How to Clean and Care for Leather Couches

If you’re an owner of a leather sofa, then you’d know by now that the slightest stains and marks can destroy or tarnish this classic home furniture piece. But one thing that can make the whole thing worse is when it’s left untreated or cleaned incorrectly using harsh cleaning procedures.

In this guide, we present a comprehensive and step-by-step cleaning process when treating your leather couch from a mix of common pesky stains — including a conditioning tutorial to ensure that it stays spotless and shiny for a long period of time.

How to Clean Leather Sofa

Most of the time, leather sofas just need basic disinfecting and cleaning to bring back its classic look and shine. If there’s not a single trace of stain or blemish on the leather sofa’s surface, then there’s a good chance that you only need to perform the following steps:

1. Create a cleaning solution by mixing water and vinegar in a bowl. Make sure that each ingredient is mixed thoroughly in equal parts.
   

2. Before you even get to wiping and disinfecting, you need to remove any dust, dirt or loose particles from the leather couch or sofa. To do this, get a vacuum cleaner and work each corner and surface until you no longer see traces of dirt.
   

3. After vacuuming the furniture, go back to the cleaning solution and mix it a few times more. This will help get rid of any separation in the mixture and allow it to blend thoroughly once again. Dip a soft and clean cloth into the solution and wring it out to eliminate excess liquid from the fabric. Once the cloth is perfectly damp, wipe away the dirty spots on the leather surface.
   

4. Once all stains and marks have been removed from the leather couch, wipe them off once again using a dry cloth to remove any excess moisture.
   

How to Remove Ink Stains from a Leather Sofa

If you ever find your leather couch stained with ink blots, don’t fret! With the right cleaning procedure, they can still come off in an instant. However, this needs to be done quickly so make sure to act in haste and follow these cleaning instructions right away:

1. Get a rubbing alcohol and apply it to multiple cotton balls.
   

2. Take one damp cotton ball and gently dab it onto the stained leather surface to remove the traces of ink. Make sure to dab it carefully and avoid rubbing it on the leather surface.
   

3. If you find that the stains on the leather surface are tough to beat, just repeat this procedure until you can see some progress.
   

4. Afterwards, pat the leather area dry with a clean and soft cloth.
   

For impossible-to-remove ink stains, contact a leather sofa service cleaner right away and have them look at it for the next possible cleaning steps.

How to Remove Grease Stains from a Leather Sofa

More than the relaxation and comfort they provide, leather couches are also a great companion when enjoying your favorite snack or meal. So it’s no longer a surprise how grease stains are one of the leading culprits when it comes to the classic leather furniture piece. Here’s what you can do to treat them:

1. Get a bottle of baking soda powder and sprinkle a small amount on the stained leather area.
   

2. Let the powder stay and sit for a couple of hours. This will help make sure that all of the oil from the leather surface is absorbed.
   

3. After a few hours, wipe away the powder from the leather surface using a soft and clean cloth.
   

4. Using a damp cloth, wipe away any additional dirty areas of the couch that may have been affected by the grease stain.

How to Condition a Leather Sofa

Once you’re done cleaning the leather sofa, you will need to perform some deep conditioning on the surface to make sure it stays looking new and fresh. Remember, cleaning is only half of the process; leather conditioning is done right after to preserve the sofa’s overall appearance and quality.

1. Get a clean bowl and mix equal parts of vinegar and natural oil in the container. If you’re wondering the best type of oil to use for the leather furniture, simply choose between lemon oil or flaxseed oil.
   

2. Apply the solution by dipping a clean and soft cloth into the mixture. Wring it out to remove any excess liquid and gently wipe down the sofa’s surface afterwards.
   

3. Leave the entire thing on the surface overnight to let it soak completely.
   

4. The following day, wipe down the couch with a clean and dry cloth to remove the dried mixture.

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Caring for Your Leather Couch or Sofa

Wondering how to preserve your leather sofa’s overall look and appearance? Here are 5 important things to remember:

1. Clean stains right away - As soon as you run into any type of stain or marks, get to it right away. The sooner you do this, the higher the chances that you can take them out with ease.
   

2. Stick to a regular cleaning schedule - If you want to keep your sofa clean at all times, then there’s only one thing to do: clean and wipe it regularly!
   

3. Always condition after cleaning - Conditioning the sofa after any cleaning leather process is a must to maintain its quality and overall appearance. Any leather cleaner for sofa knows this and you should, too!
   

4. Avoid applying too much water and solution - Another leather cleaner furniture tip: refrain from using too much water and solution as this combination can do more harm than good for the sofa’s surface.
   

5. Always check the cleaning instructions - Before you do any type of leather sofa cleaning, it always pays to refer to the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions first!