How to Clean Leather Furniture
Learn the best methods for keeping various kinds of leather upholstery in top condition
Julie Sheer
23 December 2016
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics editor and writer at the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune; outdoor guidebook author; lover of all things outdoors, nature and wildlife. Follow me at https://westcentric.wordpress.com/
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics... More
Leather is one of the more durable, low-maintenance surfaces for home furnishings. Keeping your leather sofa, chair or ottoman clean is relatively simple if you follow the proper steps. But different types of leather upholstery have different cleaning requirements, so first you need to know what type of leather you have. Here’s how to identify, clean and maintain your leather upholstery to keep it looking great.
Types of Leather Upholstery
To find out what kind of leather upholstery you have, and the recommended care, start by checking the label or the written materials that came with the piece, or look up the item on the retailer’s or manufacturer’s website. If you don’t have access to care instructions and you’re not sure what kind of leather you have, here are some clues.
Find a professional cleaner near you on Houzz with experience in stain removal
To find out what kind of leather upholstery you have, and the recommended care, start by checking the label or the written materials that came with the piece, or look up the item on the retailer’s or manufacturer’s website. If you don’t have access to care instructions and you’re not sure what kind of leather you have, here are some clues.
Find a professional cleaner near you on Houzz with experience in stain removal
Unprotected leather
Aniline leather – also called pure aniline, full aniline or unfinished leather – has a soft, luxurious feel. The leather is dyed through with aniline dye but has no surface pigment colour added. It has little or no protective coating other than perhaps a dirt-resistant treatment. Natural surface grains and markings may be seen on the leather, which can develop a patina.
Aniline leather is more sensitive to staining than protected leather and typically is pricier as well. Other types of aniline leather include pull-up leather, which is injected with oils and waxes, and nubuck leather, which has been distressed or buffed to create a soft, velvety feel.
Aniline leather – also called pure aniline, full aniline or unfinished leather – has a soft, luxurious feel. The leather is dyed through with aniline dye but has no surface pigment colour added. It has little or no protective coating other than perhaps a dirt-resistant treatment. Natural surface grains and markings may be seen on the leather, which can develop a patina.
Aniline leather is more sensitive to staining than protected leather and typically is pricier as well. Other types of aniline leather include pull-up leather, which is injected with oils and waxes, and nubuck leather, which has been distressed or buffed to create a soft, velvety feel.
Protected leather
Most leather furniture is made with protected, or finished, leather. These leathers may be labelled semi-aniline, aniline plus pigment or pigmented leather. Protected leather is more durable, stain-resistant and uniform in appearance than pure aniline.
Semi-aniline leather is aniline-dyed and topped with a layer of pigment colour. It has a soft feel like pure aniline leather but is a little more durable due to the protective pigment coating.
Other protected leathers are coated with thicker layers of pigment and polymer. They have a stiffer feel and stand up to more wear and tear.
Fabric Vs Leather: Which Sofa Best Suits You?
Most leather furniture is made with protected, or finished, leather. These leathers may be labelled semi-aniline, aniline plus pigment or pigmented leather. Protected leather is more durable, stain-resistant and uniform in appearance than pure aniline.
Semi-aniline leather is aniline-dyed and topped with a layer of pigment colour. It has a soft feel like pure aniline leather but is a little more durable due to the protective pigment coating.
Other protected leathers are coated with thicker layers of pigment and polymer. They have a stiffer feel and stand up to more wear and tear.
Fabric Vs Leather: Which Sofa Best Suits You?
Caring for Your Leather Upholstery
Skip the home potions
When it comes to cleaning leather upholstery, keep it simple and avoid DIY remedies. Homemade solutions using mayonnaise and vinegar are best kept to salads and sandwiches, and not the leather-cleaning menu.
Donna L Frehafer from Wellington’s Leather Furniture in Washington, USA, has seen clients harming their furniture with everything from hair-care products to the American equivalent of Pine O Cleen.
Keep in mind that warranties can be voided if the wrong cleaner or conditioner is used on leather furniture. The most important thing is to avoid applying anything that is not endorsed by the tanneries, Frehafer says.
Skip the home potions
When it comes to cleaning leather upholstery, keep it simple and avoid DIY remedies. Homemade solutions using mayonnaise and vinegar are best kept to salads and sandwiches, and not the leather-cleaning menu.
Donna L Frehafer from Wellington’s Leather Furniture in Washington, USA, has seen clients harming their furniture with everything from hair-care products to the American equivalent of Pine O Cleen.
Keep in mind that warranties can be voided if the wrong cleaner or conditioner is used on leather furniture. The most important thing is to avoid applying anything that is not endorsed by the tanneries, Frehafer says.
Cleaning materials
- A vacuum cleaner with brush attachment.
- Distilled water.
- Mild, neutral-pH non-detergent liquid soap, such as Neutrogena or Dove, or a leather cleaner designed for furniture upholstery.
- Soft white microfibre cloths.
- A tarp or drop cloth.
- Commercial leather conditioner (optional).
Cleaning unprotected leather
Some furniture makers recommend doing nothing more than dusting unprotected aniline leather with a clean, dry cloth and vacuuming it regularly using a soft brush attachment. Others advise gently wiping the surface with a cloth slightly dampened with distilled water, or cleaning it with an approved leather cleaner.
