Effective Tips From Experts In Leather Furniture

Margie June 7, 2018 0

Leather Furniture is a one time investment and adds grace to your home decor. Leather as material type is quite popular among furniture too! Along with comfortableness it brings, also comes the frustration to keep them clean. Though durable, still it is a tricky job as you cannot just clean them with a wet cloth.

Types of cleaning products used are also an important factor taken into consideration. There are so many types of cleaners available in market and it is hard to judge which one really works best. Poor quality cleaners can damage your nice and swanky leather couches. Both bleach and ammonia based cleaners should be avoided.

Instead of buying cleaners from market recklessly, either use the one which your leather sofa manufacturer recommends or make your own simple yet effective cleaners at home. It is normally suggested to get your leather furniture cleaned after every three months or at least twice a year.

Table of Contents

Steps for cleaning Leather Furniture

Vaccum Cleaning – Vaccum cleaning the furniture is the first and foremost step of the whole cleaning process. Use the soft brush attachment to clean it well. Do ensure that it sucks the dust of all the gaps and openings in furniture, otherwise it could be rubbed into sofa when you wipe it with cleaning solution. Being corrosive in nature dust particles can damage the leather when they came in contact with moisture.

Preparing Cleaning Solution – As soon you done with vaccum cleaning, make a cleaning solution pouring white vinegar and water equally. Alternatively, you can use various commercial leather cleaning products available in market.

Applying Cleaning Solution – After homemade cleaner is is prepared, dip a soft cloth (microfiber preferably) in the solution, squeeze it well so that cloth get slightly wet, not completely wet. Afterwards, wipe the whole furniture with this cloth using the cleaning solution when it is necessary. Starting top towards bottom is best advisable.

Drying & Conditioning – Dry the furniture with a clean towel. Avoid using blow dryer for same as it dehumidify the leather. For conditioning, mix one-third of white vinegar with two-third of linseed or flaxseed oil, applying the mixture in broad circular motion using the soft clean cloth. Leave it to get dry out further.

Buffing – Buff the furniture with clean piece of cloth to restore it shine.

Steps for cleaning Leather Furniture Stains

Mold and Mildew Stains – Both Mold and Mildew are types of fungi developed on moist, warm areas. Toxic mold can be dangerous to health but, can be curb if not allowed to breed inside households. Allergies, asthma, irritation in eyes and headaches are some example of problems caused due to mold.
Though both mold and mildew share some similarities, they have striking differences too when it comes to their size, color and texture. Mildew can be easily spotted as patch of grey or even white lying on the surface. Mold on other hand looks black or green and spread widely on the surface.
To remove mold and mildew, clean the affected areas with pouring water and rubbing alcohol equally.

Permanent Marker and Ink Stains – Permanent marker stains can be easily removed with help of aerosol sprays on stains. For cleaning ink stains use rubbing alcohol. Dip a piece of cotton in rubbing alcohol and apply it on affected areas.

Dark Colored Stains – For color contrasting stains like dark color stains on light colored furniture or vice versa, apply mixed paste of lemon juice and tartar to get rid of stains. Leave it for some time and then wipe it off with slightly wet sponge.

Grease Stains – To get rid of it, powdered some baking soda on stains and sweep it off after few hours. Baking soda will observe oil and leave your furniture clean.

Choosing Right Cleaning Solutions

Before beginning the cleaning process, it is important to know how your furniture is manufactured and what works for it? It is totally depend type of furniture you owned and kind of damage happened.

Taking these factors into consideration will help you saving revamping and billing expenses.

Here are some tips that can help you in choosing right cleaning products:

Choosing a branded product with good reputation will be of great help. It ensures the product works and works well.
Make sure to check the pH level is optimum for your leather furniture.
Give emphasis on buying the good quality tools and equipments for cleaning up the stains.

Additional Tips for cleaning Leather Furniture

Regular Weekly Cleanings – Wipe off leather furniture with dry cloth or using feather dusters.

Protection from Outside Weather – Protect your furniture from direct sunlight. It will dry the leather resulting in discoloration and cracking. Keep the furniture to an optimum distance from sources of heat like air conditioning vents.