A leather sofa is an expensive investment which you sit on daily, so it’s important to take good care of it to gain maximum return and longevity. The professional domestic cleaners at MOLLY MAID suggest the following tips to help keep your leather sofa in good condition.
- If you’re cleaning your sofa on a weekly basis, a simple wipe down with a soft, clean cloth or feather duster should suffice remembering to turn the cushions often to avoid wrinkles forming.
- For a more in-depth clean perhaps as part of a Spring Clean, vacuum the entire sofa, including down the sides and under the cushions, ensuring that all the bits hidden in these hard to reach areas are removed using a soft brush attachment. It is important to remove any items that may potentially scratch the sofa when wiping it down. Then wipe your sofa with a cleaning or nourishing solution.
- For a cleaning solution, mix up with a solution made up of equal parts of water and white vinegar, or a few drops of leather cleaner in water. As with most delicate fabrics, please do a test on a small area first to make sure that your leather reacts favourably.
- Using a damp, not wet, microfiber cloth (if possible) dipped in the cleaning solution, wipe your sofa rinsing the cloth in the solution when needed. Try to clean your sofa starting from the top to bottom.
- It’s essential to dry your sofa with a clean towel, rather than using some sort of blow dryer as you will risk dehydrating the leather.
- If you wish to nourish or condition your sofa to prolong its life, apply a mixture of one part white vinegar and two parts linseed oil with a soft clean cloth and rub on in circular motions and leave to soak in overnight. Then, polish the sofa with a clean cloth the following day to bring out the shine.
- If you have an equestrian background, you might be tempted to treat your leather sofa with saddle soap, however it has been suggested that if used over a period of time, it may dissolve the leather.
N.B As with most furniture, pictures and curtains, try to avoid exposing your sofa to sunlight, or sources of heat, as it can discolour and dehydrate the leather resulting it to crack.
Dealing with stains: (Please use the below tips with caution using a hidden ‘test area’ first)
- It is a good idea to deal with stains immediately to avoid them soaking into the leather by gently placing some kitchen paper over the area and blotting ensuring that you do not
- Bicarbonate of soda is a useful household friend and in this instance, when dealing with a greasy stain, can be sprinkled on the area and dusted off after a few hours.
- Should the little darlings have gone to town with a permanent marker pen, you could try removing the marks by using hair spray on the area. Rubbing Surgical Spirit (on a cotton wool pad) tends to work well to clean ink stains.
- A mixture of surgical spirit and water on a damp soft cloth, in equal measures, can also be applied to help to remove mould and mildew.
- As many mothers have discovered from experience, baby wipes can work wonders with stains on your leather sofa, but please test on an inconspicuous area first allowing it to dry, before going tackling vast patches.
- If you are unsure about any of the above and have a stubborn stain, it may be advisable to contact a professional leather manufacturer, or the manufacturer directly.
