Avita

Sofa cleaning can be frustrating, especially if you’re not sure of what to do. Can the customer clean the leather sofa themselves? The following information is to guide anyone who wants to clean their leather sofa.

Sofa cleaning – is there a point to cleaning a leather sofa?

Cleaning a leather sofa is imperative if the customer wants to maintain the leather sofa’s appearance. A leather sofa is an extravagant, beautiful piece of furniture which needs a lot of care. The contents of a leather sofa can attract all kinds of dirt and stains. Although sofa cleaning isn’t one of those tasks that most people enjoy, it still is important to the cleanliness of a home.

Maintaining the leather sofa’s appearance

One of the benefits of having a leather sofa is that if it is treated well by its owner, it will look better as the leather sofa gets older. Try to keep the leather sofa out of the sunlight and away from a radiator, as it may cause the leather to crack.

The orthodox way to clean a leather sofa

There are many ways to clean a leather sofa. The most orthodox way is to purchase a leather sofa cleaner and to use that on the sofa. There are other products, such as saddle soap, which can be used. The soap helps to moisturise the leather material, which will help to stop the material from cracking and staining in future. Ammonia products and bleach should not be used to clean a leather sofa. Another item which should be purchased is a leather conditioner for the sofa.

Read the instructions carefully before use. It is probably best to test the conditioner on a small part of the sofa first, before continuing to use it, as it may cause the sofa to discolour. When using the leather conditioner, wear rubber gloves and keep the windows open.

The unorthodox way to clean a leather sofa

There is also the unorthodox way to clean a sofa. The first thing to do is to vacuum the sofa using a soft brush. The sofa has to be clear of any dirt before any cleaner goes onto it. Dust is a rough element when it comes into contact with leather and once a cleaner is placed on the sofa, the sofa could be damaged if it hasn’t been properly vacuumed beforehand.

An alternative to cleaning the leather sofa with a specialised cleaner is by making a homemade leather cleaner. This can be done by mixing water with white vinegar. Place a microfibre cloth into the mixture. Do not despair if there isn’t a microfibre cloth to hand. A clean cloth will do. Squeeze the microfibre cloth until it is damp, not wet. Gently use the microfibre cloth to blot the whole sofa with the water and white vinegar mixture.

Try to begin from the top of the sofa and then go downwards. After that, use a clean cloth to dry the sofa.

Conditioning a leather sofa

To condition a leather sofa, use a mixture of white vinegar and linseed oil. Take a clean cloth and place the solution on the sofa, before leaving it on overnight. In the morning, take a clean cloth and gently rub the sofa.

Removing a stain from a leather sofa

In order to remove a grease stain, place some baking soda on the leather sofa and then dust it off after a couple of hours. For a deeper and more stubborn stain, leather wipes can be used, but they may leave some excess after use.