What Is the Best Way to Clean Leather Furniture?

Clean leather furniture with a homemade cleaner.

Leather is a durable, versatile upholstery option used in the creation of many furniture pieces. Its durability allows children, pets, dirt and many other elements to come into contact with the leather every day, while still retaining its attractive like-new appearance. When it comes time to clean the leather furniture, you can quickly make your own low-cost leather cleaning solution that will disinfect and moisturize the material simultaneously. Conditioning and moisturizing is important, as this prevents the leather from cracking due to over-dryness.

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum cleaner
• Bowl
• Linseed oil
• White vinegar
• Cleaning cloths

Instructions

1. Remove dust using the hose attachment of your vacuum cleaner. Remember to vacuum along seams and under cushions and partitions.

2. Pour enough solution into a bowl to clean the entire piece of leather furniture. Use 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts linseed oil. This oil can be found in any grocery store.

3. Scoop up a small amount of the solution with a cleaning cloth, and rub across the leather furniture.

4. Continue until the entire piece of furniture is clean. A light layer of the cleaning solution will be left behind, which is normal and should stay on for at least two hours, or overnight if possible.

5. Wipe across the leather furniture once more, this time using a clean and dry cloth. This allows you to remove all of the excess oil in the cleaning solution while also pulling out the natural leather shine.

References

• Mrs. Clean USA: Leather Cleaning Tips