How to Clean a White Leather Sofa

Buying products like leather shampoos, nourishing milks, waxes, and waterproofing agents can be expensive. Here is how to clean your white leather sofa with natural products, just like our grandmothers used to do!

Dusting: soft cloth and Marseille soap

Have you bought a beautiful 3-seater or panoramic light leather sofa for your living room? Here is how to clean it so it lasts a long time. Every week, remove the dust that dulls and damages the leather. Use a chamois or a slightly damp microfiber cloth. If necessary, wash lightly with a microfiber glove dampened with soapy water. Rinse and dry well.

Hydrating and nourishing: cleansing milk, moisturizing cream

To keep your sofa supple, apply a moisturizing cream. If you know how to moisturize your skin, you will know how to maintain a white leather sofa. At least twice a year, nourish the leather by rubbing it gently with a soft cloth soaked in milk, makeup remover, or moisturizing cream. Add a few drops of white vinegar to help the cream penetrate. Test on a small area.

Cleaning and stain removal: egg white, hot water, talc, and clay stone

Is your sofa stained? Use egg white beaten until stiff with lemon, applied with a sponge. For specific stains:

• Hot salted water for a chocolate stain.
• Water and white vinegar or clay stone and 70% alcohol for a blood stain.
• Talc to absorb grease.
• An ice pack on chewing gum.
• Glycerin or turpentine for mold marks.

Protecting your sofa

Our grandmothers used to cover their furniture with fabric covers to protect it. Remember to protect your sofa from animals, children, or unruly guests:

• To keep a cat away, cover it with a painter's drop cloth and double-sided tape, rub the sofa with its cushion to deposit its scent, or sprinkle it with pepper.
• Place a pretty Nordic-style fleece or faux fur throw over the cushions and armrests.
• Cover it with a sheet if you are going to be away for a long time.

Repairing cracks and snags

To ensure your leather living room furniture stays supple, keep it away from light and heat sources. If you are wondering how to prevent or repair dry leather, coat it with a thin layer of petroleum jelly or apply a liniment (a mixture of vegetable oil and limewater) with a cotton ball. Remove the excess and polish with a soft cloth. For a surface scratch, apply vegetable glycerin; for a deeper cut, use vinyl glue.

Mistakes to avoid

To keep your white leather sofa looking like new, do not use bleach. It risks damaging the leather and leaving irreversible stains. Also avoid detergents, which are too corrosive, and textile cleaners like Sanytol. These products can damage the leather fibers. Finally, never leave printed paper lying on a white leather sofa for too long. Magazines, newspapers, and certain books can leave an imprint on the surface, especially in high heat. This is true for magazine pages with intense colors or your children’s coloring books.