Some useful tips for cleaning your leather sofa
By Oleg Oyfe
Leather furniture isn't just one of the most popular types of furniture, it's also one of the most expensive. So, it's very important that you know how to correctly clean your leather sofa. Properly cleaning your leather sofa will make it last much longer and keep it looking great for years. While cleaning leather might be a little intimidating, it's easy if you know how to clean it the right way.
During normal use, leather needs very little care. It's a natural material that has been permanently preserved through the tanning processes. Leather is literally made to last a lifetime. There are three main factors in keeping your leather sofa looking new, dust, heat and sunlight. Dust clogs the natural pores in leather that allows the material to breathe. Heat and sunlight will cause the leather to become dry, cracked and faded.
Cleaning a leather sofa isn't any harder than cleaning any other material once you know the proper way. Like any other piece of furniture, leather should be vacuumed at least once a week. Remove the cushions, or raise them up and vacuum underneath them and in the crevices. You can use a brush attachment on the vacuum as long as it has soft bristles that won't scratch the leather.
Because cleaning leather can be a little risky, you should always test a small hidden area before cleaning the entire sofa. Choose an area on the back of the sofa and clean a small area. Wait for 24 hours to see if the area is discolored or damaged in anyway. If the area still looks good, it's safe to clean the entire sofa in the same way.
Most leathers can safely be cleaned with a little warm water and soap. You only need to use a small amount of soap, just a few drops in a quart of water. You can also place a few drops on a damp cloth and work it into a lather. Never used a soaked cloth on leather, make sure that you squeeze all of the excess water out of the cloth before using it. And, always blot the area instead of rubbing.
Although leather will repel liquids, if they are allowed to sit for too long, it will soak up some of the spill. Clean spills as soon as possible and dry the area thoroughly with a soft, clean, dry cloth. Most spills can be cleaned with just a damp cloth. But, never clean an oil spill with water. Simply use a dry cloth to blot up the oil and sprinkle some talcum powder over the area to absorb the excess oils.
Ink marks can usually be removed with hair spray. Spray a small amount on the stain and wipe the area with a dry cloth. You may need to repeat the process several times to remove all of the ink. Mold can easily be removed with a solution of one cup of water and one cup of rubbing alcohol. Apply the mixture and wipe the area with a soft cloth.
If you want to provide the best care for your fine leather, invest in some high quality leather cleaning products. You can purchase spray cleaners, liquid cleaners and wipes that are specially treated to clean leather. To keep the leather soft and supple, it's important that you apply a good leather conditioner at least twice a year.
Author bio:
Oleg Oyfe manages LA Furniture Store. They specialize in leather sofa.
During normal use, leather needs very little care. It's a natural material that has been permanently preserved through the tanning processes. Leather is literally made to last a lifetime. There are three main factors in keeping your leather sofa looking new, dust, heat and sunlight. Dust clogs the natural pores in leather that allows the material to breathe. Heat and sunlight will cause the leather to become dry, cracked and faded.
Cleaning a leather sofa isn't any harder than cleaning any other material once you know the proper way. Like any other piece of furniture, leather should be vacuumed at least once a week. Remove the cushions, or raise them up and vacuum underneath them and in the crevices. You can use a brush attachment on the vacuum as long as it has soft bristles that won't scratch the leather.
Because cleaning leather can be a little risky, you should always test a small hidden area before cleaning the entire sofa. Choose an area on the back of the sofa and clean a small area. Wait for 24 hours to see if the area is discolored or damaged in anyway. If the area still looks good, it's safe to clean the entire sofa in the same way.
Most leathers can safely be cleaned with a little warm water and soap. You only need to use a small amount of soap, just a few drops in a quart of water. You can also place a few drops on a damp cloth and work it into a lather. Never used a soaked cloth on leather, make sure that you squeeze all of the excess water out of the cloth before using it. And, always blot the area instead of rubbing.
Although leather will repel liquids, if they are allowed to sit for too long, it will soak up some of the spill. Clean spills as soon as possible and dry the area thoroughly with a soft, clean, dry cloth. Most spills can be cleaned with just a damp cloth. But, never clean an oil spill with water. Simply use a dry cloth to blot up the oil and sprinkle some talcum powder over the area to absorb the excess oils.
Ink marks can usually be removed with hair spray. Spray a small amount on the stain and wipe the area with a dry cloth. You may need to repeat the process several times to remove all of the ink. Mold can easily be removed with a solution of one cup of water and one cup of rubbing alcohol. Apply the mixture and wipe the area with a soft cloth.
If you want to provide the best care for your fine leather, invest in some high quality leather cleaning products. You can purchase spray cleaners, liquid cleaners and wipes that are specially treated to clean leather. To keep the leather soft and supple, it's important that you apply a good leather conditioner at least twice a year.
Author bio:
Oleg Oyfe manages LA Furniture Store. They specialize in leather sofa.
By Oleg Oyfe
