try a mixture of ammonia with acetone or white spirit. This composition can remove even old blood or iodine stains. But they can easily damage the leather covering itself.

To remove difficult stains, it is safest to order dry cleaning of leather furniture from professionals with a home call.

Medical alcohol

The best product for removing paint stains, ballpoint pen and felt-tip pen marks on natural leather or leatherette. Undiluted alcohol will dry out the upholstery and make it brittle. You only need to use a solution of this substance.

The stain should be treated with moistened cotton pads without applying force, otherwise the stain will spread over the surface. Change cleaning swabs more often.

Starch

If greasy products come into contact with a leather sofa, it is recommended to immediately sprinkle it on the stained area. You only need to remove starch after 5-10 minutes so that it absorbs most of the fat.

To quickly eliminate such traces, you can pre-mix this powder in equal parts with soda and talc or baby powder. This composition should be kept close to the sofa so that it can be immediately poured onto the area where any food or liquid comes into contact. If it does not remove the stain completely, the residue will be easier to wipe off with other means.

Aspirin

One tablet dissolved in a glass of water will help deal with blood stains on light leather sofas. You just need to moisten a cotton pad or napkin with this solution, and then wipe without pressure, changing them often.

Toothpaste

Suitable for quick cleaning of small dirty areas. Apply to a soft-bristle brush, which is used to rub the detected stain. After 1–2 minutes, wash off with cold water.

For white and simply light sofa leather, a paste without color additives is selected. And it should not contain abrasive particles. This can be easily checked by rubbing the paste between your fingers.

Lemon juice

This safe cleaner should never be used on light leather furniture. It will certainly color the treated surface yellowish.

Removing stains

If there are stains on the furniture, then the main purpose of cleaning is to eliminate them. You should select products (folk or professional) taking into account the type of pollution. Cleaning Tips:

It is enough to blot fresh stains from wine or juice with a clean cloth, but old ones need to be removed with a cloth soaked in a weak alcohol solution.
Tea and coffee are usually washed off with a light soap solution.
Traces of fresh blood can be removed with cold water (the main condition is not to use hot water), and dried ones with shampoo.
Ink stains and marker marks are eliminated with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. After which the surface must be softened with a special agent.
Sticky gum and hardened wax are removed using ice cubes wrapped in a plastic bag. If the substance still remains after freezing, you will have to carefully scrape it off using a thin, but not sharp, object.
It is recommended to remove paint marks with gasoline. You shouldn’t rub it too hard, you just need to soak them and then remove them with a soft cloth or napkin. After this, wash the treated area with soap and water.
Sometimes mold and mildew can form in the seams or where the skin breaks. To eliminate them, you should use an alcohol-water solution or special preparations recommended for this by the manufacturer or seller.

Leather upholstered furniture comes in both light and colored. A white sofa looks impressive, but very often gets dirty. To keep this piece of furniture in its original form, you need to know how to care for it. Products such as milk and egg whites, onions, and aqueous solutions with vinegar and ammonia will help you clean white furniture. But it is undesirable to use aggressive compounds (acetone, nail polish remover). They can change color and cause skin to crack. It is better not to put things that can fade (blankets, toys, etc.) on light-colored furniture.

Classification of modern types of fabrics for furniture, selection criteria

Wine and juice stains can be easily removed with an alcohol solution

Remove dried blood stains with shampoo

You can remove gum using ice cubes.