What is allowed on a leather sofa and what is not
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| wipe off dust with a dry soft cloth | do not pour water on leather or soak it |
| on finished leather, occasionally use mild soap and warm water, and wipe off the foam | do not use saddle soap, because it is alkaline |
| wipe dry and buff with a soft cloth | do not use creams or oil on finished leather |
| blot spilled liquid immediately | do not dry with a hairdryer or heater: heat dries leather out, makes it brittle and deforms it |
| check the manufacturer's care instructions | do not rub a stain using methods meant for fabric |
Sources on leather do not fully agree. Virginia Cooperative Extension material allows mild soap and water on finished furniture leather, while the Canadian Conservation Institute writes about museum objects that direct contact with water damages most leathers. The overall conclusion is simple: as little water as possible, and soak nothing.
What kind of leather you have
Not every sofa that looks like leather really is a leather sofa, and everything else depends on that.
| Material | What it means |
|---|---|
| Finished furniture leather | gentle cleaning, very little water, no creams or oil |
| Suede | do not clean stains, they are a job for a specialist; if it gets wet, air-dry it away from heat |
| Faux leather | it is not leather; some imitations do not withstand dry cleaning, and the film or glue deteriorates |
| Unknown | look at the manufacturer's documents or send a photo, because what is allowed depends on this |
The coating on faux leather may peel over time, and cleaning cannot repair that. We do not say that cleaning causes or prevents it. More detail: faux leather sofa cleaning. Faux leather has no separate price: we charge the fabric sofa prices.
What to do about a stain on leather
- Blot. Lift the liquid with a clean cloth; do not rub. Leather absorbs liquid readily, and the stain soaks into the material itself.
- Do not wet it further. A lot of water harms leather, so do not try to rinse the stain out.
- Do not use solvents at random. Methods meant for textiles can damage the structure of leather.
- Ink is a separate case. The University of Georgia's advice does not promise that ink can be removed from leather, so we do not promise it either.
- Send a photo. A specialist will tell you what to expect from this stain.
What cleaning will not do for leather
Usually comes out
- Dust and surface dirt: usually come out.
- A fresh, surface stain: often becomes less visible.
May stay
- A stain that has soaked into the leather.
- Ink: the result cannot be promised.
- Worn colour and cracks: these are damage, not dirt.
- Peeling faux leather.
So before the work it is important to understand what is dirt and what is wear. A specialist will tell you from a photo or on site what to expect.
What harms leather day to day
- Heat: keep the sofa away from a heater, because heat dries leather out and deforms it.
- High humidity: according to Canadian Conservation Institute data on museum objects, air humidity above 65% encourages mould on leather.
- Alkaline soap and strong substances: they are not meant for leather.
- Stains left for a long time: leather absorbs them.
What to write on the form
- whether it is leather, suede or faux leather, if you know;
- what got on the sofa and when;
- whether anything has already been used on the stain;
- whether there are cracks, scuffs or peeling;
- the size of the sofa and how many seats it has.
Attach an overall shot and a close-up. It is better to show cracks and peeling straight away, so that it is clear before the work what is damage and what is dirt.
Leather sofa cleaning price
Leather sofa cleaning costs from €40 for a two-seater and from €50 for a corner sofa, and a leather armchair from €20. The minimum order is €45: if the total is lower, you pay €45. That also applies to a single armchair or a two-seater sofa. Travel is included in Riga and up to about 15 km outside Riga; further out it is from €10. We clean at your home and agree the price before the work. Other leather furniture: leather furniture cleaning.
Sources
- Finished furniture leather: dust, mild soap and warm water, wipe, buff; no creams, saddle soap or oil checked 7 November 2026
- Direct contact with water damages most leathers; saddle soap is alkaline checked 7 November 2026
- Leather is absorbent; methods for textiles can damage leather; suede stains are for a specialist, air-dry; imitations may not withstand dry cleaning checked 7 November 2026
- Heat dries leather out, makes it brittle and deforms it checked 7 November 2026
- Ink on leather: removal is not promised checked 7 November 2026
- A stain is blotted, not rubbed checked 7 November 2026