This natural material is sensitive to scratching and staining, so take care when cleaning. Consult the manufacturer’s cleaning directions or a leather cleaning professional before using any products, and test them out first on a hidden surface.
Which Colours Go With a Brown Leather Sofa?
Some furniture makers recommend doing nothing more than dusting unprotected aniline leather with a clean, dry cloth and vacuuming it regularly using a soft brush attachment. Others advise gently wiping the surface with a cloth slightly dampened with distilled water, or cleaning it with an approved leather cleaner.
This natural material is sensitive to scratching and staining, so take care when cleaning. Consult the manufacturer’s cleaning directions or a leather cleaning professional before using any products, and test them out first on a hidden surface.
Which Colours Go With a Brown Leather Sofa?
Cleaning protected leather
Semi-aniline and especially pigmented leather can stand up to heavier use and cleaning than aniline leather. But stay away from products containing ammonia or alkalies, which can damage leather beyond repair. Avoid saddle soap, detergents, oils, furniture polishes, abrasive materials and any cleaners with caustic ingredients.
Semi-aniline and especially pigmented leather can stand up to heavier use and cleaning than aniline leather. But stay away from products containing ammonia or alkalies, which can damage leather beyond repair. Avoid saddle soap, detergents, oils, furniture polishes, abrasive materials and any cleaners with caustic ingredients.
Cleaning Steps
Here are the steps for cleaning protected leathers. Always try them first on an inconspicuous spot that can’t be seen. And put down a drop cloth to catch any water drips.
Here are the steps for cleaning protected leathers. Always try them first on an inconspicuous spot that can’t be seen. And put down a drop cloth to catch any water drips.
- Remove dirt by vacuuming the furniture piece using the brush attachment.
- Add a few drops of mild non-detergent soap to distilled water to create a cleaning solution. Moisten a microfibre cloth with the solution.
- Test an inconspicuous spot with the cloth to make sure there’s no discolouration from the soap and water.
- Working from top to bottom, wipe the furniture.
- Dampen another cloth with plain distilled water and wipe the furniture again.
- Dry with a clean towel.
Cleaning Spills, Spots and Stains
Leather is very sensitive to spills, especially liquids, so they should be removed from the surface as soon as possible to keep them from soaking in and forming a hard-to-remove stain.
Leather is very sensitive to spills, especially liquids, so they should be removed from the surface as soon as possible to keep them from soaking in and forming a hard-to-remove stain.
- Unprotected leather: For spills and stains on pure aniline leather, blot the substance as quickly as possible with a clean, dry white cloth to absorb it. Check with the furniture maker, your retailer or a leather cleaning professional before doing anything else.
- Protected leather: Stains can be removed from protected leather. Water-based spills such as soft drinks and juice can be wiped off with a clean white cloth lightly dampened in distilled water, then left to air dry. On stubborn stains, experts recommend gently applying a soft cloth or a sponge moistened with a mild non-detergent soap and lukewarm water, then wiping it off with a clean damp cloth and blotting dry with another soft cloth. Never use a hair dryer on leather.
When in doubt, and for any difficult stains, consult a leather cleaning professional.
To condition or tot?
If you want to keep the leather soft and supple, after cleaning and occasionally after that, you can apply a commercial leather conditioner.
Brown recommends applying a good leather conditioner every six to 12 months. “This will help your leather piece maintain its own natural oils, keeping it soft and supple for many years,” she says. She also advises checking the care label on the furniture before using any commercial product.
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification advises avoiding conditioning oils that contain silicone or wax, which can make the surface permanently sticky.
Design Classics You May Not Know Are Eames
If you want to keep the leather soft and supple, after cleaning and occasionally after that, you can apply a commercial leather conditioner.
Brown recommends applying a good leather conditioner every six to 12 months. “This will help your leather piece maintain its own natural oils, keeping it soft and supple for many years,” she says. She also advises checking the care label on the furniture before using any commercial product.
The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification advises avoiding conditioning oils that contain silicone or wax, which can make the surface permanently sticky.
Design Classics You May Not Know Are Eames
Frehafer from Wellington’s Leather Furniture recommends using a leather conditioner with sunscreen several times a year. To protect your leather furniture, keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources, which can cause drying and cracking. “Leather breathes and continues to remove moisture from its environment to keep it soft and supple,” says Frehafer. “In certain conditions and climates where it is very dry, it will require more conditioning because of less available moisture.”
Your turn
How do you keep your leather furniture in tip-top condition? Share your tricks in the Comments below.
More
Read more helpful cleaning stories
Your turn
How do you keep your leather furniture in tip-top condition? Share your tricks in the Comments below.
More
Read more helpful cleaning stories
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Superb article.
I have a new LaZboy sofa and recliners. The guardian product that they treated it with is giving off an odor that I am sensitive too. How can I clean the sofa to remove the product? No help on the website. Thank you.
I had the weirdest problem with my rather expensive dark leather chairs. After a few years they started grabbing people’s clothes and making a ripping sound whenever anyone stood up leaving a thin cloth mark where they had been sitting. They also became sticky to the touch with body heat. The final straw was when a friend stood up to show an orange stain on the back of his white shirt after sitting in the chair for awhile. I got rid of them the next day!