How To Clean Leather Recliner

Leather is a tricky material to maintain, but we choose it for its luxurious finish and durability. However, the rewards of having leather furnishings are only possible if you know how to care for them. In this article, I will show you how to clean a leather recliner. A leather recliner is a fantastic piece of furniture to have in any home. The rich color and supple feel are extremely inviting and add a touch of class and luxury to any space. While leather furnishings last longer than others, it’s only because there is some work needed to make sure the leather still looks and feels good.

Inspection

Before we start on how to clean leather recliner, it’s good to give your furniture a thorough check. Does your recliner need a simple dusting? Or does it need a deep clean? Are there any stains or tears? What areas need extra care? Are any sections in need of actual repair?

During this part, you can take your vacuum and cloth and get to the wiping and dusting. Remove all dust and loose debris from the leather recliner. Do not forget to clean in between the cushions. Get into every nook and cranny, even down to the most intricate details of the piece.

Once you get an understanding of what is looking worse for the wear, you know which parts to focus on when treating the leather recliner. 

Initial Cleaning

For this step, you can make use of either a combination of soap and water or vinegar and water. To make a vinegar solution, mix equal parts and vinegar in a small bucket. Take your cloth and dip in one corner. Wring out the cloth so that it is damp and not totally wet. Use this cloth to target soiled parts of the leather. Work gently and rinse and re-soak the cloth every few strokes, so you avoid spreading dirt.

If you plan on using soap and water, you cannot use any ordinary soap. There is a soap that is specifically for cleaning leather called saddle soap. You will find this in most hardware stores. Mix the saddle soap in warm water. Take your washcloth and soak it in the soapy mixture. Make sure that the cloth is damp, not dripping wet when using it on the leather. Concentrate on stains and spots. You do not necessarily need to wipe every inch of the recliner.

For tougher stains, such as ink stains, this is where your rubbing alcohol comes in. Soak a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and apply it to the stain. You want to use a cotton swab because anything larger can end up spreading the stain. It requires extra patience and effort, but trust me; it will be worth it.

Know how to clean leather recliner that comes in light tones can be painful. If you have a leather recliner that is white or beige, it’s more prone to dark stains. For this problem, you can use a mixture of equal parts of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Use this to make a paste and apply it to the stain. Leave the paste on for 10 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth.

After the initial cleaning steps, leave the leather recliner out to dry before proceeding to the next steps. Use a dry, clean cloth to wipe down the leather. For the best results, leave your leather recliner untouched overnight. You want to make sure you are treating dry leather for the next steps because otherwise, mildew may build up all over your chair. Water is actually one of leather’s greatest enemies, which is why these initial cleaning steps only target specific problem areas.

Treating the Leather

While moisture from water is bad for leather, it is important to make sure the leather recliner retains some level of softness to avoid cracking and crumbling in the near future. This is where you will use your leather cream, which is also available in many hardware stores. Leather cream is the best thing to clean leather furniture because it will reintroduce moisture to the leather.

Scoop up the leather cream with a clean, dry cloth and apply it to the leather. You can be generous with the application of leather cream. In fact, you should be. Massage the leather cream into every corner and crevice of the leather recliner. You want to especially work the cream into parts that feel stiff as well as the most used areas of the leather recliner. Be gentle with any area that has scratches or scuffs.

If you have colored leather, be careful about the type of leather cream you choose. You are adding moisture to the material, and that may darken the color of the leather.

Once you are done treating the recliner with leather cream, leave out the recliner again. Let all that moisture sink in. This is the good kind of moisture, the kind your leather recliner needs to stay supple and durable.

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