The Dos and Don’ts of Leather Sofa Maintenance

What happens when that stain on your prized leather sofa still leaves a mark behind, your kids treat it more like a trampoline, or the cat uses it as it’s rubbing post?

Here’s some do’s and don’ts for getting your leather suite back into shape.

What to Do When Cleaning a Leather Sofa

• Wipe it every now and again with a damp clean cloth. This will take off any surface markings and keep any bacteria from growing in the nooks and crannies.
• Use recommended leather cleaning products. Although they may appear pricey in comparison to regular fabric cleaning solutions, you are actually prolonging the life of your sofa. Plus, it doesn’t have to be part of your weekly clean, but applying leather cream or polish products every few months or so will do your sofa good. They’re not just cleaning, they’re also protecting against dry, cracked leather too – the main reason a leather sofa is ditched.
• After a long session sprawled out on the sofa, make an effort to plump it up for next time – obviously the type of sofa you have depends on how doable this is. Although it may seem odd at first, push your hands down the side of the bottom fitted cushions and pat with some strength. Then, on top, try and spread out the cushion evenly through patting and plumping. It basically means that rather than squidging the certain section you sit on even more (and encouraging undesirable sagging), next time you’ll have a flat, even surface on which to rest!

The Don’ts of Leather Sofa Cleaning & Maintenance

• Don’t use baby wipes. Whilst initially it may seem that a quick going over with a wet wipe restores a bit of shine and life to the sofa, more so than a damp cloth, you may actually be doing damage to the leather. Suites nowadays come with an invisible protective layer to defend against life’s everyday bumps and spills. Over time though, this gradually wears thin and attacking it with a fairly harmless wet wipe could just be causing the protective layer to wear down even more.
• Don’t use shoe polish – it may sound silly but the stuff we apply to our leather shoes often contains colouring and resins that are simply not for use on your sofa. (Note: Shoe Creams could be used as a last resort if you have the right colour etc.)Not only could shoe polish rub off onto your clothes and never come out, but we don’t want young kids with their hands on the sofa to then go putting it into their mouths!

Still Looking Worst For Wear?

If the tips mentioned above don’t fit your situation, it may be time to consider renewing a bit of life.

An upholsterer could be one option. Depending on their range they could be able to match the colour, thickness with your existing suite. Plus, this will likely be a huge amount cheaper than buying an entire new suite.

Also, you’re not being wasteful by ditching a suite that can be made new with a small change. A good example of where this can be used simply: if the arm(s) of the sofa have cracked, a piece of leather material, cut to shape, will go on top nicely, halting any further damage. Think of it as a pillow case for the sofa’s arms.

Professional leather sofa cleaners can also be called out to perform a decent restoration. Although it differs from service to service, you might expect a pro to perform a deep clean of the suite and apply replenishing creams / products to make the leather supple, soft and appear more vivid in colour. You may also get a protective solution on top, to further safeguard from spills. It’s no surprise that professional leather cleaning services suggest your sofa will feel like new again after all the tlc they provide.

You may also get a protective solution on top, to further safeguard from spills. It’s no surprise that professional leather cleaning services suggest your sofa will feel like new again after all the tlc they provide.