Leather Sofa Cleaning: The Do's and Don’ts

Thanks for checking out our leather sofa cleaning tips.

If you’re anything like me, you dread cleaning the sofa. I know that I’m likely to find countless small toys, coins, popcorn kernels, and various other items that my family has left behind. The good news is that there are eco-friendly methods for leather sofa cleaning that can save you money and protect your home and family from the toxic chemicals that make up commercial cleaners. In this article, we’ll talk about the benefits of green cleaning and the dos and don’ts of cleaning your leather sofa.

The dangers posed by household cleaners are not only to the environment. The levels of toxic chemicals found inside our homes are often quite a bit higher than those found outside and, unfortunately, household cleaning products are a major contributor to the chemicals floating around our homes. As we replace store-bought cleaners with homemade green cleaners we’re eliminating those chemicals and helping to protect our families from the dangers associated with them.

Oh yeah, and we’re saving money while we’re at it. We haven’t found a downside to green cleaning yet, and we don’t think you will. Are you ready to get started? Let’s look at what you should do when cleaning leather sofas.

Do:

• Dust or vacuum frequently. Remember to get underneath and behind cushions. It seems so simple, but it really is one of the best ways to keep your furniture looking great for many years to come.
• Use a clean white rag or microfiber cloth slightly dampened with plain water to wipe down your sofa on a regular basis. A step up from dusting, this removes any smudges or light stains.
• Use a mixture of four parts jojoba oil to one part distilled white vinegar, mixed up in small batches as this recipe cannot be stored, dabbed onto a clean white cloth for a more thorough cleaning, or when your leather sofa needs conditioning.
• Use cornstarch to soak up oily, greasy spills. There’s no need to rub it in, just sprinkle it onto the spill, let it sit for a few hours, and vacuum it off. If the spot has not disappeared completely, repeat this process.
• Grab a tiny amount of witch hazel, dabbed onto a clean white rag or a cotton swab, to remove ink stains from your leather sofa. Remember to test this out on an inconspicuous area of your sofa first.

It really is rather simple. And it’ll continue to be smooth sailing if you keep these small warnings in mind.

Don’t:

• Use too much liquid while cleaning your leather sofa. Water is damaging to leather and can leave behind stains, so use only small amounts of liquid and make sure cleaning cloths are just slightly damp.
• Use any new cleaner, whether homemade or store bought, without first testing it on an inconspicuous spot first to make sure there’s no damage to the leather.

So now you know the basics of leather sofa cleaning. It’s no more difficult than using commercial cleaners, plus you’ve saved yourself some money and, most importantly, gained some peace of mind about your family’s health and safety.

Happy cleaning!