Leather Furniture Cleaning Tips

As important it is to maintain the quality of leather, it does not necessarily equals to a costly or tiresome affair. If you follow certain set of instructions diligently, you clean the leather furniture of your house all by yourself. Now, depending on the type of stain, the process of the cleanup may vary. Let's get to know how to go about it.

General Cleaning: Simply add one part of vinegar to two parts of food grade linseed oil. Mix them together and apply the mixture to the leather surface with the help of a soft cloth. Apply the mixture in a circular motion and leave it on the surface for 10 minutes. Buff the applied mixture with the help of a soft cloth and your job is done.

Ink Stains: Fresh stains of ink are quite easy to remove as compared to old stains. For this, you can try using alcohol. Dab a piece of cotton with alcohol and gently rub it over the stained area. Then dry the treated surface with a blow dryer set at minimum.

Grease Stains: Grease stains are formed due to spilling of oily food items or any substance containing oil. Blotting of the oil is the first thing you should do when your furniture is stained by grease. Then, simply put some talcum powder on the stained area to absorb the remaining oil, later wipe off the powder. Do not apply water or any other liquid when the furniture is stained with oil or any other greasy substance.

Essential Tips

• Leather is porous and absorbent and hence you should clean it immediately when it gets stained. Otherwise the spilled liquid will get absorbed and then cleaning becomes very difficult.
• Avoid using harsh chemicals, like those containing ammonia, to clean the stains.

• While general cleaning, always vacuum surface and dust it thoroughly.
• Do not keep the furniture in direct sunlight or near any other heat source.
• Different types of leather require different methods of cleaning. So make sure you are using the correct method.

• Avoid using saddle soap and varnish for cleaning your leather furniture.
• Water stains are very easy to remove, since water evaporates easily. But do not use any blow dryer for evaporating the water and let the water evaporate naturally. You can pat the surface dry with a dry cloth.

It is recommended that if you are unaware of the proper techniques of cleaning leather furniture, you should consult an expert. Leather is a very luxurious material that enriches home decor only when you keep it clean and tidy.