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Want to know how to disinfect leather couch like professionals?
Nothing screams luxury more than a plush leather sofa—whether it’s in the middle of your living room or the focal point in your office or home study.
From all the popular upholstery materials, leather is comparatively longer lasting and easy to care for choice.
However, it requires occasional cleaning and upkeep.
If your furniture appears worn or if you are worried about germs, follow our guide on how to disinfect leather couch.
Before you wonder if it is a DIY-able activity or whether you need a professional, consider the following:
It’s not challenging to clean leather furniture, and inexpensive, readily available supplies are probably lying in your kitchen.
Ready to begin?
Before You Disinfect Leather Couch
The first step is to clean your furniture thoroughly.
Fasten a simple brush attachment to your vacuum cleaner and remove any dust, debris, hair, or other undesirable residues from your sofa and cushions.
Once you are satisfied that the dry deposits have been handled, wipe all furniture surfaces with a cotton, preferably microfiber cloth.
Examine your furniture for spots, patches, tears, or sagging.
Depending on whether you’re cleaning, disinfecting, or repairing, you’ll need additional supplies.
How To Disinfect Leather Couch?
If you’re on a disinfect-only-mission or have superficial dust and grime to remove, collect and mix equal parts of water and vinegar in a bucket.
Dip a soft, clean rag into the solution and then wring till it is just damp, not dripping wet.
Wipe down all accessible surface areas of your furniture, stopping at regular intervals to rinse the rag in the vinegar-water solution.
Excess moisture is not your furniture’s friend.
Always rub a dry cloth over every area treated with the water-vinegar solution to avoid water damage.
Pro tip: Allow the couch to dry naturally. Don’t try to quicken the drying process with heat.
Banishing Stains from Your Furniture
When confronted with stains, figure out what caused it, as different stains require separate remedies.
Grease Stains
If you’re looking to banish fresh grease stains, use a clean, dry cloth. Do not add liquids of any kind, including water, as the material will soak it up.
However, if the stain is old, draw out the grease by adding some baking soda onto the area.
Brush off after a few hours and wipe clean with a rag.
Stains on Light Shades of Colors
Lighter shades of furniture like white and beige are more vulnerable to stains.
In such cases, use a mixture of lemon juice and cream of tartar in equal proportions.
Once you’ve formed a fine paste, apply it to the stain. Wait for about ten minutes before wiping residue with a damp cloth.
Ink Stains or Mold
In the event that you find ink stains or patches of mold or mildew on your furniture, rubbing alcohol may be your miracle cleaner.
Take a cotton cloth and add a little rubbing alcohol to it. Wipe the desired area in a circular motion till the stain or mold clears.
Pro tip: Before you begin your DIY sofa cleaning, remember to spot test your choice of stain removal or disinfectant solution.
And no matter what, avoid bleach or ammonia-based cleaners.
How to Make Your Sofa Look Brand New
If you’re worried about how to reverse your sofa’s worn look, consider applying a leather cream.
These are specially formulated to retain your sofa’s soft and moisturized appearance.
Before you apply a specially formulated cream, remember to follow the few necessary cleanup steps first.
It would be best if you vacuum or dust your furniture to eliminate any potential stain-causing dirt or grime.
For mild stains, dip a damp cotton or microfiber cloth in warm soapy water and squeeze lightly.
Gently wipe away the stains before following with a dry rag. While saddle soaps are best, it is acceptable to use a mild soap if you’re out and in desperate need of a cleanup.
Ensure that your soap is non-alkaline; otherwise, you run the risk of ruining your sofa over time.
Once your treated area has had several hours to dry, re-moisturize with the cream with a clean cloth.
Let the material absorb the cream before buffing to a shine.
How to Disinfect Faux Leather Couch
Pleather is a more durable and synthetic cousin to genuine leather.
Cleaning and disinfecting this kind of furniture is, therefore, not very different or challenging.
First determine whether you have a vinyl or polyurethane (PU) sofa. Do also read the care instructions for washing and cleaning suggestions.
