How To Clean A Leather Sofa

When you’ve bought the leather chair or leather sofa of your dreams, you´ll naturally want to protect your investment and keep it looking as majestic as the day you first set eyes on it. Of course, thanks to the very nature of high quality leather hides, take good care of your sofa over the years and it will grow to look even better with age.

At Darlings of Chelsea, many of our leather sofas are pre-treated to make your life easier when it comes to cleaning. While they can’t be seen, these special coatings prevent stains from spillages and generally keep your leather in good condition – protected from the rough and tumble of daily life.

For people favouring the chic elegance of white or cream leather sofas, these treatments are especially important – providing a degree of resistance against the obvious dangers of red wine and dogs (and children!) with muddy paws.

But of course, even treated leather sofas (like our pigmented, semi-aniline leather) need to be properly cared for – which is why we´ve put together this guide to cleaning your leather sofa.

A light dusting…

Just like any other piece of furniture that stands in the same place day after day, your leather sofa will gather dust. The dust can easily be removed by lightly vacuuming, then simply wipe over the leather with a damp cloth before buffing with a soft, dry one. Treat your sofa gently – never rub too hard or get the leather too wet.

If you´ve exposed your sofa to your bare arms or feet, the natural oils in your skin may have a detrimental effect on the leather. In this case, add a mild soap to the above cleaning process ad target areas like the armrests which are likely to be the most affected.

Cleaning up spillages…

If you´ve been unfortunate enough to spill liquids over your leather sofa, don´t panic and start rubbing furiously at them. The likelihood is that you´ll exacerbate the problem, and leave a mark. Instead, lift the liquid from the leather via absorbent paper towels, then complete the job by dabbing the affected area gently with a towel.

Using special products…

There are a wide range of creams, waxes and cleaners available to help you look after your leather furniture – but it´s imperative to check the label carefully before using any of them. All leathers will react differently to the chemicals in the cleaning products, so if you´re at all unsure that a product is suitable, test it on a tiny, inconspicuous area of the sofa before going any further.

Ball Point pen remover is one such cleaning product, and it´s generally successful if used promptly – keep some at home just in case you get careless when you´re doing the crossword!

One to avoid on upholstery leather though, is ´hide food´. Don´t use furniture polish either – you´ll only succeed in damaging the leather.