London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 11, 2025

The Best Ways to Clean and Care for Leather Furniture and Apparel

The Best Ways to Clean and Care for Leather Furniture and Apparel

Leather furnishings require special care to stay looking their best. Here's what you need to know about cleaning this durable material.

When it comes to purchasing new furniture, you might experience some last-minute doubts about what material is best for you and your home. With so many upholstery fabric options on the market, it can be difficult to determine which material will meet your needs regarding durability, aesthetics, and ease of cleaning. If you're considering leather furniture, there are many reasons why this material makes an excellent choice for upholstered pieces. However, it takes some specific know-how to keep leather looking its best, so it's important to recognize how leather care instructions differ from other fabrics.

Use our guide to learn how to clean and care for leather furniture so you can make your next purchase in complete confidence. We'll also show you how to clean other leather items, including leather jackets and shoes, so you can effectively tackle any dirt or stains and keep the material looking great for years to come.

Benefits of Leather Furniture


There are many benefits of leather that make it a popular choice for furniture, clothing, and footwear. The natural material has a luxurious feel that wears well over time. Here are some of the characteristics that make leather a good choice for your home and your closet:

Longlasting: Leather furniture is often something you buy for a lifetime. Since leather is a natural product, aging brings out its natural patina, making it even more beautiful over time. And since leather furniture is something you can enjoy for years to come, this is a purchase that makes a sound investment. You'll find that leather lasts much longer than fabric and can be a better value.

Easy Care: Leather is easy to care for. To clean leather, just use a conditioner every 6-12 months and wipe up spills as they occur with a clean cloth. Avoid using normal cleaning supplies, such as soaps, detergents, solvents, etc.

Durability: Unless your dog thinks your new leather couch is a chew toy or your cat uses it as a scratching post, your leather furniture is as safe as any other furniture in the house. For more peace of mind, select a protected leather for your furniture, which has an extra finish applied to it. This helps protect the leather so pets and kids can sit on the couch with none of the usual worries.

Steady Temperature: Leather seats in a car get hot in summer and cold in winter. But for leather furniture indoors, you'll find that it warms to your body heat in the winter. In the summer, since it's natural and can breathe, leather stays pleasantly cool. Just keep it out of the sun (which is hard on the color, too).



General Leather Cleaning Tips


Most leather furniture and apparel today are protected, which makes them pretty simple to clean yourself. If you're not sure whether the leather is finished, lightly scratch the material with your fingernail in an inconspicuous area. If it leaves a mark, consider hiring a leather-cleaning expert to take care of it. If there's no mark, feel free to clean the surface using these tips.

Always try any cleaning method in a hidden area first to determine how it will affect the material.

For minor spots and spills, wipe up any excess liquid immediately with a clean absorbent cloth or sponge. If necessary, use a lightly moistened soft cloth with clean lukewarm water, and let it air dry naturally. If water is used, clean the entire area where the spot occurred.

Do not use cleaning solvents, furniture polish, oils, varnish, abrasive cleaners, or ammonia water.

For butter, oil, or grease stains, wipe off excess with a clean dry cloth, then leave it alone. The spot should dissipate into the leather after a short period of time. You can also try sprinkling it with baking soda or corn starch. Let it sit overnight, then wipe or vacuum off. If this doesn't work, try rubbing alcohol. Apply a leather cleaner-conditioner ($6, The Home Depot) after removing the spot.

If the stain persists, it is recommended that a professional leather specialist clean the leather to avoid any potential damage to the leather itself.

For minor or slight scratches on the surface, use a chamois cloth ($12, The Home Depot) or clean fingers to gently buff the scratch. If needed, moisten lightly with distilled water to work scratches out.



How to Clean Leather Items


The leather cleaning tips outlined above apply to most leather furnishings and apparel, but certain types of items sometimes require special cleaning techniques. The steps for cleaning a leather sofa, for example, will differ from the best technique for cleaning leather boots. Use these item-specific instructions to learn how to clean leather furniture and accessories.
How to Clean a Leather Sofa or Chair

Under normal usage/conditions, regular dusting and vacuuming in crevices or along the bottom are all that is necessary to clean leather furniture. Dust your leather couch or chair with a microfiber cloth that's just barely dampened with water. Vacuum the cushions with a stiff-bristle upholstery brush, and break out the crevice tool for corners and other hard-to-reach areas. The use of a good leather conditioner ($4, The Home Depot) is recommended every 6-12 months to prevent cracking and keep it looking good for longer. (Always check with the leather furniture manufacturer before applying any product.). To keep up the look of your leather sofa, protect your furniture from sun and direct light. Like any upholstery material, leather can fade to some degree if exposed to the sun.

How to Clean a Leather Jacket


Before cleaning a leather jacket, check the label and follow the recommended wash instructions. If there are none, follow these steps. Add two teaspoons of dish soap to a bucket of warm water. Mix the solution and dip a clean cloth into the water. Wring out the excess and carefully wipe the jacket, spot-cleaning any spills or stains. Quickly after you apply the soapy mixture, wipe the leather jacket dry with a second clean cloth.

How to Clean Leather Shoes


Black leather boots are a fashion staple. Here's how to keep them looking like the day you bought them. Like all leather products, spot-clean leather boots immediately if you spill any liquid on your shoes. For regular cleaning, use the same soap and water solution as described in the leather jacket description above. Another great way to clean leather boots: baby wipes. They're gentle on leather shoes and you can keep a portable pack in your purse or suitcase for travel.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
×