If you’re worried about how to disinfect fake leather couch, you shouldn’t be. A fake leather couch is easier to clean as it is more durable.
More importantly, you can use the same DIY mixture (equal parts water and vinegar or alcohol) on a faux couch if you’re disinfecting.
Pro tip: Always clean before using a solution to avoid spreading stains.
How to Clean White Faux Leather Couch
White has always been a favored color as it’s easier to match with vivid interiors.
However, white, whether on curtains, rugs and even faux sofas is challenging to keep clean.
This is because it’s more prone to staining, even with something as ubiquitous as the oil on our skin.
Cleaning a white couch need not be a nightmare though.
Follow a weekly routine of dry brushing or vacuuming followed by a damp cloth wipe down to maintain the appearance of your sofa.
When confronted with a stubborn stain like red wine, blot with a paper towel before spraying a clean cloth with a water-vinegar solution and blotting on the stained area.
How to Remove Stains from Faux Leather
As with any other fabric, stains are easiest to remove when tackled early. This is especially true for beverages like tea, coffee, and juices.
Keep a spray bottle handy for such situations. All you’ll need is a mixture of water and soap of choice and a good shake.
Spray the area and clean with a dry towel.
If the cleanup was extensive or if you clean more frequently than once a week, follow up with a gentle moisturizer—either a specially formulated cream or a mix of coconut oil and water.
Pro Tip: Undiluted coconut oil will remove the appearance of surface scratches on your furniture.
For Stains that Have Set-In
You will need to grab alcohol or vinegar. Mix either with equal parts of water, dip the end of a rag in the solution, and blot the stain with it.
Repeat if necessary, using a clean corner of the rag. Once the stain has disappeared, wipe the treated area with a soft dry cloth.
A beautifully crafted and well-maintained sofa can indeed last you thirty years or more.
However, as with anything else that needs to stand the test of time, a few preventive, maintenance, and upkeep measures are required.
General Care
Like skin, it is susceptible to damage if exposed to extreme and harsh sunlight.
Never place your furniture near an air conditioner, heater, or fireplace. Design your furniture layout such that your furniture remains protected from these elements.
Leather will also dry and crack when exposed to extreme temperatures and lack of moisture.
Aside from appropriate placement, treat your sofa to a monthly cream and buff session.
If you have a faux leather couch, cream and buff twice a year.
Addressing Minor Scratches, Cuts and Tears
Since this kind of furniture is extremely comfortable, you’ll find damage such as scratches from pets over time.
Reverse these with a light application of flaxseed or coconut oil.
Remember to rub in a circular motion and follow with a dry towel to remove excess and add shine.
Minor cracks can be dealt with at home as well. You’ll need a leather filler kit for this.
After a basic vacuum and dry cloth cleaning, apply the filler as per the provided instructions.
Small cuts and tears can also be repaired at home with a leather repair kit.
The kit will come with detailed instructions that will guide you on how to prepare the site.
You’ll also need to learn to bond a new piece of material to the area so that the damage is unnoticeable.
Deal with Fading
Fading is another issue most leather sofa owners face. You can minimize fading chances by keeping your sofa away from sunlight, heat, and chemicals.
In the event that you need to treat uneven coloring, shop for a color-restoration kit.
You might also ask your local hardware store or search online for a leather dye kit.
Call a Professional
If the leather gets extensive cuts or tears, or you’re not comfortable handling such repairs, call a professional.
Don’t risk damaging your sofa as repairs can be expensive, or worse, you might need a new sofa.
Large cuts require color mixing and texture application using heat.
Take any leather furniture to a shop or call a professional to your home to assess the damage and suggest restoration procedures and costs.
Learning how to disinfect leather couch or how to clean a leather couch, faux or genuine, isn’t challenging and can be incorporated into your weekly routine.
All you need is a little spray bottle with your desired cleaning solution and a microfiber or cotton cloth.
With a little attention and preventive measures, you’ll enjoy your sofa for decades.
Further Read: For Cleaning the fabric, refer this guide.