Cleaning up after yoga

Leather upholstery is very easy to clean, either with a vinegar solution or a commercial leather cleaner. In the event of a spillage, however, you will need to act as quickly as possible to make sure stains do not set in. Here is some advice on how to clean some common spills and stains from leather furniture.

Solids

If you have left crumbs or any kind of solid matter on the furniture, it should be removed before inspecting for stains. The best way to do this is with a vacuum cleaner, using a brush attachment with soft bristles to avoid scratching the leather. Pay particular attention to the creases in the furniture, as anything stuck here could damage the leather finish.

Liquids

Sooner or later you are bound to spill drinks on your sofa. These could include dark liquids such as tea, coffee or wine, which can easily cause stains. The best thing to do is to wipe the leather immediately with a cloth or paper towel. Once the leather is dry, any stain can be cleaned with your usual leather cleaner.

Grease

Grease stains can easily be left on your sofa from oily foods or from hair care products. As with all stains, it is best to try and wipe them off as soon as you notice them. If this does not completely remove the grease, or if you do not notice it until later, you can use baking soda to clean it off. Just sprinkle the powder onto the stain and leave it overnight to absorb the grease. You can then clean the soda away in the morning with a cloth, and it should take the grease stain with it.

Ink

If you do any kind of writing on your leather furniture, you can easily get marks from ink on the surface. This is best removed with rubbing alcohol. Dip a cotton wool ball into the alcohol, but make sure it isn't dripping. Then rub the cotton over the ink stain. You should see the ink begin to come off the leather. Once the stain has completely gone you should rinse away any remaining alcohol with a damp cloth, and then use another cloth to dry the area completely.

If you find yourself with a really persistent stain, the best thing to do is use the services of a professional leather cleaning service, who will be able to remove the stain without causing any damage to the upholstery. For more information on upholstery cleaning, contact a company near you.