How to clean a leather sofa?

Jara
by Jara

How do I clean my leather sofas? Cleaners and natural solutions welcome.


  21 answers
  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Apr 26, 2019

    I use car leather treatment on our leather furniture. I use the same cleaner/conditioner for my furniture, vehicles, shoes, and purses. I purchase it at Coach. However, you might want to check with the manufacturer, especially if you have a warranty.

  • A.V. Perkins A.V. Perkins on Apr 26, 2019

    Before you condition it make sure you wipe down the entire couch with a microfiber cloth.

  • William William on Feb 02, 2018

    Use saddle soap to clean the leather and a leather conditioner to protect it.

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Oct 02, 2018

    We used a solution of half vinegar and half distilled water on our new to us leather sofa and it worked beautifully! Of course we vacuumed it first to get any debris off. :)

  • Rb Marcino Rb Marcino on Oct 02, 2018

    We use Murphys Oil Soap on our 2 leather couches just as we've used it for years on our Horse Tack such as Bridles, Saddles and harnesses. Great stuff!


  • Emily Emily on Sep 16, 2019

    I have two leather sofas, and I clean them with a white old piece of toweling wrung out in hot water and wiped thoroughly. I definitely would not use linseed oil.

  • Shelly Shelly on Sep 19, 2019

    I use Johnson’s baby bath

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Jul 07, 2019

    If it is real leather, purchase a good leather cleaner to clean it. Once you have cleaned it, make sure you use a leather conditioner to keep the leather moisturized and supple. I use the Lexol brand leather cleaner and conditioner on all leather things, from car seats to furniture to boots with good results. They also have a great vinyl cleaner and conditioner. I find it in automotive departments usually, but always find it at local auto parts stores. I hope this works for you!

  • K. Rupp K. Rupp on Jul 12, 2019

    We love leather wipes. You can get them at Home Depot, Walmart, grocery stores. Is this general cleaning or deep stains like pen marks etc.?

  • Dfm Dfm on Apr 20, 2018

    you should be able to get it near the shoe polish , a flat tin a bit bigger than a shoe polish can. use a mink oil to water proof them if needed. large diameter round can usually tan.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Dec 01, 2019

    Hello there,

    They say milk is good, or Wet wipe, then use a wax and buff it up. You could off course use Saddle soap.............or try Car leather upholstery cleaner!

  • Em Em on Dec 04, 2019

    Get leather cleaner from the Auto Parts store. It is made for leather car seats.

  • Tina Nielsen Tina Nielsen on Jun 30, 2019

    I use Vaseline .. on leather and my car.

  • Pamela Pamela on Oct 09, 2018

    Magic eraser works great !!!

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Nov 17, 2017

    I use the Lexol brand products that were recommended to me by someone who does work reupholstering vinyl and leather furniture, and for cars, too. It does work well. They have separate cleaners and conditioners for leather. They are simple to use, spray one and wipe off. If you use the conditioner it will help it stay supple for a long time. Just make sure when you are done, that you have wiped it off real well so you don't get it on your clothes when you sit on it. The leather conditioner is so good, that when I put it on the leather part of the seats in my hubby's semi truck, he complained that he was afraid he would go sliding out of the seat!

  • Pg Pg on Nov 18, 2017

    Murphy's Oil Soap is like saddle soap and is made for cleaning leather and wood. It conditions as it cleans.

  • Jeanne Jeanne on Nov 19, 2017

    I was just recently introduced to Norwex products. They have a cloth you can use with water!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJQOECwKF14

  • Shoshana Shoshana on May 15, 2017

    A store bought leather cleaning kit will do a really good job at getting your soda clean. You can get scratches/scuffs out by using men's shoe polish in a similar color and buffing with a rag.

  • Ruby Sickels Ruby Sickels on May 15, 2017

    Try baby shampoo with a magic eraser. I have a off white leather sofa that I clean this way

  • Bobbie Bobbie on May 15, 2017

    Mix equal parts of white vinegar and warm water. Use a microfiber cleaning cloth. Wring as dry as possible. Starting at the top wipe it down, rinsing the cloth often. Dry the sofa with a towel, I condition the sofa with one part white vinegar and two parts linseed oil, again use a soft cloth wipe in large circular motions. Leave on overnight and next day buff with another soft cloth.

  • Bobbie Bobbie on Oct 11, 2017


    Vacuum clean the sofa with a soft brush attachment. Make sure it sucks the dirt out of all the crevices otherwise the dust and grime could be rubbed into the sofa when you wipe it with the cleaning solution. Dust particles are abrasive in nature so they can damage the material when they come in contact with moisture. Create a cleaning solution by mixing equal parts of water and white vinegar. Alternatively, you can mix a few drops of commercial leather cleaner in water. Dip a soft cloth (preferably a microfiber cloth) in this solution and wring it out so that the cloth is damp, not completely wet. Wipe the entire sofa with this cloth while rinsing the cloth in the cleaning solution when necessary. It is best to start cleaning from the top and work your way down. Dry the sofa with a clean towel. Do not use a blow dryer for this purpose as it is likely to dehydrate the leather. For conditioning, mix one part of white vinegar and two parts of linseed oil or flax seed oil. Using a soft, clean cloth, apply this mixture on the sofa in broad, circular motions. Leave on overnight. Next day, buff the sofa with a clean rag to restore its shine.