The Best Way to Deep Clean a Leather Sofa Without Harsh Chemicals
Do you want to know how to clean a sofa with a leather surface? With some simple steps, you can keep your couches looking brand new.
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I did a tutorial on “How To Deep Clean Your Couch” for a cloth or microfiber couch a while back and since then I have been asked – “What about leather upholstery?” We have leather couches in our home. When you spend that kind of money, you want to take good care of them. I thought I would share how we clean our leather couches. This can also be used for other leather pieces in your home. I’m also a big fan of staying away from harsh cleaning products and cleaning as naturally as possible.
Here is our main leather couch.
Before you start, there are so many different types of leather and leather dye, etc. Make sure to spot test your couch in an inconspicuous area before jumping in. So here is my cleaning routine.
Step-by-step guide to cleaning any type of leather furniture
1. Vacuum your sofa
The first step is to use the crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner to clean out all the creases on the sofa. The cushions on this couch are attached. If your cushions can be removed, remove them and vacuum the entire base of the couch first.
2. Dust your sofa
Next, I vacuum the entire sofa using the soft brush attachment. This helps get up all of the dirt and dust sitting on the couch.
3. Wipe down your sofa to clean it and remove stains
I use a damp cloth, preferably a microfibre cloth to wipe down the entire surface of your sofa. I use a Norwex Envirocloth.
If you have some spill marks, use your microfiber cloth to carefully wipe those away. If you have an oil spot or grease stains – blot them with a clean, dry cloth and leave them alone. The oil will be absorbed by the leather over time.
The next step is to dry everything off with a clean cloth, preferably a chamois.
That’s my cleaning process and cleaning tips for your leather couch.
4. Adding a leather couch conditioner
Bonus – Leather needs to be conditioned. I strongly suggest buying a leather conditioner and it’s a good idea to get it from a store that sells leather furniture. The conditioner will keep the leather from drying out and cracking and protects it. You only need to do this step once every 6 months to a year depending on your climate.
With regular cleaning, you can keep your piece of furniture in good condition.
Other potential homemade cleaning solutions, cleaners and supplies:
- Baking soda or talcum powder for odors (but can scratch your leather)
- White Vinegar or vinegar solution (but can dry out your leather)
- Leather cleaner and soft cloth – great and can be expensive
- Saddle Soap
- Distilled water (water can harm leather leaving water stains)
- Lemon juice (like vinegar it can dry out your leather and bleach it out)
- Olive Oil (can moisturize but also there is concern it’ll go rancid)
- Clean rag
- Clean towel
- Leather Wipes
- Mild dish soap or mild soap (can dry out your leather)
- Furniture polishes
- small bucket
Learn more about “Why to Deep Clean and Organize Your Home” to save money, function better, and keep your sanity.
Organic Cleaning – DIY Recipes and Tips To Clean the Chemical-Free and Natural Way
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How To Clean A Sofa Naturally
Equipment
- None
Ingredients
- Vacuum
- Microfiber Cloth
- Chamois
- Leather Conditioner
Instructions
- VACUUM YOUR SOFA
- DUST YOUR SOFA
- WIPE DOWN YOUR SOFA TO CLEAN IT AND REMOVE STAINS
- ADDING A LEATHER COUCH CONDITINOER
Video
These look brand new! Good tip about leaving the oil on. I’ve got a leather chair that could use this. I will have to try out. It definitely needs the conditioner, it’s really scratched looking. Any tips for that? Have a great July 4th!
Thanks, Andrea, and I did read that you can buff out some scratches and lessen their appearance. I’ll bet a good matching shoe polish would work to hide them as well.
Chas, what a great informative post. Your sofas look brand new. I once remodeled a friend’s cabin and bought a leather sofa off of Craigslist….it was so cracked and dry but after a good cleaning and leather conditioner, it came back to life. Happy hopping with you, my friend!!
Thank you so much for sharing that story Mary! Hugs friend
Your sofas look amazing! I’ll have to remember all of your tips next time we tackle our two leather sofas in our basement – great hopping with you!
Thank you so much Tarah 🙂
Great tips for leather sofa care! When you invest in nice furniture, especially leather, it’s important to routinely take care of it. Always great hopping with you ?
Thank you so much Allison