Although leather sofas are stylish and timeless, it is necessary to maintain your leather sofa to ensure its longevity. They are susceptible to damage, especially when having children or pets at home. Don’t fret, we will help you learn how to repair and restore a leather couch when it starts showing signs of degradation.
Let’s get right into it.
Leather sofa cleaning
Regular cleaning is the key when it comes to maintaining the looks and ensuring the long life of your leather sofa. Leaving dirt to accumulate on the sofa will lead to leather degradation, eventually causing faded color, cracks and other problems. Experts in the industry recommend cleaning leather sofa at least once a month. It is equally crucial to regularly perform surface dusting and cleaning rituals whenever there are spillages.
There are many leather sofa conditioners available in the market which you can apply on the sofa surface, then rub using a towel in a steady and circular motion to remove dirt. The choice of the cleaning agent might depend on the cause and extent of damage. For example, a product with UV protection is the best for a couch exposed to sunlight.
If you are looking for homemade remedies to clean a leather sofa, you can use Dove soap, vinegar and alcohol. You can easily make a leather cleaning agent with a mixture of white vinegar and olive oil. Furthermore, alcohol can help you deal with ink-based stains on leather, specifically those caused by pens and markers.
Fixing cracks and tears on leather surface
Cracked leather can be a challenging issue to fix, and many people opt to give away their furniture when showing cracks on its surfaces. On the contrary, a cracked leather sofa surface is totally correctable and preventable.
When leather surfaces start to crack, they start showing lines that start small and can escalate into large openings. One of the main reasons for the occurrence is dryness, and conditioning your leather sofa will help you restore the material. Regularly apply a leather conditioner every three months to prevent cracking the leather. You can find a number of leather conditioners in the market but it is best to use the one recommended by the sofa maker to get the best results.
If your leather sofa has visible tears on the surface, which expose the inner parts, a conditioner will not work, but you can use the standard glue for common household repairs to fix the cuts. It is advisable to work with an expert when repairing cracked leather couch to avoid damaging other parts.
Some leather seats have an outer coating to prevent cracks; the layer can prevent the conditioner from penetrating it. For such a case, even though the features enhance the surface’s durability, you must condition the material immediately if it shows signs of cracking.
Cleaning stains and mold
Exposing your leather sofa to a moist environment for prolonged periods will lead to mold growth, which causes staining on the surfaces. This can be challenging to remove if left untreated for a longer period. In such a situation baking soda, vinegar and alcohol are effective mold and mildew killers. Use a soft cloth to wipe the leather sofa using alcohol to kill and eliminate molds. If using a cleaning agent, testing it on a small surface is necessary before using it to clean mold and mildew from the leather sofa.
Grease ruins your leather seat’s texture and appearance, but you can remove the stains using baking soda. Sprinkle the product on the affected surface and wait a few hours before wiping it off to remove the greasy stains. It works by absorbing the dirt, making cleaning easier with a clean cloth.
Restoring color of leather sofa
With continued use, your leather sofa can lose its color, but you can restore it to its original appearance by dyeing the surfaces. It is always cheaper to undertake color restoration by yourself rather than purchase a new sofa set.
For dyeing a leather sofa, you will need a sponge to apply the dye, and you must wait until it dries before using the seat. However, the most challenging bit is matching the dye color to your sofa finishing when spot touching. Apart from other variations like suede, you can correct all types of genuine leather.
We advise a complete color restoration against spot touching to get the best outlook of your leather sofa. It is best to use a specialist in matching the colors to ensure people do not notice the surface touchups. However, the service might cost you more when buying dye for sofa leather color restoration.
Also Read: 30 Best Coffee Tables You Can Buy in 2023
Repairing water-damaged leather sofa
Repairing a leather sofa damaged by water is not a walk in the park, but there are products to help with the restoration. First, you must dry the water from the sofa surface with a dry piece of clothing. You should avoid using heating devices to eliminate water as it will damage leather.
Give your sofa time to dry independently and utilize conditioners to moisturize the water-damaged leather. If there is extensive water damage on the surface, consider reupholstering your sofa.
Final thought
When considering leather sofa repair or restoration, planning is very important. You must get all supplies to accomplish the task for the best results. The items to use will depend on the repair you will undertake and the extent of damage on the sofa.
Take necessary precautions when handling the cleaning products by wearing industrial gloves to limit contact with the agents. You should prevent damaging your carpet or floor by laying a canvas underneath the couch and adjacent areas or using newspapers. Also, protect your clothes from contacting dye or wear old garments if you do not mind getting stained.
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