How to Clean Leather Furniture

Leather furniture has its own beauty and elegance. Besides, it has several advantages. Furniture made from leather is very comfortable, both in summer and winter because it is a natural substance and allows passage of air. Its longevity is far more than any other upholstered fabric. Leather does not get pierced by any sharp object easily, nor does it melt or get burnt. However, it is a tough task to clean these pieces of furniture. Maximum damage to leather furniture is caused mainly due to wrong cleaning techniques. Therefore, some safe ways of cleaning leather furniture are given below:

Cleaning Dust from Leather Furniture
Leather furniture needs regular dusting, at least once a week. You can just wipe the surface of the furniture with a clean piece of cotton cloth. In case, you want to clean the surface with soap, make sure you use a mild liquid soap. Gently rub the soap with a soft cloth onto the surface of the furniture. There is no need to wash off the soap from the leather; only dry it with another cloth. Care should be taken no water does not get absorbed in the leather, as this may damage the leather beyond repair.

Cleaning Regular Soiling
Leather furniture looks dirty and soiled due to stains of oils and perspiration. Thus, for proper maintenance, you should ensure a thorough cleaning of leather furniture after every few months. This should be done with a lot of care in order to avoid any irreparable damage that may incidentally occur while cleaning. Chose a cleaner that is specially meant for cleaning leather. Pour a generous amount of the cleaner on a sponge and rub it on the furniture.The areas exposed to frequent body-contact like the armrest or back rest require extra care. Follow up this by wiping the surface with a good leather conditioner.

Cleaning Ink Stains
Take a piece of cotton cloth, dip it into alcohol and rub it over the ink stain. If it is a mild stain, it will disappear within no time and you have to simply blow dry the area. If the stain is deep, you should use a cuticle remover. However, make sure it is of a non-gel variety, as well as a non-oily one. Apply a thick layer over the stain and allow it stay for some hours. Then, wipe off using a moistened cloth, in circular motions.

Cleaning Dark Stains
Dark stains look really bad, particularly if you have light-colored furniture. Prepare a paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice, and apply it properly over the stain. Allow it to settle on the stain. After ten to fifteen minutes, add one more layer of the paste. Then, wipe of the paste with a piece of wet sponge and a mild moisturizing soap. Dry it with cloth or cotton.

Cleaning Grease Stains
Grease stains do not affect the leather furniture badly. Wipe off the stain with only a piece of clean and dry cloth. The blemish will soon disappear form the leather surface. You should not use water on a grease stains, as it is ineffective on greases.

Cleaning Liquid Spills
Liquid spills can cause some severe damage to the leather furniture. Clean the liquid with some cloth or sponge as soon as possible. If it stays there, it will get absorbed into the leather, which is not good for the leather.

There are some substances which should strictly not be used for cleaning your leather furniture. These are - ammonia water, furniture polish oil, varnish or any abrasive cleaner. If you want to try out some new cleaning products on your leather furniture, test it for any color changes on any corner of the furniture that is not visible.