If you are a fan of the top-grain leather sofa like me, you will know it is very important to take good care of it. If you are new to top-grain leather furniture and you are searching for how to clean and care for your top-grain leather sofa or furniture.
Top-grain leather is leather made from the top part of the hide, it is the part with the highest quality of the hide. Such quality leather should be taken care of diligently. One good thing about cleaning top-grain leather is the ease of cleaning, it is very easy to clean because of the consistent smoothness of the leather.
Your top-grain leather can last for years if you take care of them very well, apart from storing leather in a dry and cool place away from sunlight. What you use to clean your leather is also a major factor. Leather requires special care because of its highly temperamental nature to keep it from damage.
It is best to clean your top-grain leather sofa with high-quality leather soap or nubuck cleaning cloth. Make sure the leather soap you choose to clean your sofa does not have any residue as it will be harmful to your leather by giving bacteria a place to grow. Bacteria will break down your leather and have a bad effect on it.
It is also important for you to condition your leather two times a year to prevent it from drying out and cracking. You should use a quality leather conditioner and a soft clean cloth for it.
Do’s and don’t of cleaning top grain leather sofa
Below are what you should and not do when cleaning your leather furniture:
DO’S
- Before you clean your leather sofa, what you need to do first is to dust it with a dry clean cloth and then follow a soft damp cloth in a light circular motion to get rid of all dirt.
- For a top-grain leather sofa that feels dry, hard, or rough, you can apply a small amount of olive oil with a soft cloth on it.
- If by chance water pours on your leather sofa, never leave it like that because leather is not waterproof. Kindly do some damage control by dabbing it gently with a cotton cloth and leaving it to dry in a dark airy place. When dry, condition it with olive oil.
- To remove mold, mix a cup of isopropyl alcohol and one cup of water. Dip a soft clean cloth in the mixture to clean it and dry the sofa with a clean cloth.
DONT’S
- Many people make the mistake of cleaning their top-grain leather sofas with detergent, cleaning spray, and other harsh cleaning agents. This is a bad idea and it with damage your leather.
- Never leave your leather in a high-heat environment for a long time. Heat damage leather a lot.
- Don’t leave stains for a very long time.
How To Clean White Leather
- Clean with Oil + Vinegar: A mixture of 1/2 cup of olive oil with 1/4 cup of vinegar in a spray bottle is what you need to clean your leather. Spritz on the stain and wait for like five minutes and wipe. Never use bleach or ammonia cleaner to clean your white leather as they will damage it
- Toothpaste: This might surprise you but I guarantee it works like magic, everyone has toothpaste at home so this should be less expensive and easily accessible at all times. To clean your white leather with toothpaste, first, dampen the stained area with a damp cloth (don’t soak it). Put a little non-gel toothpaste on the stained area and scrub gently with a soft toothbrush. When done, clean the area with a dry cloth.
How to Remove Stains From Leather
- Dark Stains: You can remove dark stains from your leather furniture by mixing a paste of one part lemon juice with cream of tartar. Rub the paste on the stained area and leave for some minutes, apply another layer of paste, work it in and remove it with a damp sponge with moisturizing soap.
- Water Stains: You can dry your leather sofa with a soft dry cloth and let it dry gently in a well-ventilated area. Never dry your leather in the sun.
- Oil Stains: You can remove oil or grease on your leather by sprinkling baking soda or cornstarch on the stained spot and leaving it for a few hours for the oil or grease to be absorbed and wiped with a soft dry cloth.
- Ink Stains: You can remove ink stains from your leather using a cotton swab. Dip the cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and blot the ink stain gently then dry the area with a blow dryer. After drying, if the stain still remains, apply a thick non-gel, non-oily cuticle remover to it. Leave for a few hours and wipe off with a soft damp cloth.
- Mold: A mixture of alcohol and water will get rid of mold as well as mildew. Dampen a soft dry cloth with the alcohol solution and use it to wipe the stained area. Dry the area with a clean dry soft cloth.
If you try any of our recommendations on your leather, kindly drop a comment below.
