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Cleaning tips

Interesting tips and facts for excellent cleaning

How to Clean a Leather Sofa at HomeHow to Clean a Leather Sofa at HomeHow to Clean a Leather Sofa at Home

How to Clean a Leather Sofa at Home

1. Vacuum clean the sofa with a soft brush attachment. Make sure it sucks the dirt out of all the crevices otherwise the dust and grime could be rubbed into the sofa when you wipe it with the cleaning solution.Dust particles are abrasive in nature. Hence, they can damage the material when they come in contact with moisture.
2.Create a cleaning solution by mixing equal parts of water and white vinegar. Alternatively, you can mix a few drops of commercial leather cleaner in water.
3.Dip a soft cloth (preferably a microfiber cloth) in this solution and wring it out so that the cloth is damp, not completely wet.
4.Wipe the entire sofa with this cloth while rinsing the cloth in the cleaning solution when necessary. It is best to start cleaning from the top and work your way down.
5.Dry the sofa with a clean towel. Do not use a blow dryer for this purpose as it is likely to dehydrate the leather.
6.For conditioning, mix one part of white vinegar and two parts of linseed oil or flax seed oil. Using a soft, clean cloth, apply this mixture on the sofa in broad, circular motions. Leave on overnight.
7.Next day, buff the sofa with a clean rag to restore its shine.
Apart from the vinegar solution, you can clean your leather sofa with a moisturizing soap (such as Dove) and water (bring it to lather and then wipe). Test the cleaning solution on an inconspicuous spot before using it on the entire sofa.
Some even suggest cleaning leather furniture with saddle soap. On the downside, it is believed that repeated use of saddle soap tends to dissolve leather over a period of time.

Additional Tips

For regular weekly cleaning, you can simply wipe the sofa with a dry cloth or dust it off with a feather duster. If it is used heavily then you may consider cleaning the sofa with a vacuum cleaner. Plus, turn and fluff the cushions on a regular basis to avoid wrinkles on them.

Do not expose your leather sofa to sunlight; it can age and dry the leather, thereby leading to discoloration and cracking. In fact, keep it at least two feet away from sources of heat, including air conditioning sources and heating vents.
Attend to any spills (even water spills) on the sofa immediately, or else the fluid will penetrate the dye and leave spots. So, blot the fluid as soon as possible. Do not wipe it, though; it may spread the liquid and stain the surrounding area too.
Prefer to get stubborn spots and stains cleaned by a professional cleaner rather than ruining the material with experimental methods.